Athens, Greece

We took a tour to the Acropolis.  When the Acropolis comes into view it stands out like a sore thumb.  it rises so high above the rest of the town that it is amazing.  It provided a natural fortress for the early Athenians.

After we climbed up the 80 steps to the top of the Acropolis we met the Greek Honor Guard coming down.  Once a week they raise the Greek flag on top of the Acropolis and then they go and guard the Royal Palace.  Their shoes are made of iron and wood and are very heavy.

As we looked back down at where we had come from we saw the Odeon of Herodes Atticus that was built in 161 A.D. and that served as a theatre and concert hall for 5,000 spectators.

The Parthenon is one of several ruins that sit atop the Acropolis.  It was dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patroness of Athens.  Most of these buildings were built in the last half of the 5th century B.C.

Proof that I survived all those stairs.

This is the Erechtheion.  It served as a shrine to Poseidon on the north and Athena Polias on the east.  The south porch has six statues of Korai (maidens).

Looking down on the rocky knoll below you see a natural pulpit where Ares, the God of War, was judged for slaying Poseidon’s son and where Saint Paul preached in later years.

You can also see the Temple of Hephaestus from the Acropolis.

 

Leaving the Acropolis we drove to the stadium that was built in 1895 for the first modern Olympic Games.  It is on the same site as the ancient Panathenaic Stadium which was completed in 140 A.D.  It is built of marble and can hold 70,000 spectators.

Our tour continued on to Corinth which I will address in the next blog.