The Acropolis of Athens, Greece

The Parthenon
The Parthenon is the most important and characteristic monument of the ancient Greek civilization and still remains its international symbol. It was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patron goddess of Athens. It was built between 447 and 438 B.C. The construction of the monument was initiated by Perikles; the supervisor of the whole work was Pheidias, the famous Athenian sculptor, while Iktinos and Kallikrates were the architects of the building. The temple is built in the Doric order and almost exclusively of Pentelic marble.


The Erechtheion
The Erechtheion was built in 420 B.C. in the Ionic order. It has a prostasis on the east side, a monumental propylon on the north, and the famous porch of the Caryatids on the south. The main temple was divided into two sections, dedicated to the worship of the two principal gods of Attica, Athena and Poseidon - Erechtheus.


The Caryatids
Statues of young women clad in peplos. They supported the roof of the south porch of the Erechtheion (420 B.C.), and probably were the work of Alkamenes, a student of the great sculptor Pheidias.


The Propylaea
The monumental gateway of the Acropolis was designed by the architect Mnesikles and constructed in 437-432 B.C. It comprises a central building and two lateral wings. The colonnades along the west and east sides had a row of Doric columns while two rows of Ionic columns divided the central corridor into three parts.


The Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped amphitheater wide with a three-storey stone front wall and a wooden roof, and was used as a venue for music concerts and had a capacity of 5,000. The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored in the 1950s. Since then it has been hosting the theatrical, musical, and dance performances of the Athens Festival, which runs from June through September each year.

Kevrekidis Photography

Greece - Archeology & History