Athen

Start Andiparos Athen Folegandros Paros Santorini Schinoussa Sifnos

 

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The Panathenian Stadium

This is where the Olympic games once were invented. We just had to visit the place, and its big, very big.

If you want to know more about the stadium, please read what Prof. N. G. Politis has to say here
   
wpe2D.jpg (43740 bytes) "The guys" sitting there just like the ancient greeks used to!

 

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This is what everyone that has been in Athens has seen, Acropolis or "the rock". This is what you can see of Acropolis if your standing at the stadium.

 

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Parthenon

"The unique masterpiece of the world".

You will realize it yourself the moment you stand in front of it and learn a little of its history and the secrets of its construction.

Today admission to the Parthenon is prohibited due to the restoration work that has been taking place there since 1983. This will not prevent you from admiring this unique temple dedicated to the goddess Athena and built of white marble from Penteli.

Parthenon housed the golden-ivory statue of Athena, work of the famous sculptor Pheidias.
This statue was the final destination of the Great Panathenaea procession, depicted on the frieze of the temple.

 

 

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Temple of ATHENA NIKE

This temple was erected to the south of the Propylaea about 420 BC, to commemorate the victories of the "Greeks over the Persians" The architect of this temple was Kallikrates. This place is so unique that there has been a temple on this exact spot since prehistoric times. In the small extension, the "Erechtheion", Athena had her most sacred emblem, the olive tree, to sprout. This tree was destroyed in later years by the invading Persians. But when the Persians were finally driven off legend has it that the tree miraculously grew again.

 

wpe3.jpg (11258 bytes) As you can see the weather in Athens wasn't all that good, rather cold and more or less constant rain. We realized later on that we probably should be glad that the weather was bad, Athens get incredibly hot when the sun is shining!