Exploring Athens: From The Acropolis To The Agora

Athens is the city that comes to mind when people think of Greece. Millions of tourists visit it every year. Even if Athens isn’t on your travel list right now, you can take this quick tour of the city’s landmarks without having to set foot on an airplane.

- Marcia Amidon Lusted

THE ACROPOLIS

One of Athens’ hills, the Acropolis, is one of the most familiar landmarks in the world. Perched on this steep, rocky hill is an ancient Greek group of monuments, including the Parthenon, which was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, and the Erechtheion, a temple dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. These and other temples, most of them in ruins, are still amazing examples of classical architecture.There are also fortresses, walls, and gates built 24to defend the hill in ancient times. From the top of the Acropolis, visitors can look out over much of the city of Athens.

THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

Before the 17th century, many of the buildings on the Acropolis were still intact. But wars, the need for building materials, and even souvenir-seeking tourists took a toll on the site and its artifacts. In 1865, the Acropolis Museum was built just to protect the artifacts and other materials that were part of the Acropolis. It quickly outgrew its space and has been continually expanded. The museum handles a huge number of visitors and protects many of the valuable relics of the Acropolis. A glass floor allows visitors to see an ancient Roman settlement discovered during the digging of the museum’s foundations. The museum also hopes to display the Elgin Marbles, which were removed from the Parthenon by the Englishman Lord Elgin in the 19th century and which Greece hopes to have returned.

TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS