Day 3 and 4 October 28 & 29, 2011.We spent 2 days in Greece. The first day we went to Athens and the second day we went to Olympia. October 28, 29, 2011.



This Greek musician was playing his violin and tourists would tip him.  This area sits at the base of the Acropolis where alot of shops are located.  On the opposite side is the beautiful pedestrian walk way of Dionyssiou Areopagitou until you reach the Acropolis upper level where spectacular views are seen.




This is part of the Greek Acropolis and just above this wall is the one of the famous wonders of the world "The Parthenon"



Hi to everyone from Athens Greece. 

This Acropolis is where most of the ancient myths took place where the legendary King Theseus lived.  Fortified with hight walls around 550 B.B it served as a worship place of the Gods, the ruins are very much thriving, the numerous temples and statues were added.  I am standing behing the Dionysus theatre.

Marble steps leading to many of the archaelolgical exhibits.

The marble steps were smooth to touch.



Here we are in Athens looking over the lower part of the  Acropolis where many buildings stand today that Bill and I learned about when we were in high school.  It is hard to believe we are actually here and seeing this wondeful history unfold.




Looking over the "Agora" of Athens.



I am walking up the stairs to the upper Acropolis in Athens.

Today you can climb the sacred rock via a very old uphill slope through the ruins of the large external scale added by the Romans.

walking through these pillars on our way up the mountain to the upper level of the Acropolis to the Parthenon.

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during sith century BC, when Pisistratos introduced in Athens the cult of Dionysus, they bult for the god a small temple on the foot of Acropolis.  Festivals began to take place at the end of that century, they had muscials and theatrical performances; spectators watched these performances seated on the slpe of the hill.  Then they installed wooden benches and the space where the performances were taking place was converted to a shpae of a perfect circle.  The stage adopted the name orchestra from the verb (orchoumae) which means to dance.  In the 4th century the wooden benches were replaced by poros stone seats, some of which are preserved today.  The theatre could seat 17000 people.  During the Hellenistic period this structure underwent many changes.  The marble flooring preserved today was built during the Roman period.  During that time they had gladiator duels and boat races.

THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS-Hadrian completed the temple of Olympian Zeus in 700 years. sixteen columns remain, 13 together under the architraves.  The roman general Sulla removed the pillars of the intervening Hellenistic temple to Rome in the  first century BC. The arch of Hadrian sits close by this temple.

View from the back of the Dionysus theatre.  In the fore ground is the entrance area and walk to the upper Acropolis towards the Parthenon.

The ground around the Parthenon was very rough and hard to walk on.

greek writings

Temple of Erechtheion

Parthenon



A fire had destroyed much of the Parthenon and it is continuing to be restored.



pictures of Bill and I around and in front of the temple of Erechtheion

another picture of the temple Erechtheion

Roman columns in Greece

The Greece flag.  this was a look out point for tourists to enjoy.

Dad and I in front of the Parthenon one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.

The Parthenon

Looking down into the city of Athens from the hill where the Parthenon is located.  You can see the city of Athens (the Agora).

The theatre of Dionysus- At the 6th century BC, when Pisistratos introduced in Athens the cult of Dionysus, there was built for the god a small tmple on the foot of Acropolis.  Around the end of the same century, at the nearby level spot the first Dionysian festivals began to take place, with musical theatrical performances: the spectators watched  these performances seated on the slope of the hill.

taking a break from our little hike up to the Parthenon.

THE PROPYLAEA-This is the climb up to the Acropolis by way of trails surrouned by olive trees.  It is pretty steep, when you get to this point there are large columns to pass through that take you to the Athens buildings where the Parthenon sits.

THE ODEION OF HERODES ATTICUS-In 161 AD the Greek noble man Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes built a theatre in the memory of his wife, Aspasia Regilla.  This was a roofed building that hosted music events and was thus called Odeion.  The audience area consisted of 32 rows of seats and could hold around 5000 people.  The facade was adorned  with a double row of pillars, whereas the entrances were at the rear ends.  Between 1950 and 1961 the audience area was restored and floored with pentelic marble.  This theatre is situated along the south side of the Acropolis.  It was destroyed by the Turks when it was attached to the fort of the Acropolis.

It was very windy at the top of the Acropolis, plus I was having a bad hair day since I had no hair products (They were taken from my luggage from our trip from Paris to Rome)



THE PARTHENON- was built on the highest part of the Acropolis, is the most important creation of ancient Greek architecture and a symbol of the perfection that marked the classical spirit of the age of Pericles, 5th century BC-the "Golden Age" of Greek history.  It was built during the period 447-438 BC.This temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena, the Patroness of Athens. Athough it is partly ruined today largely du to the bombardment by Morozini in 1687



THE CARYATIDES or maidens stand four in front and 2 behind and they support the roof like columns.  The capitals of their heads are designed like baskets.  The name Caryatides was given to these figures in later time was derived from the town of Caryae in Laconia.

There were alot of tourist today while we were visiting Athens Greece. The Restoration of the Parthenon in the background.



THE ERECHTHEION-  this is one of the oldest and most sacred relics of ancient Athens, located just to the lower area of the Parthenon.  This mycenean palace, tomb and shrine of Kekrops, the marks of Poseidon's trident, the sacred olive tree of Athena (located in the middle). It was built between 421 and 406 BC.  The south porch has 6 statues of Korai (maidens).  It is an ionic edifice with rich and elegant decoration and perfect elaboration of surfaces.



looking down the trail in which we were walking up to the Acropolis, the theatre is in the background.  Tour guides explaining the area to their groups of tourists.

Bill and I on our way up to the upper acropolis

We were told that many celebrities have been to this theatre "Dionysus" to perform.  One famous opera singer recently Andrea Bocelli.

Roman bath area

Some young Greek boys playing the accordian as we started our tour up to see the Parthenon.



The Acroplolis (or, high city) is a rocky hill dominating the center of the town. From the earliest times it had been both a fortress and the religious center of the state.  The principal cult was that of the goddes Athena and in her honour splendid temples were constructed on the Acropolis.  The most remarkable monuments: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, and the temple of Nike were built in the last half of the 5th century B.C. under the inspiration of Pericles and even though in ruins, still witness "the glory that was Greece".



The stadium which could hold 70,000 spectators was bult in 1895 for the first modern Olympic games.  It occupies the same site of the ancient Panathenaic Stadium the bulding of which begun under Lykurgos in 330 BC and was completed in 140 AD at the expense of Herodes Attidus the great benefacto to the city of Athens.

As we were driving to see the Parthenon we took alot of pictures of different architecture of the Roman and Greek eras.

The Monument to the Unknown Soldier guarded by the Evzones, dressed in the national costume.

Greek Basilica

Art and Statues.

This was a particularly strange statue.

THE PHILIPPEION- Philip II of Macedonia built and impressive circular edific, in memory of the battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC. 18 ionic pillars rose on a marble base and enclosed the wall of the cella, which was circular, containing a ring of 9 small corinthian pillars.  This ring contained 5 statues of the Macedonian dynasty.  These were statues of Philip II, his parents and his wife Olympias and his son Alexander the Great.  When Philip died in 336 BC the temple was not completed and the task was undertaken by Alexander.

This is where the Atheletes would start their races.  "ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GOOOOOO!!!

walking under the entrance bridge to the big open field.

This is the entrance to the Altis where the athletes would compete in this grand field.

They used shells and mud to make some of their pillars and buildings.

Olympia lies in the peaceful pine-clad valley of the River Alpheos.  It was a sanctuary of Zeus and Hera, it contains wealth and shrined, gymnasiums, sculptors and workshops.  It was here the sacred torch is still carried to whatever corner of the world the modern Olympics are held.  It has always been when the Greek race forgot their differences and united for a while in the spirit of Hellenism.

Olympia wa a great sanctuary of religious and cultural life during the first century of Greek history.  It was established by Pelops, the hero who gave his name to Peloponnese, but also by Hercules, who bult the sanctuary in honour of Pelops himself or of Zeus.  Since the beginning of the 8th century BC  corresponds with the first Athetic games, which had taken place in 776 BC.  These were sacred games that took place every 4 years  during the August full moon and lasted for 5 days.  All the cities and tribes participated in the games.  During the games all military battles ceased.  Their importance was so great that they constituted the basis for the Greek calendar system.  In the Roman period, its decline started.  In 86 BC Sylla pillaged it and he moved the Olympic games to Rome.



Our tour guide is pointing out on the map the area of Olympia Greece, we did a waling tour.




here we are passing the Island of Sicily Spain.



We woke up and showered early and had breakfast. Then we met for our tour excursion to "The Parthenon" acropolis.