GREECE – ATHENS

January 14-18, 2023

I flew from Malta to Athens. I was still feeling poorly but, dammit, I was finally in Athens and was going to push myself!

I took the metro from the airport to Syntagma Square – the largest square in modern Athens where many major roads intersect and many buses and trams run. From there it was a short walk to the apartment guesthouse.

The first day, I acquired my ticket to the Acropolis. It didn’t seem like a far distance to walk, so I thought I would check out where it was, and to take in any sights along the way. Nothing is far in Athens, at least not from where I was staying. I walked past old churches – large

and small,

outdoor cafes (I love Europe),

bronze statues of obscure heroes,

and old ruins.

Outside the gates to the Acropolis were a couple of older gentlemen playing a guitar and violin. On the cobbled street, in the shadow of the Acropolis, they were played an Ed Sheeran song with such passion it fit with the ambiance.

I took a different route back. I came across many markets selling the typical tourist junk. The only thing I was interested in was a necklace, but it was too expensive.

I happened upon Hadrian’s Gate, a triumphal arch that spanned an ancient road starting at the centre of Athens and leading to the Temple of Olympian Zeus. It is made of marble and is fully symmetrical from front to back and side to side. It stands 18 metres (59 ft) high, 13.5 metres (44 ft) wide and 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) deep. Clamps were used to connect the marble stones and is without cement or mortar.

The next day I headed straight to the Acropolis – Acro: Greek for “the highest point, or extremity” and polis: city. It indeed sits at the highest point and is visible throughout Athens. There is evidence that the hill was inhabited as early as the 4^th millennium BC. The present day buildings were constructed in 495-429 BC. It sits on a flat-top rock that rises 150 metres (490 ft) above sea level and the and covers 3 hectares (7.4 acres)

I wandered up the slope of the hill, past the Theatre of Dionysus (constructed mid to late 4^th century BC with a seating capacity of 25,000),

the Stoa of Eumenes (a Hellenistic colonnade used to shelter spectators),

the Temple of Asklepios (a sort of healing sanctuary),

and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (built in 161 AD into the side of a steep slope, with a three-story stone front wall and wooden roof made of cedar of Lebanon, it had a capacity of 5000). It was absolutely mind-blowing impressive! These ingenious people were constructing THIS, while in North America the locals were still trying to access fire!

Further up the slope I finally came to the entry gates to the Acropolis

and saw the Parthenon. What can I say? WOW!! It is unconscionable that the Turks would have used this magnificent building as a gunpowder storage in 1687. They probably thought no one would dare fire at it for fear of damaging it. Wrong! The Doge of Venice considered it a “fortunate shot” when he managed to hit the Parthenon dead centre and the three thousand year old temple crumbled from the impact and ensuing explosion. But the desecration did not stop there. When the Turks finally gained control of Athens again, they sold souvenirs to Westerners.

The butchery continued when Thomas Bruce, 7^th Earl of Elgin removed the marbles in 1801-1803 and took them to the British Museum. I have seen them on several occasions while in London. They are stunning. The campaign to have them returned to Greece has met with unwillingness by the British (and other museums that acquired some statues and friezes). Today, there is a growing consensus by many museums that such works of art should be returned to the country of origin. But the negotiations are still very slow.

It is 30.9 metres (101 ft) wide and 69.5 metres (228 ft) long, which makes it about 2139.5 sq metres (23,028 sq ft) – about half the size of a football field. It had 46 outer columns that were 10.4 metres (34 ft) high.

Although the Parthenon was the big thing on my bucket list, I found the Erechtheion to be more intriguing. It lies just to the north of the Parthenon. The Temple of Athena Polias was built in 421 BC. The Porch of the Maidens was fascinating. Six sculpted female figures, all facing outward along a low wall, acted as architectural supports instead of columns. I have no idea why, but it sure looked nice. Interestingly, none of their lower arms remained. Were they holding something significant at one time?

Just outside the building is an ancient olive tree that is believed to be the first olive tree given to Athens by the Greek goddess Athena. In ancient Greece the olive trees were considered the property of the state because of their religious significance. Or, because there was money to be made with olive oil and the government did not want to share. It also gave the government the right to regularly check on the trees – just to be sure they were taken good care of. Times have not changed much….

From the Acropolis, I took out my trusty GPSMyCity app and made my way along the suggested route. A few things that stuck out for me were the Tower of the Winds in the Roman Agora. It had a wind vane on top. It is 12 metres (39 ft) tall and has a diameter of about 8 metres (26 ft)

Getting its name from the eight wind gods reliefs around its top, it is an octagonal tower made of marble. Built around 50 BC it is one of the rare buildings that stands virtually intact.

It housed a large water clock (the same idea as a sand hourglass, but with markings to show passage of time) and also had sundials prominently placed on the exterior.

Hadrian’s Library must have been spectacular in its heyday. What remains of the massive columns that still boast intricate detail on the caps. The decorative oblong pool is still visible in the centre.

The remains of eastern wall still have the alcoves where the rolls of papyrus were kept.

The Stoa of Attalos was built in 150 BC (reconstructed in the 1950s) this long covered portico (115 by 20 metres (377 by 66 ft) is made of  marble and limestone. There were lots of statues along the length of the walkway. The late afternoon sun cast shadows of the columns so that it felt like there were more columns than there actually were.

Some statues were comical, if you looked at them with a modern mind. Valdemort

& Grinch

The Temple of Hephaestus looked like a smaller, but complete version of the Pantheon. It is mostly intact is because it was continually used in various forms throughout history.

Hephaestus was the patron god of metal working, craftsmanship and fire. There used to be many metal-working shops in the vicinity. It was built in 440s BC, high on a hill. Built of marble, it is 13.71 metres wide and 31.78 metres long. There are 6 columns on the shorter side and 13 on the longer side. The column caps are massive, and gives a good idea of the magnitude of its size.

The sun was beginning to set and cast a golden hue on the building. It looked grand, like a sentinel watching over the grounds below.

Church of the Holy Apostles was dedicated in 330. It was second in size and importance only to the Hagia Sophia among the great churches of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was initially intended to house relics of the 12 apostles. Only the remains of three were actually acquired, Andrew, Luke and Timothy. Sadly, the church was closed.

Simple pleasures: There were orange trees dripping with ripe fruit lining the streets.

My time in Athens was short. But I got to see all the famous sites that I had heard about for years. Europe was not as warm as I had hoped, and I was not feeling well because of it. I fully intend to return during a warmer time of year, and explore more islands. I decided that I had had enough, and booked a flight to Cairo. Surely, Egypt would be warmer.