Gallimaufry#105

Day 8—ACROPOLIS and PLAKA

Our last day in Greece.

Breakfast—Koulouri Thessalonikis

ACROPOLIS

image source - smarthistory.org

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ACROPOLIS & PARTHENON IN ATHENS

The Parthenon's age surpasses 2,460 years. Historical records indicate its construction began around 447 BC.

The Parthenon has served as a temple, a church, and a mosque over time. Initially devoted to the Greek goddess Athena, it underwent transformations as various religions claimed ownership. Christians converted it into a church, and later, the Turks transformed it into a mosque, adding a minaret atop the structure.

The Parthenon suffered destruction when explosives stored within its walls detonated during the late 1600s amid the conflict between the Venetians and Turks vying for control over Athens. This occurred as the Acropolis, due to its elevated position, served as a strategic military site during the conflict.

The Erechtheion

The Six Cariatids of the Erechtheion

A cariatid is a stone carving of a draped female figure, used as a pillar to support the entablature of a Greek or Greek-style building. Different interpretations exist regarding the identity of the six caryatids, with some suggesting they represent Greek goddesses, while others propose they depict the women of Caryae, who were doomed to hard labour because the town sided with the Persians in 480 bc during their second invasion of Greece.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus 

The odeon  was built in AD 161 by Herodes Atticus in memory of his Roman wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla.

 It was originally a steep-sloped theatre with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000.

Aeriel view of the city of Athens

A 19th-century drawing of what the Propylaea might have looked like when intact.

image source - wikimedia

Beulé Gate

Entrance leading to Propylaea

Propylaea

Exiting the Beulé Gate. 

Sculpture of Menander (Meandros)—one of the most important dramatists of the ancient world.

Ancient finds near the Theater of Dionysus

PLAKA

The statue of Ioannis Makriyiannis guards the entrance to the Plaka neighbourhood.

The famous Plaka stairs lined with cafes and tavernas.

Choragic Monument of Lysicrates

A couple of street kids drumming, their talent overshadowed by the necessity to beg for survival.

Cats graced us with their presence everywhere we went! I have a whole lot of photos of moggies we encountered in Greece, which I will share in a future post.

Our last meal in Greece before heading for our flight home.  A Chinese lunch!

Haha! We took a "wok" down memory lane with our fellow travelers as we shared photos and swapped social media accounts.

Final glimpses of Greece en route to the airport.

Clockwise—Panathenaic Stadium, traditionally costumed evzones (presidential guards) standing by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Syntagma Square

Goodbye, Greece! It was truly a trip of a lifetime, filled with unforgettable moments and cherished memories that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.