"People visit Greece more to see its past than present," says a local tour operator in Athens.
It's perhaps a fair statement, not because of the stains from the nation's present economic turmoil, but more importantly for its wondrous bestowals during the ancient age, when the rest of the world was just waking up.
The history of this land can be traced back to Neolithic and subsequent Bronze Age; however, its golden era sprang forth at the start of Classical epoch in the 5th century BC. The territory became the centre of politics, philosophy, architecture and intellectualism, leading itself to becoming the cradle of Western civilisation.
Several brazen monuments were built during this period, many of which were temples, as the inspiration behind the creation of classical architecture was largely derived from Greek mythology. Despite centuries of heat and dust, sun and rain, several of them still remain, though only in ruins, but still hold enough awe to demand admiration. Some are located in and around Athens; the one most momentous being the Parthenon Temple dedicated to Goddess Athena, daughter of Zeus, the father of the gods.
Like Big Ben is to London and Eiffel Tower to Paris, Parthenon is the most recognised symbol of Athens, its image hardly missing the cover page of any tourism brochure on Greece. In a city brimming with several grand sights, such a hyped icon obviously becomes the first port of call of most first time visitors.
Built under the stewardship of prolific Athenian statesman Perikles between 447 and 432 BC, this massive monument crowns the summit of a 150-metre-high flat topped rock famously known as Acropolis. Visitors walk up several steps to reach the peak where the sight of the imposing marble edifice, flanked on all sides with a series of round columns, is hypnotising. An epitome of classic Greek art, the monument strikes as a supreme expression of the evolution of architecture to a natural site. Its grand composition of perfectly symmetrical structures creates a landscape of distinctive beauty.
Unlike religious buildings in India and Asia which are mainly built for congregational worship of a particular god or goddess, Greek versions in the ancient times were designed to serve as homes for the individual deities who protected the community. Parthenon was built for Athena, who is said to have rescued the land from the Persian invaders. Her huge gold and ivory sculpture once adorned the centre, but nobody knows how it got lost over time. When Byzantine and Ottomans occupied Athens, the same premises is said to have been used as a church and a mosque, though no signs are available to substantiate that.
There are two other elegant temples of significance dotted on the Acropolis, meaning high city in Greek. One is the Temple of Nike, built to commemorate the Athenians' victory over the Persian invaders at the Battle of Marathon, and the other is the impressive Temple of Erechtheion, the signature feature of which are the statues of six maidens or Caryatids supporting the roof of the balcony.
While enjoying the view of Athens from the pinnacle of Acropolis, a series of large columns at a distance can't be missed. They are remains of the famous Temple of Zeus which was once the largest in Greece and took nearly 700 years to complete. Out of 104 ornamented columns, only 15 stand today, but they are enough to give an understanding of the enormous size of the structure when built.
Temples were the most important public buildings in ancient Greece and hence were constructed at prominent locations, displaying political and religious powers. The Temple of Hephaestus, the nation's most well preserved ancient monument, is a good example of this concept.
It's located at the foothill of Acropolis inside Agora, the city's ancient market place, which earned fame as the nucleus for politics, commerce, philosophy, arts and athletics, for over a millennium. Approaching the temple along the Panathenic Way, visitors step on the same path that was earlier marked by footsteps of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, St Peter and many other notables from the time. A beheaded statue of Roman Emperor Hadrian rests alongside as silent witness of momentous history.
Imagination
The leftover from the ancient temples at various sites are mostly marble columns of different sizes and styles, resting on rectangular slabs. Obviously, they look the same, so high imagination is required to sense their original grandeur. However, the natural milieus that surround the site create a dramatic appeal.
For example, the Temple of Poseidon, at Cape Sounio, 60 km south of Athens, was built on a cliff embraced on three sides by the sea. During ancient times, it acted as a signpost as well; sailors knew they were close to Athens once the marble columns of this temple became visible.
The picturesque background impresses visitors more than the congregation of columns, as it did Lord Byron during his visit in the 19th century. Busloads of tourists arrive here at sunset to see how the light from the dipping sun mystifies the temple ruins, the open sea and the horizon with magical colours.
Greece is very famous for its spectacular islands and no trip is complete without voyaging into at least one or two of them to sample the combined beauty of sun, sea and sand. There are daily cruises available from Athens that takes visitors to three nearby islands — Hydra , Poros and Aegina where rest the ruins of the Temple of Aphaia, another great sample of ancient Greek art.
The structure is perched on a pine-clad promontory, offering superb views of Athens across the water and with binoculars you can see both the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon. Legend says that these three major temples were built on the tips of a perfect equidistant triangle.
Ruins of many more temples can be seen if travelling beyond Athens. Obviously, none of them will bestow pious feelings, but will certainly make visitors succumb to its architectural ingenuity and natural beauty.
It's perhaps a fair statement, not because of the stains from the nation's present economic turmoil, but more importantly for its wondrous bestowals during the ancient age, when the rest of the world was just waking up.
The history of this land can be traced back to Neolithic and subsequent Bronze Age; however, its golden era sprang forth at the start of Classical epoch in the 5th century BC. The territory became the centre of politics, philosophy, architecture and intellectualism, leading itself to becoming the cradle of Western civilisation.
Several brazen monuments were built during this period, many of which were temples, as the inspiration behind the creation of classical architecture was largely derived from Greek mythology. Despite centuries of heat and dust, sun and rain, several of them still remain, though only in ruins, but still hold enough awe to demand admiration. Some are located in and around Athens; the one most momentous being the Parthenon Temple dedicated to Goddess Athena, daughter of Zeus, the father of the gods.
Like Big Ben is to London and Eiffel Tower to Paris, Parthenon is the most recognised symbol of Athens, its image hardly missing the cover page of any tourism brochure on Greece. In a city brimming with several grand sights, such a hyped icon obviously becomes the first port of call of most first time visitors.
Built under the stewardship of prolific Athenian statesman Perikles between 447 and 432 BC, this massive monument crowns the summit of a 150-metre-high flat topped rock famously known as Acropolis. Visitors walk up several steps to reach the peak where the sight of the imposing marble edifice, flanked on all sides with a series of round columns, is hypnotising. An epitome of classic Greek art, the monument strikes as a supreme expression of the evolution of architecture to a natural site. Its grand composition of perfectly symmetrical structures creates a landscape of distinctive beauty.
Unlike religious buildings in India and Asia which are mainly built for congregational worship of a particular god or goddess, Greek versions in the ancient times were designed to serve as homes for the individual deities who protected the community. Parthenon was built for Athena, who is said to have rescued the land from the Persian invaders. Her huge gold and ivory sculpture once adorned the centre, but nobody knows how it got lost over time. When Byzantine and Ottomans occupied Athens, the same premises is said to have been used as a church and a mosque, though no signs are available to substantiate that.
There are two other elegant temples of significance dotted on the Acropolis, meaning high city in Greek. One is the Temple of Nike, built to commemorate the Athenians' victory over the Persian invaders at the Battle of Marathon, and the other is the impressive Temple of Erechtheion, the signature feature of which are the statues of six maidens or Caryatids supporting the roof of the balcony.
While enjoying the view of Athens from the pinnacle of Acropolis, a series of large columns at a distance can't be missed. They are remains of the famous Temple of Zeus which was once the largest in Greece and took nearly 700 years to complete. Out of 104 ornamented columns, only 15 stand today, but they are enough to give an understanding of the enormous size of the structure when built.
Temples were the most important public buildings in ancient Greece and hence were constructed at prominent locations, displaying political and religious powers. The Temple of Hephaestus, the nation's most well preserved ancient monument, is a good example of this concept.
It's located at the foothill of Acropolis inside Agora, the city's ancient market place, which earned fame as the nucleus for politics, commerce, philosophy, arts and athletics, for over a millennium. Approaching the temple along the Panathenic Way, visitors step on the same path that was earlier marked by footsteps of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, St Peter and many other notables from the time. A beheaded statue of Roman Emperor Hadrian rests alongside as silent witness of momentous history.
Imagination
The leftover from the ancient temples at various sites are mostly marble columns of different sizes and styles, resting on rectangular slabs. Obviously, they look the same, so high imagination is required to sense their original grandeur. However, the natural milieus that surround the site create a dramatic appeal.
For example, the Temple of Poseidon, at Cape Sounio, 60 km south of Athens, was built on a cliff embraced on three sides by the sea. During ancient times, it acted as a signpost as well; sailors knew they were close to Athens once the marble columns of this temple became visible.
The picturesque background impresses visitors more than the congregation of columns, as it did Lord Byron during his visit in the 19th century. Busloads of tourists arrive here at sunset to see how the light from the dipping sun mystifies the temple ruins, the open sea and the horizon with magical colours.
Greece is very famous for its spectacular islands and no trip is complete without voyaging into at least one or two of them to sample the combined beauty of sun, sea and sand. There are daily cruises available from Athens that takes visitors to three nearby islands — Hydra , Poros and Aegina where rest the ruins of the Temple of Aphaia, another great sample of ancient Greek art.
The structure is perched on a pine-clad promontory, offering superb views of Athens across the water and with binoculars you can see both the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon. Legend says that these three major temples were built on the tips of a perfect equidistant triangle.
Ruins of many more temples can be seen if travelling beyond Athens. Obviously, none of them will bestow pious feelings, but will certainly make visitors succumb to its architectural ingenuity and natural beauty.