Athens: The Place You Really Want To Visit

Greece’s capital, Athens, is named for the goddess of wisdom. One of the birthplaces of Greek civilization, Athens was a large and influential metropolis. The city rose to prominence as a major hub of culture during the Golden Age of Greece. And its significance has not changed over time. As a result, the city is linked to the names of the philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, who set the groundwork for European philosophy.The city is situated on the calm Aegean Sea coast. Here, there are numerous museums and historical sites that transport visitors to the capital of Ancient Greece. You can get Athens free walking tour to fully satisfy the natural beauty and ancient architecture of Athens

Athens has unique antique relics that have been preserved, and you may learn about Greece’s rich historical and cultural legacy by visiting the city’s museums. So pack your bags and travel to Athens.

Getting to know the city should start with the Acropolis. It has served as a sacred rock, a representation of Athens for many years, and a bridge connecting the luxury of classical Greek civilization with modernity. With justification, the Acropolis and all of its monuments, myths, and history are regarded as the pride of Athens. Every year, tens of thousands of tourists trip to the holy slopes.

This magnificent arrangement of ideal buildings, including a number of masterpieces from the 5th century BC (such as the Parthenon by Phidias, Iktinos, and Callicrates, Propylaea, the temple of Nika Apteros, and others), provides a massive landscape that is unparalleled in its grandeur.

The Acropolis serves as an example of Greek civilization’s history, spanning more than a thousand years. The primary urban tales all have their roots in this holy sanctuary.

The Ancient Agora’s Secrets

The ancient Agora in Athens served as the city’s commercial, social, and political hub. People came here for socializing, entertainment, and everyday things like shopping.

Beginning at the turn of the 20th century, excavations in the area uncovered numerous temples, altars, Stoa (long halls, colonnades), and even a concert hall. Philosophers conversed with visitors who came to purchase or discuss the day’s news in the courts here where justice was dispensed. There were also schools and athletic facilities accessible.

The Hephaestus Temple

The temple of Hephaestus, also called Hephasteion, was built on a mountain top overlooking the Ancient Agora in the fifth century BC. The temple’s dedication included tributes to Hephaestus and Athena. Thirty-four Doric columns support the roof of the Temple of Hephaestus, a structure that is smaller than the modern Parthenon but has a similar style. The massive frieze is decorated with relief images of Theseus and Hercules’ exploits. The village once housed two enormous statues of Hephaestus and Athena.

The Temple of Hephaestus, the best-preserved temple in Greece, and the Stoa Attali, a sizable shopping mall that was renovated in the 1950s and now houses a museum, are the two largest structures still standing today. The remainder of the Agora resembles a sizable park with nearby old building ruins.

Attali’s Stoa

Attalus II of Pergamum constructed the Stoa of Attali in 150 BC. This two-story structure, 19.5 meters wide and 116.5 meters long, is used as a shopping mall. Visitors may unwind in the shade of the covered colonnade in front of them while perusing the 21 stores on each story. The Germanic Heruli tribe destroyed the Stoa in 267 AD.

The American School of Archaeology renovated the Stoa between 1953 and 1956 based on its worth. The artifacts recovered from the Ancient Agora’s archaeological digs are now kept at this museum.

The Ancient Agora Museum

A wide variety of artifacts discovered during the excavations are exhibited in the Stoa Attali museum. The colonnade features statues and monuments that once adorned a number of temples in the Agora. Here, you can view items that provide a fascinating window into Athens’ daily life.

There are everyday goods like cash, toys, portable stoves, and writing and culinary equipment. The democratic process in ancient Athens is also illustrated through artifacts, including a passage from a statue against tyranny from 337 BC, bronze voting figures, and ostraka — clay fragments inscribed with the name of someone who was viewed as potentially hazardous for democracy.

During voting, a person whose name appeared on the majority of ostraka was barred from the city for ten years.

Other interesting artifacts are Ariballos, a little statuette-vessel for keeping oil from 530 BC, and a miniature bronze head of a statue of the goddess Nika, which was formerly covered in gold and silver and dates to around 425 BC.

Ruins

The majority of the Ancient Agora’s structures were reduced to ruins. Agrippa’s Odeon, a sizable hall in the Agora’s heart where musical events were held, was one such structure. In 150 AD, the hall’s roof collapsed, displacing 1,000 spectator seats. Five hundred people could then fit inside the newly constructed, smaller hall.

The building was destroyed by the Heruli in 267 AD. On top of it, a huge spa complex called the Palace of the Giants was constructed in the fifth century. There are still three of the Triton statues that once adorned the entrance to the Odeon and, afterward, the Palace of the Giants.

Tolon is a different structure from the old Agora, of which only the foundations are visible. A ring-shaped building constructed approximately 470 BC served as the administrative center for Athens. The Bouleuterion, or council hall, was located close to Tolon at the base of the hill. There was a marble podium with ten bronze statues in front of this structure. Wooden announcement boards containing announcements regarding governmental rulings and other information were hung on the podium. The Metroon, “the mother of the gods” Rhea’s temple, was located next to the Bouleuterion. This structure served as the repository for Athens’ official records.

The East, Middle, and South Stoas, as well as the Dicastery, formed a vast U-shaped complex that surrounded the Agora from the south (supreme court). The complex was larger than the Stoa of Attali by more than two times. There were others, including the Royal Stoa and the Stoa of Zeus.

Athens is the place that should definitely be on your must-visit list, so make sure to include it and start planning your wonderful trip.