Why Were Cities Built Around an Acropolis Difference Between Greek and Roman Art

The Acropolis of Athens is one of the nigh famous ancient archaeological sites in the world. Located on a limestone hill high higher up Athens, Greece, the Acropolis has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Over the centuries, the Acropolis was many things: a dwelling to kings, a citadel, a mythical home of the gods, a religious middle and a tourist allure. Information technology has withstood bombardment, massive earthquakes and vandalism withal still stands as a reminder of the rich history of Greece. Today, it is a cultural UNESCO Globe Heritage site and habitation to several temples, the most famous of which is the Parthenon.

What Is the Acropolis?

The term "acropolis" ways "high urban center" in Greek and can refer to one of many natural strongholds constructed on rocky, elevated ground in Hellenic republic, merely the Acropolis of Athens is the best known.

Made of limestone stone that dates to the Belatedly Cretaceous period when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, the Acropolis is located on the Attica plateau of Hellenic republic and includes four hills:

• Likavitos Colina
• Hill of the Nymphs
• The Pynx Hill
• Philapappos Loma

How Erstwhile is the Acropolis?

The Acropolis' flat top is the event of thousands of years of construction commencement as far back as the Statuary Age.

There'southward no recorded history of what happened at the Acropolis before the Mycenaeans cultivated it during the finish of the Bronze Age. Historians believe the Mycenaeans built a massive compound surrounded by a great wall (near 15 feet thick and xx anxiety high) on top of the Acropolis to house the local ruler and his household.

Years later, the Athenians built a Doric temple made of limestone, known every bit Bluebeard Temple, on the northeast side of the colina in honor of the goddess Athena in the sixth century B.C. It was named later on a sculpture that adorned the edifice that depicted a homo-ophidian with three bluish beards.

Another temple dedicated to the Athena was besides erected in the same century, as was a shrine to Artemis Brauronia, the goddess of expectant mothers in Greek mythology.

During the Greek Dark Ages (800 B.C. to 480. B.C.), the Acropolis remained largely intact. Many religious festivals were held there, and the artifacts of the fourth dimension reflected the grandeur of aboriginal Athens.

Around 490 B.C., the Athenians started building a majestic marble temple known every bit the Quondam Parthenon. By that time, the Bluebeard Temple had been demolished by the Persians.

In 480 B.C., the Persians attacked again and burned, leveled and looted the One-time Parthenon and almost every other structure at the Acropolis. To prevent farther losses, the Athenians buried the remaining sculptures inside natural caves and built two new fortifications, 1 of the stone's due north side and one on its south.

Gilded Age of the Acropolis

If the Acropolis was impressive during the Mycenaean Civilisation, it was nothing brusque of spectacular during the Golden Age of Athens (460 B.C. to 430 B.C.) under the dominion of Pericles when Athens was at its cultural peak.

Determined to bring the Acropolis to a level of splendor not seen earlier, Pericles initiated a massive edifice project that lasted l years. Nether his direction, two well-known architects, Callicrates and Ictinus, and renowned sculptor Phidias helped plan and execute the Pericles' program.

Pericles didn't live long plenty to run into his entire Acropolis vision come up truthful, but temple builders and architects continued working until they completed the project. The southern and northern walls were rebuilt and some of the most iconic structures in the earth were constructed such as:

The Parthenon: An enormous Doric-style temple that remains the star attraction of the Acropolis. It featured ornate sculptures and housed a spectacular statue of the goddess Athena.

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The Propylaea: A monumental entryway to the Acropolis that included a central building and two wings, one of which was covered with elaborately painted panels.

The Temple of Athena Nike: A small Ionic-style temple located to the correct of the Propylaea built as a shrine to Athena Nike.

The Erechtheion: A sacred Ionic temple made of marble which honored Athena and several other gods and heroes. Information technology'southward best known for its porch supported past six Brace maiden statues.

The Statue of Athena Promachos: A gigantic (almost 30 anxiety alpine) statuary statue of Athena that stood next to the Propylaea.

The Acropolis saw few changes later Sparta won the Peloponnesian War, although a pocket-size temple honoring Caesar Augustus and Rome was built in 27 B.C.

See MORE: Hit Photos of Classical Greek Architecture

Who Destroyed The Acropolis?

Many of the original buildings of the Acropolis were either repurposed or destroyed. In the sixth century A.D., later on Rome converted to Christianity, many temples at the Acropolis became Christian churches. The Parthenon was defended to the Virgin Mary and the Erechtheion became a chapel.

As Hellenic republic endured many unwelcome invaders, including the Venetians and the Turks, the Acropolis and its temples also served as mosques and storehouses for ammunition. The Propylaea was a residence for Episcopalian clergy and subsequently, the ruler of the Ottomans. It also once served equally barracks for the Turkish occupying ground forces.

On September 26, 1687, the Venetians bombarded the Acropolis and decimated the Parthenon, which was a powder munitions depot at the time, leaving it at the mercy of looters, vandals and even tourists; many priceless artifacts were lost.

In 1801, hoping to salvage the Parthenon's architectural magnificence, the seventh Earl of Elgin, Thomas Bruce, began removing its sculptures with permission from the occupying Turkish authorities.

Elgin eventually removed over half of the Parthenon's sculptures, known as the Elgin Marbles, and sold them to the British Museum where many withal reside today. The Greek government strongly disapproves of the artifacts remaining in the hands of the British and feels the sculptures should be returned to Athens.

Preserving the Acropolis

Subsequently the Greek War of Independence in 1822, the Acropolis was returned to the Greeks in disrepair. They began investigating the status of their crown jewel and meticulously excavated the entire site in the late nineteenth century. At the plow of the twentieth century, restorations began.

In 1975, the Commission for the Conservation of the Monuments on the Acropolis was established which includes architects, archaeologists, chemic engineers and civil engineers. The Committee, along with the Acropolis Restoration Service, works to document and conserve the history of the Acropolis and restore its structures as closely to their original state as possible.

They also work to minimize ecology harm caused by pollution and weathering and identify means to limit future damage. The restorations of the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike are complete.

Visiting the Acropolis

The Acropolis is open to tourists year-round and is located in a decorated area of the city of Athens. Tickets are available at the entrance, but exist prepared to wait. To miss the crowds and the summer oestrus, get in early in the forenoon or after 5:00 p.chiliad.

Most importantly, bring comfortable shoes and water because exploring the Acropolis requires a lot of walking. Keep in listen that some buildings may be inaccessible due to renovations.

Sources

Acropolis of Athens: History. Odysseus.
History of the Acropolis. Ancient-Greece.org.
The Acropolis. The Stoa: A Consortium for Electronic Publication in the Humanities.
The Acropolis of Athens. Archaeology.
The Erechtheion. Acropolis Museum.
The History of the Elgin Marbles: Past, Present and Future. The Fine art & Architecture of the British Renaissance.

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