THE ACROPOLIS

THE ACROPOLIS

 (the great Athenian achievement)

Location: GREECE

 

FACTS ABOUT

  THE ACROPOLIS

Parthenon:

    Stands on platform 30.9 by 69.5 metres (101 by 228 feet).

Columns:

    17 on each flank. 1.9 metres (6 feet). And 10.4 metres (35 feet) high.

Erechtheum:

    Main block, 11.5 by 22.8 metres (38 by 75 feet).

 

FAR LEFT:

 The road to the Acropolis climbs over a Roman path and through the Propylaea onto the rock platform on which the temples were built.

FAR LEFT BELOW:

The temple of Athena housed the statue of the goddess.

LEFT

In Pericles time the Parthenon was a treasury as well as temple, and originally, the status by Phidias and his pupils were coloured.

THE ACROPOLIS

 (the great Athenian achievement)

Description:

 

    The Athenian genius for leadership had virtually eliminated the threat of invasion by the Persians by the end of the fourth century BC, and the Delian League which Athens headed was in danger of breaking up In an attempt to bind together the members of the League during peace-time, Athens tried to establish the usage of Athenian money for trading purposes and the settlement of all trading debts and tribute during a great Pan Athenea festival every four years.

    To provide the right setting for a great get-together of city states Pericles ordered the building of the Acropolis, which had been sacked by the Persians 480 BC, and later partially rebuilt. Most important among the building plans was a great temple, the Parthenon, to house a status of the goddess Athena. The architects called to take on this task were Iatinus and Callicrates with Phidias in charge of the sculpture. The building was dedicated in 438 BC, but did not achieve its purpose for Greek civilisation was already beginning its descent into decadence and decay and the Greek city states had little compulsion to remain united.

    During the following centuries this noble temple had a number of roles, as Byzantine church, Catholic cathedral and even as a mosque. In 1687 the Acropolis was blown up and severely damaged, and only the efforts of such men as Lord Elgin, who took some of the ruined statues to the British Museum in London, helped to arouse interest in one of the major monuments of mankind.

    The Parthenon is a temple building in the Doric style raised on two steps. It rises to a great sculptured frieze 12.19 meters (39.5 feet) above the ground. The frieze, which decorates the upper part of the temple, is 159.7 meters (524 feet) long. The rocky plateau of the Acropolis is reached by steps and a splendid temple gate, the Propylaea. The architect of this was Mnesicles, who began work on it in 432 BC. The entrance has five gates with porches for entry and exit and adjoining buildings on the wings.

    Other important buildings on the Acropolis are the Temple of the Athena Nike and the Erechtheum, began in 421 BC, with its remarkable porches added to north and south of the temple. The south porch, instead of using columns to support the roof, has status of women in Greek garments, the folds of which of which echo the traditional fluting of Ionic columns.

    Despite its ruins the acropolis is regarded as a symbol of the freedom and love of beauty which characterised the Greek city status.