Acropolis

Acropolis Overview

Acropolis is the crown jewel of Greece, if not all of Europe. The magnificent temples on the 'Sacred Rock' of Athens are considered the most influential monuments in the Western World. According to UNESCO -The World Heritage Convention - 'The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world'.

The greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, Athena - the goddess of wisdom, warfare and crafts - dominates the center of the modern city from the rocky crag known as the Acropolis. The most celebrated myths of ancient Athens, its greatest religious festivals, earliest cults and several decisive events in the city's history are all connected to this sacred precinct. The monuments of the Acropolis stand in harmony with their natural setting. These unique marbled masterpieces of ancient architecture combine different orders and styles of Classical art in a most innovative manner and have influenced art and culture for many centuries. The Acropolis of the 5th century BC is the most accurate reflection of the splendour, power and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak, the Golden Age of Perikles.

The naturally fortified site of the Acropolis is accessible only from the west. Both the Mycenaean fortress and ancient sanctuary were accessed from here, just like the modern archaeological site is today. The hill was first fortified in the Mycenaean period and traces of this early wall are still visible, particularly to the southeast of the Propylaia. The walls visible to this day were erected after the Persian Wars in the first half of the 5th century BC, under Themistokles (north wall) and Kimon (south wall). Alterations were made under Perikles and again in later times, when the Acropolis became the stronghold of the city.

The sacred rock is approached from the west through the Beule gate, one of the two gates built after the 3rd century AD Herulian invasion, or through a small door under the Temple of Athena Nike ('Victory'). The visitor then approaches the Propylaia, the monumental grand entrance to the sanctuary, built in Classical times by architect Mnesikles. The temple of Athena Nike, built in 420 BC by Kallikrates, dominates the bastion to the south of the Propylaia. Near the temple was the shrine of Aphrodite Pandemos, of which only part of the epistyle is preserved. Opposite the north wing of the Propylaia is a tall rectangular pedestal known as the pedestal of Agrippas, because it once supported an offering by the city of Athens to Marcus Agrippas, son-in-law of Augustus.

Through the Propylaia one enters the sanctuary proper with its great masterpieces of ancient Greek architecture built primarily in the 5th century under Perikles. The Parthenon, the hallmark of ancient Greek civilization, is indeed the most imposing of all. Dedicated to Athena Parthenos ('Temple to the Virgin'), it was erected under Perikles replacing two earlier temples dedicated to the same goddess. Between the Parthenon and the Propylaia, along the south wall, carved on bedrock, are the traces of two buildings of the 5th century BC, the Brauronion, a shrine dedicated to Artemis Brauronia, and the Chalkotheke, a building that once contained votive offerings of bronze. East of the Parthenon is a small circular temple of 27 BC, dedicated to Augustus and Rome. At the highest point, on the east side of the hill, carved on bedrock, are the traces of the shrine of Zeus Polieus, while the current museum occupies the site of a shrine dedicated to the local hero Pandion. On the north side of the hill is the Erechtheion, the most holy site of the Acropolis, the Ionic temple of Athena and Poseidon-Erechtheus. According to myth, it is the place where Athena conflicted Poseidon for the patronage of Athens, and where the goddess Athena planted the olive tree, her sacred symbol. The small balcony on the south side of the Erechtheion is the most famous, mainly due to the six Caryatids, the statues of the beautiful priestesses that support the roof. The Caryatids on the temple are all copies. Five of the six Maidens that once adorned the temple are displayed in the New Acropolis Museum, while the sixth was stolen and is displayed in the British Museum.

South of the platform that forms the top of Acropolis there are also the remains of the most ancient theatre of the world, the outdoor theatre the Theatre of Dionysus. In this mosaic-tiled theatre the Classical Greek tragedies and comedies by the great playwrights: Aristophanes, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Evripides were first performed in the 5th century BC. The theatre had a capacity of 15,000 and one can still see the engraved front-row marbled seats, reserved for the priests of Dionysus.

A few hundred metres away there is the now partially reconstructed theatre of Herodes Atticus built in 161 AD by the wealthy Herodes Tiberius Claudius Atticus, a teacher and philosopher, in memory of his wife Rigilla. Nowadays, the 5,000 seat theatre hosts the summer Athens Festival.

It is worthwhile to continue your walk further up to the remarkable New Acropolis Museum. The new museum resides the southern slope of the Acropolis rock about 280 metres from the Parthenon – 400 metres walking distance. The museum houses most of the priceless finds and artefacts of the Acropolis.

Opening Hours

Summer Period (01/04 – 31/10): 08:00 - 20:00

Winter Period (01/11 - 31/03): 08:30 – 15:00

Admission Fee

Full Admission: €12

Reduced Admission: €6 (students and 65+)

The full admission fee is valid for 7 days and is valid for: Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis

Holidays

1 January: closed

6 January: 08:30-15:00

Shrove Monday: 08:30-15:00

25 March: closed

Good Friday: until 12:00 closed

Holy Saturday: 08:30-15:00

1 May: closed

Easter Sunday: closed

Easter Monday: 08:30-15:00

Holy Spirit Day: 08:30-15:00

28 October: 08:30-15:00

25 December: closed

26 December: closed

Free admission days

6 March, in memory of Melina Mercouri

18 April, International Monuments Day

18 May, International Museums Day

5 June, International Environment Day

The last weekend of September annually, European Heritage Days

Sundays in the period between 1 November and 31 March

National Holidays

The first Sunday of every month, except for July, August and September (when the first Sunday is holiday, then the second is the free admission day)

27 September, International Tourism Day

Free admission for

Journalists

Members of the ICOM-ICOMOS

Persons possessing a free admission card

Persons under 19

Soldiers carrying out their military service

Tour guides

University students from Greece and the EU