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GUIDES

Athens Guide

Athens - Out and About

Athens is the indisputable cradle of western civilization. The homeland of art, science, philosophy and law. This Greek capital, with its 4 million inhabitants is one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean basin. About 40% of the entire population live here. The Athens of today is a crowded congested city with a high level of pollution, a city in which the old and the new have failed to harmoniously combine together, where the city's ancient monuments are swallowed up by a huge expanse of concrete and metal, signs of the indiscriminate city planning of the 20th century. However, in spite of this Athens is still a city worth exploring, a city of Mediterranean warmth and a crossroads and meeting point for western and oriental cultures.

The main reason for a trip to Athens is a visit to the Acropolis, the heart of Athens and sanctuary of European civilization. It is also one of the most important archaeological sites in the western world.. Having passed the Propylaea, the impressive entrance to the Acropolis, the visitor arrives at the Parthenon, the most important Dorian temple ever built in Greece. The temple is built entirely from marble and was originally colourfully painted and decorated with a giant statue of the Goddess Athena, sculptured by Phidias. The statue was transferred to Byzantium, before being destroyed in 1023 during the siege on the city by the Crusaders.

Eretteo, which stands next to the Parthenon, is an elegant temple enriched by the celebrated Cariatides portico, so called, because of the six statues of maidens who are holding up the temple's architrave. The statues have been replaced and the originals are to be found in the Mussio Akropolis. This museum houses the sculptures and finds from the architectural sites around the Acropolis. The re-constructed Athena Nike Temple is situated in front of the Propylaea entrance.

The Dioniso Theatre stands on the south-east slopes of the Acropolis, originally constructed in wood, the theatre has perfect acoustics and is the site, where in 5th century B.C the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Aristophanes were performed. The theatre was re-constructed in marble and stone by Lycurgus between 342 and 326 B.C. The seating capacity is 17,000 of which 20 rows have remained intact. Other interesting monuments include the Esculaio Sancturay, the Eumene Portico and the Herod Attico Odeon. Agora was the public square and the social, political and administrative heart of the city. Interesting things to note in this area include the re-constructed Attalo Stoa ( Portico), originally built between 159 and 138 B.C and which today houses the Agora Museum. The Efesto Temple, situated on the west side of the Agora, dates back to 449 B.C and is the best preserved Dorian temple in Geece. To the north of the temple lie the foundations of the Stoàr of Zeus Eleutios, one of the places where Socrates addressed the people of Athens. The Apostle Saints Church, built in the 11th century to commemorate the preaching of Saint Paul, is decorated with Byzantine frescoes and is situated at the entrance to the Agora.

The Plaka district on the north side of he Acropolis, was the heart of old Athens, prior to its modern expansion. the area has an oriental feel mixed with a Byzantine aroma, which is felt strolling along the narrow streets, squares, and terraces.S ome of the main monuments of this zone include the Mikri Mitropoli, Byzantine Church, dating back to the 12th Century, the Tower of Winds ( Aerides) the Lisicrate Monument, Adrian's Gate and the Temple of Zeus Olympus.

The Licabetto Hill is 277 metres high and was once covered with a thick wood, populated by wolves. Today it is the best sight from which to admire a view over the city. The summit is also the site of the Agios Giorgios Church, where at Easter, the main religious festival for the Greek Orthodox Church, a candlelight procession is organized, a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ. The summit is easily reached by cable-car. The metropolitan is very new, comfortable and efficient. Given the traffic chaos in the city, it is not advisable to use buses or taxis.

Athens - Not to be missed

The National Archaeological Museum is one of the richest in the world and houses works of art from the Neolithic to the Roman period. The exhibits come from sites around Greece with the exceptions of Delphi, Olympia and Crete. Founded in 1834, the museum houses, on the first floor, the sculpture exhibition and on the first floor the pottery and frescoes taken from Santorini. Visitors should not miss the Micenea Room collection, the frescoes in the Cycladesca room and the bronze statue of Poseidon, rediscovered in 1928 off the coast of Cape Artemisio on the island of Eubea. The Micenea Room houses the Schliemann finds from the tomb of Micene, including the gold mask of Agamemnon. The museum is open Monday from 12:30 to 7pm and from Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 7pm.

The Cycladesca Museum of Art is an extraordinary collection of ancient art and contains idols from the Cyclades islands, some of which date back to 3,000 B.C Athens is home to numerous interesting museums including the Benaki Museum, the Byzantine Museum and the National History Museum.

Athens - Walks and tours

The Poseidon( God of the sea) Temple, is situated on the wind-swept site of Cape Sunion near the Aegean Sea, 67 km from Athens. The temple was built between 444 and 440 B.C for Perikles on the site of a previous sanctuary, dating back to the 6th century B.C, destroyed during the Persian War. Damaged by weather and attacks, the building was restored at the beginning of the 19th century. At the same time two colossal statues were removed and relocated in the Archaeological Museum in Athens. The 16 slim white columns that remain still standing today, serve as a reference point for ships heading to Piraeus. From the steps of the temple it is possible to enjoy fine views of the sea, the islands and the Saronico Gulf.

Athens - The traveller's notebook

Currency : Euro

Electric supply: 220 volts

Climate : the climate is typically Mediterranean , mild and temperate throughout the year. Summer begins mid May with average temperatures of 28°C with highs of 40°C. The season is very dry and the droughts can continue until October, aggravated by the lack of wind typical in the Aegean. Winters are mild with abundant rainfall. The average temperature rarely falls below 10°C

Language : Greek

Opening hours : shops are generally open from Monday to Wednesday from 9 to 2:30 pm Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1:30 pm and from 5:30pm to 8:30 pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Telephones : the international code for Greece is 0030

Athens - A pocket guide

Athens is a city that lives an intense night-life, especially during the summer months, when the streets swarm with people. The Glyfada and Kifissia districts are those preferred by the residents of Athens. When choosing a restaurant it is important to remember that the 'Estitorion' are the most expensive, the 'tavernas' are more informal family run restaurants, the 'psistaria' sell mainly grilled meat and the 'psarotaverna' specialize in fish dishes

Disclaimer: the above information is provided 'as is' and Hostelsclub accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.

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