2025.03.14 Athens: The Dawn of European Civilization (Part 2 of the First Chapter of a Self-Drive Tour of Six European Countries, Exploring History and Culture)

Ancient Athens consisted of the Acropolis and the lower city. The lower city was the main living area of the city, including markets, administrative institutions, and residential areas.

The Temple of Zeus, built east of the lower city outside the walls, measured 107.75 meters long and 41 meters wide. Construction began in 470 BC and was completed 14 years later. It may have been the earliest building to adopt the Corinthian order, with volute-shaped decorative patterns on all four sides, surrounded by two rows of leaf ornaments, delicate and symmetrical, ornate and exquisite. The temple had a total of 104 Corinthian columns, each stone column 17.25 meters high with a top diameter of 1.3 meters.

In 86 BC, Sulla, the first lifelong dictator of Rome, captured Athens, destroyed the building, and dismantled some of the stone columns and other building materials to transport them to Rome.

In the 6th century, an earthquake caused the temple to collapse, destroying everything above the foundation walls. Only 13 columns remain today.

The Temple of Hephaestus, built in 449 BC, was dedicated to the ancient Greek god of fire and craftsmanship. Its exterior is relatively well-preserved, in the Doric order. It resembles the Parthenon.

The Stoa of Attalos, the largest and longest freestanding covered building in Athens and Greece. Construction began in 159 BC and was completed 11 years later. It was a place for Athenians to gather and stroll, and a major commercial center.

The Tower of the Winds was built in the 2nd century BC, equipped with a sundial, water clock, and weather vane, demonstrating the ancient Greeks' deep understanding of astronomy and meteorology. The tower is 21.1 meters high and about 8 meters in diameter. On the upper floor, a marble cone was set, on which stood a bronze sea god holding a staff in his right hand; the staff moved with the wind, and together with the eight wind gods carved on each face of the octagonal tower, indicated the wind direction. Nine sundial pointers were painted on the tower body, and the clepsydra inside was driven by water flowing down from the Acropolis.

The Theater of Dionysus, the oldest open-air theater in Greece, built in the 6th century BC, could accommodate 17,000 spectators to watch the works of the three great Greek tragedians and Aristophanes' comedies, among others.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus was built in 161 AD, with 32 rows of seats, accommodating 6,000 spectators. In 267 AD, the roof was burned down. The works of the three great Greek tragedians Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were performed here.

The arcade connecting the two theaters, one of the four greatest masterpieces of Greek classical art.

Acropolis view: Mount Lycabettus

Acropolis view: Saronic Gulf, Aegean Sea

Acropolis view: Acropolis Museum and Acropolis Study Center

Acropolis view: National Observatory of Athens

Athens Part 3 to be continued