The Virtual Tour of the Acropolis monuments is a web application that allows the exploration of the archaeological site in an interactive way.
VIRTUAL TOUR - ATHENS - ACROPOLIS | YOUGOCULTURE
Parthenon | Erechtheion | Propylaea | Temple of Athena Nike
The literal translation of the word 'Acropolis' means the 'edge of the city'. This, however, cannot completely unveil Acropolis' real meaning for the lives of Athenians.
This rather low hill was used as a place of residence since 4.000 B.C. It was only at 800 B.C. that acquired its sacred nature. It became the place in which Athena, the goddess protector of the city of Athens, worshiped.
‘Archaios Naos’, Old Temple, and ‘Hekatompedon’, the Hundred feet temple, were the first temples established inside Acropolis, with the last being the precursor of Parthenon, Ur-Parthenon.
At approximately 550 B.C., during the reign of tyrant Peisistratus, Panathinaia, the festivity in honor of Athena, became the city’s greatest and most important festival.
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| Acropolis online field trip |
Once, the very center of the entire Greek culture, nowadays the symbol of democracy
The complex of Acropolis is a solid statement of harmony. We mean by this that everything in its structure refers directly to harmony, from the shape of the temples to its inner structural complexity. In order for us to experience this ‘statement’, we need, first of all, to walk inside the complex. It is not enough to know historical details about it. It is not sufficient to try to grasp Acropolis’ majesty through pure intellectual activity. We need to be part of it. This can happen only by being there, among the temples, walking through the ancient footpaths.
Only in this way we can fully participate in Acropolis’ magical and transcendental existence. We need to see with our own eyes the twinkle of the Athenian sunlight with the Temple of Athena Nike, the smooth dalliance of the same light with the robust Doric columns of the Parthenon.
It was during Pericles’ leadership, however, that Acropolis became the very center of the whole Greek culture. During his reign, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides taught their tragedies and Aristophanes presented his comedies at Dionysus’ theatre. It was then that Acropolis deliberately became the symbol of democracy and Greek intelligence.
Since then, that low hill, that small solid rock, survived nature’s disasters, martial conflagrations and various architectural interferences. One simple walk however among its ‘ruins’ suffices to fill our minds, our hearts, and our souls with the majestic ancient Athenian dream: we, humans, can reach harmony, perfection, and beauty!
We have to apply all of our five senses in order to really and fully understand the way Propylaea introduce us to Athens’ most sacred place. We need to smell the ancient dust which comes out of the ancient flagstones, to transiently taste the abiding moisture of the local flora, which supplements the establishments.
The most apparent meaning of Acropolis however is being the ultimate symbol of democracy. Athenians, and Greeks in general, lost many soldiers to defend this democracy. This is why the raise of the greek flag, which is taking place every morning within Acropolis, is a very strong icon of Acropolis’ ultimate connection to democracy.
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