Visit to the Acropolis of
Athens:
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The greatest and
finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron,
the goddess Athena, dominates the centre 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 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 fifth century BC is the most accurate reflection of the
splendor, power and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak, the golden age
of Perikles. The most important buildings
visible on the Acropolis today (the Parthenon, the Propylaia,
the Erechtheion and the temple of Athena Nike),
were erected during this period under the supervision of the greatest
architects, sculptors and artists of their time. The temples on the north
side of the Acropolis housed primarily the earlier Athenian cults and
those of the Olympian gods, while the southern part of the Acropolis was
dedicated to the cult of Athena.
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Visit to the New Museum of Acropolis:
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The Acropolis
Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the
archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to
house every artifact found on the rock and on its feet, from the Greek
Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. The museum is located by the
southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill, on the ancient road that led up
to the "sacred rock" in classical times. Set only 280 meters
(310 yd), as the crow flies, away from the Parthenon the museum is the
largest modern building erected so close to the ancient site. The
entrance to the building is on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street and directly adjacent to the Akropoli station, line 2 of the Athens Metro. The
design of the museum by Bernard Tschumi revolves
around three concepts: light, movement, and a tectonic and programmatic
element. Together these characteristics "turn the constraints of the
site into an architectural opportunity, offering a simple and precise
museum" with the mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient
Greek buildings. The collections of the museum are exhibited on three
levels while a fourth middle level houses the auxiliary spaces such as
the museum shop, the café and the offices. On the first level of the
museum there are the findings of the slopes of the Acropolis. The long
and rectangular hall whose floor is sloping,
resembles the ascension to the rock. Then, the visitor is found at the
large trapezoidal hall which accommodates the archaic findings. On the
same floor there are also the artifacts and sculptures from the other
Acropolis buildings such as the Erechtheum, the
Temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaea and
findings from Roman and early Christian Athens. However the visitor is
intended to see the latter during descent so as to keep the chronological
order because he will first be directed to the last level of Parthenon
marbles. The Parthenon hall has the same orientation with the temple on
the Acropolis and the use of glass allows the natural light to enter.
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Dinner and Thematic Events at
the “Ancient Greek Tastes”:
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The Ancient
Greek Cuisine, the one that inspired so many others, makes a unique
comeback after 25 centuries in the unique thematic restaurant “Ancient
Greek Tastes” (“Archeon Gefsis”
in Greek). The ancient Greeks were not only eating, but they had elevated
food into sheer pleasure. In order for “Archeon
Gefsis” (Ancient Tastes) to become a reality, a
large number of specialized scientists such as linguists, archaeologists,
architects and tasters put a considerable amount of time into studying
rare manuscripts with the aim to collect recipes and identify the eating
habits of the ancient Greeks. It is enough to say that a publication
called “Deipnosophistes” consists of 15 volumes
exclusively on ancient abbreviations and customs. The cuisine is healthy,
delicious and incomparable! The tastes are remarkable and forgotten! The
combinations are distinctive, fine and innovative! Innovative in the
sense that ancient Greeks did not have for instance potatoes, rice,
tomatoes, coffee or sugar and they would use other ingredients such as
honey, bulgur, legumes, thickly ground barley, surely healthier than the
ones we use today. At “Archeon Gefsis” we will enjoy a unique and memorable experience.
We won’t only eat, but we will also learn from special thematic events.
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