Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Athens: Ancient and Modern Times
I find the most interesting part about Athens is the range of time the city encompasses. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world with a recorded history of no less than 3,000 years. While walking through the city I saw big modern buildings, cars and shops yet a quick look up to the Acropolis and there is the Parthenon and the Ancient Agora. You can see this disjunction in the photo of Monastiraki square with the Parthenon in the background and bustling city life in the forgeground. Because of this span of time, I have separated my thoughts about our visits to Athens into Ancient and Modern sections.
Ancient Athens
Ancient Athens was a powerful city-state; a cultural center where learning and art were practiced and respected. Athens was also the hometown of great philosophers Socrates, Pericles, and Sophocles. Many call Athens the birthplace of Democracy.
Upon the Acropolis is the Parthenon, the temple of Greek goddess Athena. After the Ottoman conquest it was used as ammunition storage and the building was ignited by an attack by the Venetians on September 28, 1687. The explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and the surroundings, though much of the structure endured. The Greek Ministry of Culture is working to restore the Parthenon and other Acropolis structures stone by stone. During my visit in Athens I walked up to the Acropolis a few times, including once at night to see the beautiful view of Athens.
Also on the slope of the Acropolis is The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a stone theatre built in 161 CE by Herodes Atticus. I remember the first day looking down at this from the Acropolis and my whole perspective changed when had the opportunity to see the Greek Festival there as well. Sitting in the stone seats I really felt like I was experiencing a piece of history, taking in music the way ancient Greeks once did. It was a wonderful blending of old and new.
Another site we visisted that Herodes Atticus was involved in was the Panathinaiko Stadium, which is the only stadium in the world built completely from white marble. The stadium was first used to host part of the Panathenaic Games, honoring the Goddess Athena. The ruins from the ancient structure were refurbished for the revival of the Olympic Games that were held there in 1870 and 1875.
A prominent landmark of Athens is Mt. Lycabettus, with its peak rising high above the city. On our visit to Mt. Lycabettus, I ascended the hill in the Lycabettus Funicular, a railcar that climbs the hill. At the peak of Mt. Lycabettus is the Chapel of St. George, a beautiful white church, contrasted against the bright blue sky of Athens. In Greece, St. George is the patron saint of the Hellenic Army. While I was outside the chapel I saw a woman from the church and a man selling worry beads talking with each other, and I loved the interaction.
My favorite part about Mt. Lycabettus is the astonishing views of Athens. I was amazed (and still am through photos) at how expansive a city Athens is. Buildings start in the valleys and roll up through the hills until the highest mountain peaks, like a bowl, accentuated because there are barely any trees atop the mountains because of fires.
Upon the Acropolis is the Parthenon, the temple of Greek goddess Athena. After the Ottoman conquest it was used as ammunition storage and the building was ignited by an attack by the Venetians on September 28, 1687. The explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and the surroundings, though much of the structure endured. The Greek Ministry of Culture is working to restore the Parthenon and other Acropolis structures stone by stone. During my visit in Athens I walked up to the Acropolis a few times, including once at night to see the beautiful view of Athens.
Also on the slope of the Acropolis is The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a stone theatre built in 161 CE by Herodes Atticus. I remember the first day looking down at this from the Acropolis and my whole perspective changed when had the opportunity to see the Greek Festival there as well. Sitting in the stone seats I really felt like I was experiencing a piece of history, taking in music the way ancient Greeks once did. It was a wonderful blending of old and new.
Another site we visisted that Herodes Atticus was involved in was the Panathinaiko Stadium, which is the only stadium in the world built completely from white marble. The stadium was first used to host part of the Panathenaic Games, honoring the Goddess Athena. The ruins from the ancient structure were refurbished for the revival of the Olympic Games that were held there in 1870 and 1875.
A prominent landmark of Athens is Mt. Lycabettus, with its peak rising high above the city. On our visit to Mt. Lycabettus, I ascended the hill in the Lycabettus Funicular, a railcar that climbs the hill. At the peak of Mt. Lycabettus is the Chapel of St. George, a beautiful white church, contrasted against the bright blue sky of Athens. In Greece, St. George is the patron saint of the Hellenic Army. While I was outside the chapel I saw a woman from the church and a man selling worry beads talking with each other, and I loved the interaction.
My favorite part about Mt. Lycabettus is the astonishing views of Athens. I was amazed (and still am through photos) at how expansive a city Athens is. Buildings start in the valleys and roll up through the hills until the highest mountain peaks, like a bowl, accentuated because there are barely any trees atop the mountains because of fires.
Modern Greece
At the Hellenic-American Union, Professor Vlavinos spoke about modern Greece and the Greek acceptance in the European Union as well as the separation between church and state. We discussed Parliament, and I thought it was very interesting that the current president of the parliament is Anna Benaki-Psarouda, the first woman to hold the post. I can parallel this with the upcoming elections in the States, and the country being skeptical about a woman running for office. What we may think of as a more traditional country actually elected a woman to serve as President of Parliament. The Pariliament Buidling is located in Syntagma Square, right up the block from where we stayed. In Syntagma, as well as all around Greece there are many stray dogs which were released when Greece received its independence and stnad for a symbol of Greek freedom.
The Monument of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard, lies in front of the Parliament building. The monument started being constructed in 1929 and was inaugurated on March 25, 1932. One evening I took my camera up to the Parliament to get some photos and I lucked out as they were conducting changing of the guards!
My favorite part of staying in Athens was walking around Plaka and Monastiraki Square, taking in the sites, sounds and smells. Even though this area is swamped with tourists, visiting local restaurants and shops gave me a good idea of the local culture. It was interesting to me that restaurant owners would walk right up to you on the street and ask you to come eat at their place, that is so different than from the states!
One thing I found interesting when we went to visit the University is finding out that police are not allowed on school grounds unless sanctioned from the school. Because of this, students found assylum in the university and lived there for nearly a year protesting! Graffiti is found everywhere in Greece but I found it particularly interesting that it was on the walls inside the communications deptartment. Most of the graffiti in Greece is also intelligent and powerful, written with intent, unlike much of the graffiti here in America.
The Monument of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard, lies in front of the Parliament building. The monument started being constructed in 1929 and was inaugurated on March 25, 1932. One evening I took my camera up to the Parliament to get some photos and I lucked out as they were conducting changing of the guards!
My favorite part of staying in Athens was walking around Plaka and Monastiraki Square, taking in the sites, sounds and smells. Even though this area is swamped with tourists, visiting local restaurants and shops gave me a good idea of the local culture. It was interesting to me that restaurant owners would walk right up to you on the street and ask you to come eat at their place, that is so different than from the states!
One thing I found interesting when we went to visit the University is finding out that police are not allowed on school grounds unless sanctioned from the school. Because of this, students found assylum in the university and lived there for nearly a year protesting! Graffiti is found everywhere in Greece but I found it particularly interesting that it was on the walls inside the communications deptartment. Most of the graffiti in Greece is also intelligent and powerful, written with intent, unlike much of the graffiti here in America.
Crete
I absolutely loved Crete. It was colorful, right on the water, and had beautiful landscape. I also found the people of Crete to be very inviting, more so than other places we visited. One night a group of us walked past a Greek restaurant and the owner got so excited to see Americans he came out with a bottle of Raki and we all had drinks with him, that would never happen at home!
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and was the center of the Minoan civilization, the oldest civilization in Europe. While in Crete we saw Knossos and Festos, two Minoan sites. We also stayed in Rethymno, the site of a Venetian harbor and hiked through Samaria Gorge. We also had the opportunity to visit beautiful beaches!!
Gortys
The first site we saw on Crete was Gortys, which was a flourishing Minoan town between 1600-1100 BC. The most fascinating part of Gortys is the Code of Law, which is the oldest and most complete known example of ancient Greek law, discovered in 1884. It was also at Gortys that Andreas told us the myth of Europa and Zeus. According to Greek Mythology, Gortys was the site of Zeus’ affair with princess Europa, which the continent has been named after. Zeus takes Europa from Lebanon discussed as a bull and has an affair under a tree that still lives in Gortys today. From their union three sons were born who became the kings of the three Minoan Palaces in Crete.
Festos
Festos was an ancient city inhabited from 4000 BC. The palace at Festos was ruined by an earthquake during the Bronze Age. The area upon which Festos stood was the site where the Festos disc was found in 1908. The Festos disc is made of clay, etched with a Cretan hieroglyphic script. I purchased a necklace pendant in Rethymno of this disc, a souvenir with historical significance. The disc remains one of the most curious archeological finds as many still dispute when the disc was made (dated to between 1950 BC and 1400 BC) and for what purpose. There was also a gorgeous view from the peak of Festos.
Arkadi
Arkadi was one of my favorite sites on Crete, though the story of the tradgey at Arkadi is both harrowing and powerful. During the tale end of the Ottoman Empire, Greeks were fighting for their independence from the Turks occupation and the Arkadi monastery became the Cretan rebels' headquarters because of its strategic position. The morning of November 8, 1866, the rebels awoke to find the monastery surrounded by 15,000 Turkish soldiers. There were also almost 700 unarmed women and children inside the walls of Arkadi, seeking refuge from the Turks. Though there was several days of battles, it was evident that the Cretans didn’t have the materials or manpower to fight off the Turks. The greatest fear of the refugees at Arkadi wasn’t death, but being enslaved by the Turks. More than 600 women and children gathered into the gunpowder storage room waiting until the Turks broke through the door. Before the Turks could capture them, a spark was put to the gunpowder keg and a massive explosion killed all the refugees and many Turkish soldiers.
When Andreas first told us this story, I got goosebumps. To be standing on ground that a holocaust occurred on was upsetting. The grounds of Arkadi now are beautiful, and that contrast between death and a flourishing garden really struck me.
When Andreas first told us this story, I got goosebumps. To be standing on ground that a holocaust occurred on was upsetting. The grounds of Arkadi now are beautiful, and that contrast between death and a flourishing garden really struck me.
Chania
Chania is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania Prefecture and can be broken into two parts, the old town and the larger modern city. Chania is the site of the Minoan settlement the Greeks called Cydonia.We spent an afternoon in old town Chania, walking through the Venetian village and harbor. In spite of being bombed during World War II, to me, Chania was the most beautiful part of Crete. I found it interesting that though 97% of Greeks are Greek Orthodox, there still stands a mosque in the harbor left from the Ottoman Empire. My very favorite pictures of Crete are from the Venetican Harbor and Village. Walking in places such as the old town really reminds me how young America really is.
Down by the harbor there were Greek fisherman and one of them caught the most beatiful tiny fish and flipped it onto the sidewalk for me to take a photo of.
Down by the harbor there were Greek fisherman and one of them caught the most beatiful tiny fish and flipped it onto the sidewalk for me to take a photo of.
Agios Nikolaos
We visited a small Cretan town on the way to Agios Nikolaos and I learned quickly the Cretan people do not like their picture taken. I was talking with Artemis about this and she believes this is still because of the distrust of the communist times. I did manage to get a few photos of the small village and also of a man making shoes. We discussed later that people rarely leave these villages; inhabitants live there their whole lives unless they want to travel to Athens to go to school.
Agios Nikolaos, a beautiful seaside city, means Saint Nicholas, who is the patron saint of sailors and of all of Greece. Instead of visiting the beach I sat by the Lake Voulismeni, a former sweet water lake, which is now connected to the sea. The lake connects to the harbor of the town by a channel dug in 1870. According to Greek legend, the goddess Athena bathed in it.
Agios Nikolaos, a beautiful seaside city, means Saint Nicholas, who is the patron saint of sailors and of all of Greece. Instead of visiting the beach I sat by the Lake Voulismeni, a former sweet water lake, which is now connected to the sea. The lake connects to the harbor of the town by a channel dug in 1870. According to Greek legend, the goddess Athena bathed in it.
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