The Acropolis 1

The next day, we got to see an absolute highlight in Athens: The Acropolis! Having been settled since the Neolithic Age, it was used by the kings of Mycene and later re-designed under Pericles by Phidias, a genius architect in the 5th century BC.

Walking up to the plateau is not easy: It's 156 metres high and flat on top, giving it a good defensive position (and making tourists sweat). On top, the first temple awaits you.

Look at the masses of tourists walking up the stairs to see the Acropolis! Yes, it was main season ... with the radiant sun and blue skies, who could resist? There were guards standing on top of some edges using whistles to direct tourists to move forward and not block the path for others following.

This building, the propylaea (columns before the main buildings, hence a gate) was once used as a Palace by the Frankish rulers in the Middle Ages, later by the Osmanic rulers in the 15th century and onwards. It was the first building we went through to get on top of the Acropolis.

This was one of the rewarding views from the top of the plateau over the city of Athens up until the blue ocean! In the distance below, you see the Areopagus.

This is the Parthenon, the Acropolis' largest temple dedicated to the goddess of the city, Athena Parthenos (virgin). Like other classical temples, its symmetrical structure makes it very nice to look at. One side of it, however, was destroyed in 1687 as Venetian soldiers fired at it because Ottoman invaders had taken it; unfortunately, a magazine blew up, making one side of the temple collapse.

The second part will follow!

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