Acropole d'Athènes. It is a landmark that has become the sign of Greece, and it is visible to all neighborhoods near it. Built around 570 BC, many of Athena Polias’s relics have been found by archaeologists over the years. … Construction of the building began during 447 BCE and lasted until […] The most important monuments were built during that time: the Parthenon, built by Ictinus, the Erechtheon, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis, designed by Mnesicles and the small temple Athena Nike. This temple was dedicated to goddess Athena, protector of the city and the pediments were decorated with statues depicting lions and other mythical creatures. The Acropolis Museum was firstly conceived by Constantinos Karamanlis in September 1976. have disturbed or covered many of the earlier remains, there is still a great deal of archaeological evidence attesting to the importance of the Acropolis in all periods of time. The 'Athenia Polias' temple is made up of limestone and many artifacts and documents were found from this area. The Acropolis is an ancient citadel built on a rock in the centre of Athens, Greece. Incredible Construction: Greek Acropolis Built by Ancient Engineers to Resist Earthquakes . The Acropolis was both the fortified citadel and state sanctuary of the ancient city of Athens. The Parthenon was mainly constructed as a temple for the Goddess Athena who was the chief deity worshipped by the residents of Athens. 1 decade ago. An acropolis (Ancient Greek: ἀκρόπολις, akropolis; from akros (άκρος) or akron (άκρον), "highest, topmost, outermost" and polis (πόλις), "city"; plural in English: acropoles, acropoleis or acropolises) was an ancient Greek settlement, especially a citadel, built upon an area of elevated ground—frequently a hill with precipitous sides, chosen for purposes of defense. In order to learn a more about how the Colosseum came to be, we need to take a step back through history. Anonymous. Around 520 BC another sacred sanctuary was built in the Acropolis by one of Athens early rulers. Throughout its 2,500-year history, the ancient ruins of the Acropolis in Greece managed to survive many earthquakes where other, more modern constructions have fallen. Measuring 350 metres long and 150 metres wide (52,500 square metres), it must be visited and walked to understand the true scale and uniqueness of the ancient site. The Parthenon was constructed between 447 and 438 BC and its sculptural decoration was completed in 432 BC. For thousands of years, while a city was attacked, the people had to escape and this was done in fortifications and best were the acropolis … It was built under the instructions of Pericles, the political leader of Athens in the 5th century BC. The tomb of Cecrops also lie here, and the Athenians might have kept a snake here - symbolizing their first king. Answer Save. Photograph: Why Athens | Acropolis Museum The most intricate element of the Parthenon was the frieze , which wrapped around the outer wall of the cella. During the Mycenaean civilization walls were built around it and there is evidence that there was a Mycenaean palace here as well. The most important monuments were built during that time: the Parthenon, built by Ictinus, the Erechtheon, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis… Both the Acropolis and the Parthenon, the imposing temple that was dedicated to the goddess Athena, are visible from almost every spot in Athens. The Acropolis became a sacred place in the 6th century BC when a temple dedicated 'Athenia Polias' was built in the northeastern side of the hill. The greatest destruction, however, took place in 1687, when the Venetian Morosini besieged the Acropolis. This mass of rock rises sharply to a height of 500 feet above sea level. during the height of the ancient Greek Empire. Acropolis. Most city-states in ancient Greece had at their centre a rocky mound or hill where they built their important temples and where the people could retreat to if under attack. It's the safest most secure place in town. Constructed in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, the Parthenon was carved entirely out of 21,650 tons (22,000 tonnes) of white marble. Favorite Answer. Photograph: Why Athens | The Acropolis of Athens When the ancients first saw the rocky land mass which we know as the Acropolis, they must have been amazed by the perfection of its oval top. Therefore, they could worship from their homes during wartime and in turn, combine the prayers of the entire city. The Old Temple of Athena was built near what is now known as the Parthenon. It's for this reason that the most sacred buildings are usually on the acropolis. The Acropolis is believed to have been inhabited since at least the 7th Millennium BC. The Acropolis in Athens was not built for a specific person. It sits on the top of the Acropolis, the hill that overlooks Athens. How is this possible? Location: Acropolis The Acropolis of Athens Greece: The Sacred Rock, the Acropolis of Athens, is thought to be the symbol of the ancient Greek culture.It is also considered to be one of the most significant ancient monuments in Europe. The Acropolis is a hill, so it was not built. The New Acropolis Museum opened in June 2009. Acropolis Museum; Sources; The Parthenon is a resplendent marble temple built between 447 and 432 B.C. Built sometime around the fourth millennium, the Acropolis was an ancient city that still retains much of its original Classical architecture and temples, including the Parthenon. Why was it built? The most famous acropolis is the one in Athens. Read Later ; Print. There are other acropoleis in Greece, although the one in Athens is the most well-known. New Acropolis Museum, museum in Athens, Greece, built to house the archaeological remains of the ancient Acropolis site that were formerly housed in the original Acropolis Museum (first opened in 1876). The simple exterior of … Lv 6. It was the first building to be built on the Acropolis and was started in 427 BC. In 1987 it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site (UNESCO, 1987). The Parthenon is part of the Acropolis of Athens in Athens, Greece. The Athenian Acropolis is home to one of the most famous buildings in the world: the Parthenon. The temple is also known as 'Bluebeard temple' after the 3-headed serpent whose beard was blue. The Persians pillaged the city in 480 BC. Construction on the Acropolis dates back to at least 4000 B.C.E. meaning literally 'high city' in Attic Ancient Greek the rock was ideal as a defensive site against potential attackers. Placed 12 metres high, it had a total length of 160 metres and is a continuous narrative carved in bas-relief, of the gods, humans, and animals that made up the Great Panathenaia that occurred every four years to honour the goddess Athena. Who built the Acropolis The first known construction on The Acropolis started sometime around the 14th century BC when the Mycenaean Kings built massive walls around the area. Acropolis means 'high city' in Greek. It was built on the “rock of Acropolis”, on top of the city. Acropolis literally means in Greek a city at the edge of the city (Acro= Edge in Greek, Polis=~city in Greek language but in a larger sense). As the city grew, so it spread beyond the limits of the acropolis and onto the Attic plain. 1 decade ago. Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0. It was built upon an isolated butte, or hill, of the Hymettus, a mountain ridge east of the presentday city. However, the buildings of The Acropolis that we recognize today were built much later than that. Being fortifiable, it was the original site of Athens (as was the Acropolis of Corinth and so on). The Acropolis of Athens during the Archaic period (520 BCE) During this period the first monumental temples were built. It was built by Pericles in honour of Athena, the godess, from whom Athens gets its name... 0 0. soubassakis. Relevance. Why was the Parthenon built on the Acropolis? and the buildings of The Acropolis were destroyed or badly damaged. The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon.The word acropolis is from the Greek words ἄκρον (akron, "highest point, extremity") and πόλις (polis, "city"). The large flat outcrop is about 150 metres high, and covers an area of about 7 acres. Acropolis Acropolis is the epicentre of Athens. Most of the structures were built to honor Athens’ patron goddess Athena and every 4 years the people of the city would hold a festival called Panathenaea, which paid tribute to the goddess and which was just as popular as the Olympics during that time.. Built under the Flavian dynasty, the Colosseum was the largest amphitheatre ever built at the time and could hold up to 80,000 spectators. This way, the Athenians could see it without having to traverse the hill. The Turks built houses on the Acropolis and used various buildings for ammunition depots. Most of the buildings remaining on the Acropolis today were built as part of Perciles' massive building program in the middle of the 5th century BC. It was used as a temple and, inside it, there was a huge statue of Athena wearing armor made of solid gold. 6 Answers. Located adjacent to the Propylaea, the temple was built on the rim of the Acropolis. The first was constructed at around 560 BCE in the place were the Parthenon stands today. As little as 150 years ago there were still dwellings on the Acropolis of Athens. He also selected the site, upon which the Museum was finally built, decades later. Although the great building programs of the 5th century B.C. It started with the Flavian Dynasty in 69AD. Today we think of the Acropolis as a tourist destination and historical site, but when it was built it served much more basic functions. Athens Acropolis, Tourists at the Parthenon The beauty of the Acropolis’ archaeology sites. The term acropolis means upper city and many of the city states of ancient Greece are built around an acropolis where the inhabitants can go as a place of refuge in times of invasion. The Athenian Acropolis was the site of the original city and, later, of the upper city as distinguished from the lower. Why was the Acropolis in Athens built? Originally, the acropolis was the city of Athens. 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