Bobbe's trip to Athens, part 1: the Acropolis

Bobbe continues her report from her Mediterranean adventure:

My next stop on my Mediterranean adventure was Athens, the capital of Greece. Can you look on a map and figure out the route that I traveled to go by ship from Naples to Athens? What direction was I traveling? What bodies of water did I pass through?

Athens was one of my favorite stops on my trip. As many of you know, Greece was once home to a vibrant ancient civilization. The ancient Greeks started many traditions that are still important to us today, including drama, democracy, and geometry. The Greeks today are very proud of this ancient heritage.

The most exciting place to visit in Athens is the Acropolis. The word "Acropolis" is Greek for "highest city." In Athens, the Acropolis is an elevated section at the very center of the city. Beginning about 2,500 years ago, the ancient Athenians started building the stone temples which you can still see today. Of these temples, the most famous is the Parthenon, a huge structure with columns that honors the goddess Athena. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, and she was also the patron of Athens (as well as the city's namesake).

Here is a photograph of me in front of the Parthenon. I am sitting on the bench, so I'm pretty small, but if you squint then you can see me.

I pose in front of the Parthenon.

As you can see, the Parthenon is quite damaged. In 1687, the Parthenon was being used by Ottoman troops as a place to store ammunition, which accidentally caused an explosion that knocked over many of the columns. In 1806, a British man named Thomas Bruce, the Earl of Elgin, took a lot of the sculptures off the Parthenon and shipped them back to London. Today, you can see the so-called "Elgin Marbles" in the British Museum in London. The Greeks think that the British should return the statues, which are today the source of a lot of controversy. As a result, if you want to see all of the Parthenon, you have to go to both Athens and London!

The Parthenon is not the only temple on the Acropolis. Here is a photo of me in front of the Temple of Athena Nike, which stands right next to the Parthenon. "Nike" is the Greek word for "victory." This temple was built for the Athenians to pray to the gods for success in war. You, of course, know the word Nike better as a name for a shoe company – you pray to the shoe gods for success at sports. It's really a very similar concept.

I pose in front of the Temple of Athena Nike on the Acropolis.

Next to the Acropolis is a famous Greek theater called the Odeon. It was built into the hillside so that people could have very good seats to see all the action. The Greeks took theater very seriously. Dramas and comedies by ancient Greek playwrights such as Sophocles, Aristophanes, Euripides, and Aeschylus are still performed today all over the world.

I look down from the Acropolis at the Odeon.

From my photograph of the Odeon, you can get a good sense of how high the Acropolis is. From the top of the Acropolis, you can see a wonderful view out over modern Athens.

I look out from the Acropolis over the city of Athens.

I think that Athens is a beautiful city!

In my next post about Athens, I will tell you about its connection to the Olympic Games.

--Bobbe