The Acropolis of Athens contains many ancient ruins. The most well known is the Parthénon, built in 447 BCE and dedicated to the Goddess Athena Parthenos in 438 BCE. Since then it has been used as a church, a mosque, and a weapons arsenal. In 1687 a cannonball hit that powder storage and the resulting explosion destroyed the walls, roof, and some of the sculptures.
The reconstruction is underway to rebuild with some of the original materials and to make new parts where needed. The cranes and scaffolding will be there for quite a few more years.
Scanning around the ground there is evidence of many pieces of the original temple. There are other temple buildings here beside the Parthenon, like the tiny temple of Nike Athena and the Erecthion.
The Parthenon, though we call it a temple, was not a place of worship. Actually, it is the Erecthion that is the real religious temple on the Acropolis and sits on the most sacred site of the Acropolis. The noteworthy feature is the porch of the maidens or Caryatids.
The mountain top seen in the video is Mount Lycabettus with the church of St. George at the peak.
Hi Doug, excellent combination of pictures and videos to show the rebuild of the Parthenon. I have a friend named, Athena, and she has been to Athens Acropolis as you have. Whenever the world is ready to open up, I am ready to travel there!
Sending lots of love and gratitude,
Jaime
What awesome pictures Doug! I especially like the last one! I enjoy traveling with you through your photographs.