The Acropolis in Athens

Majestically it towers in the heart of the Greek capital - the Acropolis of Athens. Like a heroic beauty made of columns and statues, knowing that it serves the gods, it looks over its city that lies at its feet.

As you stroll through Athens, you will encounter modernity intertwined with Greek culture and vibrant people in a bustling yet relaxed society that characterizes this country. If you look a bit higher, over the horizon, you will discover a site that is truly made for the gods - the Acropolis. Once there, you should leave the bustling city behind for a few hours to immerse yourself in a captivating history. In this article, we will reveal what awaits you during your visit to this fascinating structure, the landmark of Athens.

Did you know that the name Acropolis is just a generic term and there are multiple buildings of this kind? If you are shaking your head at this, that's okay, because most people think only of the Acropolis in Athens.

Acropolis in its original sense means 'high city', which once served as a fortress. For strategic reasons, this structure - as can be seen almost everywhere around the world - was built on city hills, as one can get the best view from there. View of enemies, not of the landscape panorama. We enjoy that today. An Acropolis is akin to a citadel, also a fortress on the elevation of a city, while the Acropolis has over time increasingly evolved into a cultural site.

Today, however, all eyes are on the famous landmark of the Greek capital, as numerous tourists pilgrimage daily to the hill that defines the skyline. For this reason, we also made our way and took a closer look at the place of the gods, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.

The Acropolis in Athens, written in Greek as Ακρόπολη, is a jewel of ancient architecture and rises to a height of 512 feet (156 meters). This sacred place has changed in significance over the course of history: In the Stone Age, it was the site of a royal palace, later becoming a temple for earthly deities, until the Persians destroyed the complex in 500 BC. The Parthenon (a structure for gods) was rebuilt, only for Christians to come and repurpose it as a church with small chapels. Suddenly, bishops strolled here instead of gods. But it goes further, as the Ottomans then came and the Acropolis in Athens became - you guessed it - a mosque.

Raids by the English and an exploded gunpowder store ultimately transformed it into what we can marvel at today. Additionally, corrosion and pollution have taken their toll. This is also why you will find many small (and larger) construction sites on site. Many parts have already been replaced with newer stones to protect the old ones in museums.

On site, you can move freely around the complex, admire the many excavations, and take a moment to step back in time. What will understandably catch your eye first is the Parthenon, the largest and most important building on the mountain. It was dedicated to the goddess Pallas Athena Parthenos, who is also the patroness of the city. Restoration work has been ongoing for years to preserve this important building as best as possible.

During your tour, you will also pass by many other individual structures. You should pay special attention to the Erechtheion, named after the mystical King Erechtheus, who is said to be buried beneath the temple. However, we also find the Caryatids particularly beautiful. These are female figures that, from the builders' perspective, play a supporting role with their heads.

Useful information for your visit:

Opening hours:

Prices:

Address: Acropolis, 105 58 Athens

Accessibility: It takes about 25 minutes to walk from the center of Athens to the top, but there are also regular buses (lines 230, X80, and hop on hop off buses).

If you want to expand or refresh your repertoire of historical knowledge, you should definitely visit the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the mountain and dive into Greek history there. Around 5 million visitors come here every year to admire exciting artifacts from the Acropolis.

While €20 for admission may come as a shock at first, once you arrive and enter, you will immediately understand why this place is among the top 15 sights in Greece. However, always check the exact opening hours before your visit, as these differ between summer and winter, from April to October and November to March. Also, be sure to bring plenty of time, as it is indescribably beautiful to explore the entire complex at your leisure and, of course, to look down at the city from above.

If you are in Athens during the summer months, you might want to avoid visiting the Acropolis during midday, as it can get quite hot with temperatures reaching up to 95°F (35°C). It's best to set out early in the morning before the crowds arrive and the heat becomes unbearable.

And now to you: Have you ever visited the Acropolis in Athens yourself, or is this temple already at the top of your list? A trip to the Greek capital is always fantastic, we can say that from personal experience. If you plan to tackle your travel planning soon, keep an eye out for affordable hotels and flights. Enjoy your time in beautiful Greece!