Acropolis

We walk, on this day, through our neighbourhood, the open air market, down behind the stadium and arrive across from the National Gardens. Bypassing this for another day, we walk around and through the arch towards the Acropolis. Hadrian's Arch, 131AD, built in honour of that Emperor. The inscription, which you can still read, "this is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus". Built of marble, it sits on an ancient street that connected ancient Athens with the new section of Athens that Hadrian built.

One of many benefits of staying in AirBNB apartments is the notes left by previous guests. In Matta's apartment we read that it is best to visit the Acropolis museum before you ascend to the Acropolis itself. Great idea in hindsight, which we did.

This new museum is one of the most spectacular we've ever visited. A Greek, then International competition was held over 30 years, finally won by an Italian, with a Greek partner. What spurred this development was not only the increasing number of artifacts being found at the Acropolis, but also Greece's efforts to repatriate its antiquities, negotiations with Britain being called off under the claim that Athens did not have a suitable space to protect and showcase these ancient finds. 

Opened in the mid-2000s, it is built along the same lines as the Acropolis, housing the artifacts in-situ, in the same order and space in which they were found. It gives so much more meaning to what you are looking at. Construction was stalled right from the beginning with the discovery of a Byzantine village beneath the excavation site. So, problem solved by building the museum on top of the village by erecting pillars at prime locations throughout the site. Glass floors give a whole other perspective to this space. 

Photos are forbidden inside the museum itself, but the whole story, including the controversy surrounding the Parthenon Marbles and repatriation, Can be read about here.

Visit the Museum's online gallery here, or do a quick google image search of Acropolis Museum to see how they've mounted their exhibitions. Seriously, it's breathtaking.

Best surviving likeness of Aristotle, from the lobby and entryway where photos were allowed.

Aerial view of the museum, from the Acropolis. 

On the steps

Wowzer. 

And Marc notes, in the bottom photo above, the world's first Lego, on the roof span of the Parthenon! 

Some of the view of more ancient ruins far, far below.  The Parthenon itself, built in honour of the Goddess Athena, by the ruler Pericles.

Overlooking our neighbourhood, just behind the Stadium

The Erechtheum Temple, the Porch of Maidens. Stunning. You can't get inside but it was built in the 400s BC as a dedication to both Athena and Poseidon. Both of our kids will know way more than Marc and I put together, they will shame me on this post, and I can't wait to have tea at our kitchen table and talk to them about it!

We've arrived in Athens, and the skies have cleared, warm weather returns. So great to be back into urban and our mighty walking days! We've developed a nice landing routine...day 1 is all about Marc going out for his morning exploratory run, and this time he really does outdo himself! I nest in our apt while he's gone - it's how I get my bearings - then we stroll through our new neighbourhoods finding the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. What we've seen so far of this city is world-class!