Acropolis

                                                                                    Athens, Greece
                                                                                June, 2015
                                                                                              
The historical center of Athens was a pleasant 15 minute walk from the Airbnb apartment we had rented. The apartment was on the 4th floor - it would be, "5th floor" in USA :) - was new, very modern and nicely decorated. The best feature of the apartment was the glorious view from the balcony. If we were in the apartment, I spent my time watching the Acropolis from the balcony. Derived from the Greek words, Akro (high) and Polis (city), the Acropolis was built on a high hill, almost 500 feet above the city of Athens. The Acropolis is a massive 7 acre citadel containing the Propylaia, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. It was very fascinating to read that after the fall of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, the Parthenon was turned in to a mosque for a period of time, until the Greeks claimed it back in 1821. 

Acropolis. I would call this, "the morning tea view of the Acropolis". The Sun rising from the right lit up one side of the Acropolis.

Propylaia, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis.

View of the Odeon of the Herod Aticus from the Acropolis. Athens city in the background with the Agean sea in the left corner.

Odeon of the Herod Aticus is the open air theater on one side of the Acropolis. Built in 161 AD and restored in the 1950s, the Odeon is used for modern concerts too.
Many bands including Jethro Tull, Elton John and Liza Minnelli have performed at the Odeon.

Parthenon on the left and the Erechtheion on the right.

The Parthenon is the temple built and dedicated to Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and the patron of the city of Athens.
There are 8 Doric columns on either end 17 columns on the sides.

The Parthenon.

The circular blocks that make up a Doric column!

The Erechtheion, a temple dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea.

The Erechtheion.

The Porch of the Caryatids on one side of the Erechtheion.

The Airbnb apartment.

Night view of the Acropolis.