The Acropolis of Greece

The Acropolis is one of the world’s most famous and mystical landmarks. It is situated in the center of Athens and can easily be viewed from any location. The name "Acropolis" means “high city” in Greek. The mountain is known as the sacred rock and was believed to protect its citizens. It was the fortress and sanctuary where many monuments were erected in the 5th century BC. The sacred rock was dedicated to Athena, the Greek goddess.

During the Athenian democracy, the most magnificent structure built on Acropolis was the Parthenon, built about the mid 400 BC. This temple was also dedicated to the goddess virgin Athena. During the battle with Persia in the 5th century, the temple, even though not complete, was pillaged and set on fire along with other Acropolis monuments. In the 7th century or what was called the Golden Age, walls were built around the temple by the Mycenaean civilization. But through many centuries the Acropolis suffered significant damage, and some of the temples and monuments that were built are no longer visible.

Some of the structures of Acropolis have been reconstructed and are used as museums and theaters today. The avenues on the west and south side of the Acropolis have been turned into pedestrian walkways only. You can take walking tours through the Acropolis. Photographs can be taken of the artifacts and statues, but they must be without the use of flashes, and you cannot pose with them. Luckily, today tourists are still allowed to visit this magnificent landmark against the protests of site employees that have tried to close it to the public.