The two ladies in the picture seem to have just completed their visit to the museum in the Stoa of Attalos and decided that a leisurely walk along the pillars of the portico was what they needed in order to relax and re-think of what they had seen.
The portico is part of the Stoa of Attalos.
The Stoa of Attalos
303_9498 [Stoa of Attalos]
The Stoa of Attalos is a long building, 115 by 20 meters, made of marble and is located inside the archeological site at the foot of the Acropolis.
This statue of Apollo, the ancient Greek Olympian god of music, stands with his lyre on a column outside the Academy of Athens, a world-wide highlight of the city. The statue itself measures 3.71m in height while the column is 19.54!
It is attributed to the Greek architect Leonidas Drossis but there is evidence that there is more to the matter.
For additional information please clickHEREto watch a slideshow on the Academy of Athens, in case you have missed it.
Please click on the picture for a better view.
Photographed downtown Athens on September 13, 2015
An early evening view of the well-known, much-photographed, Acropolis of Athens.
The sun was setting exactly behind the Parthenon that day and I was hoping for a spectacular sunset to combine with the Parthenon in the foreground but my hope remained only an unfulfilled wish. The sky was dull, the lighting conditions in the area were rather poor but the Parthenon was again as spectacular as ever. To avoid going home with an empty basket, I faced my challenging task by using the HDR technique (7 images stalked) so that I could record as much detail as possible. I am sharing with you whatever I managed to get and look forward to another opportunity with better conditions.
The picture was taken from the roof terrace of a friend’s house in the center of Athens on July 19, 2020.
The themes of both east and west pediment representations on the Parthenon derive from the Greek mythology. On the west pediment specifically, representations depict Athena and Poseidon at the center of the composition competing with each other to become the patron of the city. Poseidon has just struck the earth with his trident and produced a spring of water for the city, while Athena did the same with her spear and produced a live olive tree. Poseidon - feeling defeated - appears to be retreating in fright. On both sides of the contestants, the horses that pulled the contestants’ chariots stood on their hind legs also frightened by what was happening. The composition is completed to the corners with other personalities from the Greek mythology.
Photographed in the Acropolis Museum in Athens on January 30, 2014
and then
heavily processed in software to eliminate unpleasant window reflections
and to give prominence to the figures.
The sculptural arrangement on the east pediment of the Parthenon, [see above], is based on a theme that derives from the Greek mythology. It narrates the birth of Athena [the goddess of wisdom] from the head of her father, Zeus [the father of all gods]. How it happened is well described below:
“[So,] according to [Greek] mythology Zeus gave birth to Athena after a terrible headache prompted him to summon for Hephaestus’ [the god of fire and the forge] assistance. To alleviate the pain, he ordered Hephaestus to strike him with his forging hammer, and when he did, Zeus' head split open and out popped the goddess Athena in full armour.”
Source: http://ancient-greece.org/art/parthenon-ped-east.html
In the center of the composition above one can see Zeus sitting on his throne, and Athena, fully grown and armored, standing in front of her father, while many other gods on both sides of the composition are witnessing Athena'smiraculous birth.
Photographed in the Acropolis museum in Athens on January 30, 2014
and then heavily processed in software to eliminate unpleasant window reflections and to give prominence to the figures. Please click on the picture for a better view.
Then,
let your imagination travel 25 centuries back – when the Parthenon was first opened to the public – and “see” the beauty of the original statues not only on the east pediment but also of those on the west pediment that will be uploaded soon.
The Parthenon on the Acropolis, as seen from East.
The couple in the picture seem to be commenting on the destroyed pediment that used to host magnificent statues. A representation of the statues will be uploaded soon.
A slide show featuring the Academy of Athens: a marble neoclassical building (1885) that is considered one of the major landmarks of the city and - according to international experts - one of the most exquisite neoclassical buildings worldwide.
The pictured historic building of the University of Athens is situated in the heart of the city. It was designed in the 19th-century by the Danish architect Hans Christian Hansen (1803-1883) as part of the so-called “Athenian trilogy” of neoclassical buildings consisting of the University of Athens in the middle, the National Library on the left and The Academy on the right. Once, it housed all University services but today its use is restricted to housing the Rectorate, the Senate and the Great Hall of Ceremonies.
The Greek flag is raised daily on the eastern part of the Acropolis and waves in the breeze on a spot that lends itself to getting a nice view of the city. Quite a few visitors in this photo couldn't afford to miss such an opportunity. Please click on the picture for a better view.
The Theater of Dionysus Eleuthereus at the foot of the Acropolis. It dates back to the fourth century BC and we know that it could seat 17.000 spectators!
The new Acropolis Museum can be seen behind the trees.
