Aegina (Greek: Αίγινα (Egina)) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, 17 miles (27 km) from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.
Aégina-1
Aegina (Greek: Αίγινα (Egina)) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, 17 miles (27 km) from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.
Ágora-1
Athens' ancient marketplace, founded in the 6th century B.C. was the heart of the city for 1,200 years. It was the centre for all civic activities, including politics, commerce, philosophy, religion, arts, and athletics.
Agora-7 Odeón of Agrippa
The Odeon of Agrippa was a large concert hall located in the centre of the Ancient Agora of Athens. This theatre was built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, officer of Emperor Augustus in A.D. 15.
The best preserved classical temple in Greece, devoted jointly to Haphaestus and Athena, was built during the reign of Perikles in 415 B.C.
Akrópolis-1 Entrance or Propylaia
The monumental gateway to the Acropolis, the Propylaea was built under the general direction of the Athenian leader Pericles,. Construction began in 437 BCE and was terminated in 432. Entrance into the Acropolis was controlled by the Propylaea. Though it was not built as a fortified structure, it was important that people not ritually clean be denied access to the sanctuary. In addition, runaway slaves and other outlaws could not be permitted into the sanctuary where they could claim the protection of the gods. The state treasury was also kept on the Acropolis, making its security important.
Akrópolis-4 Erechtheion
Akrópolis-8 Erechtheion
On the south side is the famous "Porch of the Maidens", with six draped female figures (caryatids) as supporting columns, each sculpted in a manner different from the rest and engineered in such a way that their slenderest part, the neck, is capable of supporting the weight of the porch roof.
Porch of the Caryatids
The temple dedicated to the virgin goddess Athena, who was represented inside by a giant gold and ivory sculpture, was built in 432 B.C.
The Belvedere terrace at the northeast corner of the Acropolis was laid out for the royal family in the 19th century, and affords a good view of the city looking towards Syàntagma Square and the Old Palace.Akrópolis-17 Stoa of Eumenes
The Stoa of Eumenes is a stoa on the acropolis of Athens, sited between the Odeion of Herodes Atticus and the Theater of Dionysos. It was built against the slope of the hill (meaning it needed a retaining wall supported by piers and round arches. It is named after its builder, Eumenes II of Pergamum (whose brother Attalus II of Pergamum built the Stoa of Attalus in Athens's agora, probably commissioning it from the same architect.
Akrópolis-19 Theatre of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. Herodes Atticus (Ἡρώδης ὁ Ἀττικός), also known by his Roman name, Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes Marathonios (ca. 101-177) was a Greek rhetorician, notable as a proponent of Philostratus' Second Sophistic, a pseudo-revival of classical Greek culture.
Akrópolis-25 Theatre of Dionysus
The Theatre of Dionysus was a major open-air theatre in Athens, built at the foot of the Acropolis and forming part of the temenos of "Dionysus Eleuthereus" ("Dionysus, the Liberator"). Dedicated to the god of wine and fertility, it hosted the City Dionysia festival. Amongst those to have competed are all of the renowned dramatists of the classical era, such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes. A stone-version of the theatre, which was built c. 325 BCE, seated between 14,00 to 17,000 spectators.[1] After this the theatre fell into disuse and little is recorded until 61 CE where there is evidence of major renovations done by the emperor Nero. The remains of a restored and redesigned Roman version can still be seen at the site today.
This lovely neighbourhood clinging to one side of the Akrópolis was built in the 19th century by tradesmen from the Cycladic island of Anafi, brought to Athens after the war of independence to build king Otto's palace. They missed home so much that they decided to re-create a piece of it here.
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