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Athens is a city in Greece. ancient athens

This truly legendary Greek city is famous all over the world. The capital of ancient and modern Greece in its history has experienced the greatest ups and no less epic falls. Like a Phoenix bird, Athens was reborn after devastating wars, conquests and natural disasters. At the same time, the Greeks managed to preserve part of the historical heritage of the city: today the ruins of the Acropolis and the remains of ancient sculptures are adjacent to fashionable hotels and modern shopping centers. The features of the most important Greek policy will be discussed in today's material.

The history of these glorious places has almost ten thousand years. The exact date of the founding of the city of Athens is unknown, but according to the widespread version, settlements appeared here in 7 thousand BC. They were located in the southern part of Attica, where there are low mountains covering the valley with settlements on three sides.

The founder of Athens is considered the first ruler in the Athenian kingdom - King Kekrop, who was half man, half snake. According to legend, choosing the patron of the city, he asked the gods a simple task: to make a useful gift. Poseidon presented the fountain, but the water in it turned out to be salty and undrinkable. And the goddess Athena gave the new policy a tree with unusual fruits - olives. Kekrop chose a gift from the goddess, after whom the city of Athens was named.

The apogee of Athens' glory was reached in the 5th century BC. Actually from 500 to 300 BC. The whole of Ancient Greece reached the golden age of development, and its capital became the cradle of culture, economics and politics. However, the political system of the Greek country was such that Athens was not so much the capital of Greece, but acted as an independent state. Polis remained the most important center of ancient times until the heyday of the Roman Empire.

In the third century AD, Athens loses its former grandeur and becomes a provincial town. Then come the long centuries of constant wars and conquests by foreign troops, leading to the looting, destruction and even burning of Athens. A new round in the history of the city begins only in the 19th century, when the Greeks managed to free themselves from the dictates of the Ottoman Empire.


Since 1833 Athens has been the official capital of Greece. Having achieved independence, the Greek kingdom begins to develop rapidly. King Otto of Bavaria intended to restore the country to its former greatness and restore the prestige of the capital. To do this, architects were called to Athens, who designed several city streets and public buildings in the neoclassical style (including the University of Athens, the National Park, Syntagma Square, etc.). Gradually, the city acquired its former appearance and in 1896 the first modern Olympic Games were held here at the new stadium.

The 20th century is significant for the beginning of archaeological excavations that help restore the heritage of ancient Greece. In the 1920s, the Greeks sign an agreement with the Turks on the exchange of population, as a result of which a wave of immigrants rolls into Athens. Added to this are the successful treaties for the Greeks on the Balkan wars, after the conclusion of which the territory and population of the country, incl. Athens, doubled.

During World War II, the city fell under German occupation, but after the war, it again continues its rapid development. The construction and industrial boom of the mid-20th century, at the beginning of the 21st century, leads to transport and environmental problems. To date, some of them have been successfully solved, which was greatly facilitated by the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Modern Athens is a dynamic city that combines ancient heritage with the vibrant and vibrant life of 21st century Europe. There are many nightclubs, brand shops, entertainment centers and tourist hotels here. But above all this, the ancient Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Parthenon and the remains of ancient theaters still rise.



Geographic location

Athens is located in mainland Greece, in the south of the Balkan Peninsula. Polis is located on the central plain of Attica, surrounded by mountains and the Saronic Gulf. Over the years of active development and settlement, the city has come close to these natural boundaries. So further expansion of the urban area is almost impossible.

Greece is southeastern Europe, and Athens is one of the southernmost European cities. But you are unlikely to need a map of European countries, but the plan of the city of Athens is useful to any traveler. The city is very large, so it is quite difficult to move around without a street map.

Population

Everyone knows what a glorious capital Greece has and what the main attractions of Athens are called. But, few people know that the population of the city of Athens is 1/3 of the total population of the country! Just think about it, a third of the population of the state lives in one city.

The number of permanent residents in Athens in 2017 is more than 3.5 million people, while the total number of inhabitants of Greece for the same year is 10.9 million people. At the same time, migrants and part of the local population registered in other regions also live in the capital city. Approximately their number can be estimated at another 500 thousand people. This is the capacious capital of the Greeks.


Climate

Like the rest of the country, Athens is influenced by the Mediterranean climate. It provides a consistently sunny hot summer and a long autumn, in fact smoothly turning into spring. Winter frosts are rare in the region.

The area where Athens is located is characterized by low humidity, so the summer heat is tolerated comfortably. Summer temperatures reach +30°С and higher. Rainy days are most common in autumn, while precipitation is very rare in summer.

How to get to Athens

The Greek capital can be reached by plane, ferry and land transport.

The air harbor of the city is called Eleftherios Venizelos. Arriving at Athens airport, it is very easy to go straight to the city center. A branch was laid from the terminal

Athens

Athens

the capital of Greece. The city already existed in the Mycenaean era, 1600-1200 gg. BC e. The name is presumably associated with the language of the Pelasgians, pre-Greek. inhabitants of the Balkan Peninsula, where it meant "hill, hill". The name was rethought by the Greeks and associated with the cult of the goddess Athena. Modern Greek Athenai, Russian traditional Athens.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

Athens

(Athinai), the capital Greece, on the peninsula of Attica, near the coast of the Aegean Sea; on a hilly plain, through which the rivers Kifissos and Ilissos flow. 745 thousand inhabitants (2001), in the agglomeration of Big A. 3500 thousand people. The city already existed in the Mycenaean era (XVI-XII centuries BC). In ancient Greece, a city-state in Attica. From 146 BC e. under the rule of Rome, from the IV century. - as part of the Byzantine Empire; since 1204 - the capital of the Duchy of Athens; in 1458 it was conquered by the Turks. In 1821–29 - adm. and cultural and political. center, and since 1834 - the capital of Greece. Now the chief economist and cult. center of the country. Focuses approx. 2/3 prom. production: metallurgy, machinery, oil processing, chemical, cello-paper, text, leather-shoes, sewing, food. prom. Important transport. node; port, merged with its outport city. Piraeus . Intern. Elinikon airport. Metropolitan. University (1837). AN, national library. Museums: nat. archaeology, decorative arts, Byzantine, Acropolis, nat. painting gallery. Major tourism center. The combination of monuments of antiquity, the Byzantine Middle Ages with the modern. building gives A. a unique look. The tops of the hills of the Acropolis (approx. 125 m) and Lycabettus (approx. 275 m) dominate the city. Acropolis (with temples: Parthenon, Nike, Erechtheion) and Sq. Agora (prototype of the Roman Forum) - cult, center (5th century BC); the hills of the Areopagus and Pnyx are the centers of societies. and polit. the life of the Ancient A. Among other Greek buildings: the temple of Olympian Zeus, Hephaestion, the theaters of Dionysus and Odeon, etc. Churches survived from the Byzantine era: Agios Eleftherios, Ayi-Apostoli on the Agora. Regular layout modern. A. was founded in 1832. Buildings of the 19th century. (neoclassicism): royal palace (now parliament), Nat. library, un-t, AN. In 1896, the Games of the First Olympiad were held in Azerbaijan.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Athens

the capital of modern Greece, the center of the nome (administrative district) of Attica and the famous city of Ancient Greece. The ancient city was located 5 km from the bay of Phaleron (modern Faliron) of the Aegean Sea, the modern metropolis moved close to the sea and stretched along its coast (Saronikos Gulf) for 30 km.
Geographic location and climate. The plain on which Athens is located opens to the southwest, to the Saronic Gulf, where, 8 km from the city center, is the port of Piraeus, the sea gate of Athens. On the other sides, Athens is bordered by mountains from 460 to 1400 m high. Mount Pentelikon in the north still provides the city with white marble, from which the Acropolis was built 2500 years ago, and Mount Hymett (modern Imitos) glorified by the ancients in the east, with its unusual color Athens, the epithet "violet-crowned" (Pindar), is still famous for honey and spices.
From mid-May to mid-September, and often later, there is almost no rain in Athens. In the middle of the day the temperature can rise to 30°C or more, summer evenings are usually cool and pleasant. When the rains fall in autumn, the heat-weary landscape seems to wake up, the leaves begin to turn green, and the evenings become cool. Although there is almost no frost and snow in Athens (minimum temperatures rarely fall below 0 ° C), Athenian winters are usually cold.
Population Athens itself, according to the 1991 census, was 772.1 thousand people, but in Greater Athens, which includes the port city of Piraeus and a significant part of the Attica nome, there were over 3.1 million people - almost 1/3 of the entire population of Greece.
The city's attractions. The central part of Athens is divided into a number of distinct areas. Behind the Acropolis, which is the core of the ancient city, lies Plaka, the oldest residential area of ​​Athens. Here you can see monuments of the ancient, Byzantine or Turkish period - such as the octagonal Tower of the Winds, built in the 1st century BC. BC, tiny Byzantine church of the 12th century Agios Eleftherios (or the Lesser Metropolis), hiding in the shadow of a huge cathedral built in modern times (the Great Metropolis), or the elegant stone door of the Turkish religious school - a madrasah, the building of which has not been preserved.
Most of Plaka's old houses have now been converted into tourist shops, cafes, night bars and restaurants. Descending from the Acropolis in a northwestern direction, you come to the Monastiraki area, where craftsmen's shops have been located since medieval times. This peculiar shopping area stretches north to Omonia (Consent) Square.
Starting from here along University Street (Panepistimiou) in a southeast direction, you can go to the center of the modern city, passing the richly decorated buildings of the National Library (1832), the University (1837, both by Danish architect H.K. Hansen) and the Academy (1859, Danish architect T.E. Hansen), built in the neoclassical style after the liberation of Greece from the Turkish yoke, and get to Syntagma (Constitution) Square - the administrative and tourist center of Athens. On it stands the beautiful building of the Old Royal Palace (1834–1838, German architects F.Gertner and L.Klenze, now the seat of the country's parliament), there are hotels, open-air cafes, many banks and institutions. Further east towards the slopes of Lycabettus Hill is Kolonaki Square, a new cultural center including the Byzantine Museum (founded in 1914), the Benaki Museum (founded in 1931), the National Art Gallery (founded in 1900), the Conservatory and the Concert Hall. To the south are the New Royal Palace, built at the end of the 19th century. (now the official residence of the President of the country), the National Park and the Great Panathenaic Stadium, reconstructed for the revived Olympic Games in 1896.
City and suburbs. The village of Kifissia, located among the hills overgrown with pines, 20 km north of Athens, has long been a favorite vacation spot for the townspeople. During the Turkish rule, wealthy Turkish families made up half of the population of Kifissia, and after the liberation of Greece, rich Greek shipowners from Piraeus built luxurious villas there and laid a railway to the port. This line, half underground and crossing the central part of Athens, is still the only urban railroad. In 1993, the construction of a subway began in the city, which was scheduled to be put into operation in 1998, but a number of archaeological finds made during the work postponed its launch until 2000.
Between the two world wars, Glyfada, located on the seashore about 15 km south of the city center, became a popular resort for the Athenians.
The area between Kifisia and Glyfada is already almost completely built up, mostly with 6-9-storey buildings. Once out of the city, you can still take shelter from the heat on the wooded slopes of the three large mountains that frame Athens. Mount Imitos in the east, long known for its honey and herbs, is adorned with an elegant old monastery. Currently, a nature protection zone is arranged here. Mount Pentelikon in the northeast is pitted with quarries (their marble was used for the construction of the Parthenon). It has a monastery and rural taverns. The highest mountain of Parnithos north of Athens is built up with numerous hotels.
Education and culture. The buildings of the University of Athens are a prominent architectural monument in the city center, and its students take an active part in the life of Athens. Student youth make up a large part of the population in that part of the city, which is located between the huge building of the National Archaeological Museum on Patission Street (October 28) and the ornate university buildings on Akademias and Panepistimiou Streets. There are many foreign students in Athens, many of them studying at archaeological institutions founded in Greece by other countries (such as the American School of Classical Studies and the British School of Archeology).
In addition to numerous archaeological museums and institutes, Athens has the National Art Gallery, the Opera House and a number of other theatres, a new concert hall, many cinemas and small art galleries. In addition, during the summer months, the Athens Festival organizes evening performances in the ancient amphitheater at the foot of the Acropolis. Here you can enjoy ballets and other performances of famous world troupes, performances of symphony orchestras, as well as productions of dramas by ancient Greek authors.
City government. The small number of the population in Greece and the desire to rally the people after a long Turkish rule contributed to a strong centralization of government. Accordingly, although the position of the mayor of Athens is elected, his powers are very limited, and almost all decisions on the problems of the city are considered by the country's parliament.
Economy. Athens has long served as the industrial and commercial center of Greece. About 1/4 of all industrial companies in Greece and almost 1/2 of all those employed in Greek industry are concentrated in Athens, along with the suburbs. The following main industries are represented here (partly enterprises are located in Piraeus): shipbuilding, flour milling, brewing, wine and vodka, soap making, carpet weaving. In addition, the textile, cement, chemical, food, tobacco and metallurgical industries are developing rapidly. The main exports from Athens and Piraeus are olive oil, tobacco, fabrics, wine, leather goods, carpets, fruits and some minerals. The most important imports are machinery and transport equipment, including ships and cars, petroleum products, metals and hardware, fish and livestock products, chemicals and paper.
Story. In the 2nd century AD, during the Roman Empire, Athens still remained a majestic city, magnificent public buildings, temples and monuments of which Pausanias described in detail. However, the Roman Empire was already in decline, and a century later Athens began to be subjected to frequent raids by the barbarian tribes of the Goths and Heruli, who in 267 almost completely destroyed the city and turned most of its buildings into heaps of ruins. This was the first of four catastrophic destructions that Athens would have to endure.
The first revival was marked by the construction of a new wall that surrounded a small area of ​​the city - less than 1/10 of its original area. However, the prestige of Athens in the eyes of the Romans was still high enough for local philosophical schools to be revived, and already in the 4th century. among the students was the future Emperor Julian. However, the influence of Christianity in the Roman world gradually increased, and in 529 Emperor Justinian anathematized all hotbeds of "pagan" wisdom and closed classical philosophical schools in Athens. At the same time, all the main Greek temples were turned into Christian churches, and Athens became the center of a small provincial episcopate, completely drowned in the shadow of the new capital of Constantinople.
The next 500 years in the history of Athens were peaceful and calm. 40 Byzantine churches were built in the city (eight of them have survived to this day), including one (St. Apostles, restored in 1956) between the Acropolis and the ancient Athenian agora (market square). When at the beginning of the 12th c. this period of peace ended, Athens found itself in the center of clashes between the Arabs and Christian crusaders, who disputed dominance over the eastern Mediterranean Sea from each other. After predatory raids that lasted about a hundred years, in 1180 the Arabs turned most of Athens into ruins. In 1185, the Athenian archbishop Acominatus vividly depicted a picture of destruction: the city was defeated and plundered, the inhabitants were hungry and ragged. Then, in 1204, the devastation of Athens was completed by the invading Crusaders.
Over the next 250 years, the Athenians lived as slaves under the yoke of successive rulers - Western European knights ("Franks"), Catalans, Florentines and Venetians. Under them, the Acropolis was turned into a medieval fortress, a palace was built over the Propylaea, and a high observation tower was erected on the bastion of the temple of Athena Nike (which stood out in the panorama of Athens for a significant part of the 19th century).
After the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, Greece, and with it Athens, came under the rule of new masters. The devastated surrounding lands gradually began to be cultivated again by Christian Albanians, who were brought here by the Turks. For two centuries the Athenians lived in poverty but relatively calmly in the Plaka quarter, while their Turkish rulers settled on the Acropolis and in the area of ​​​​the agora. The Parthenon turned into the main city mosque, the Christian observation tower into a minaret, and built in the 1st century. The Tower of the Winds is in the tekka where the dervishes used to dance.
The peaceful period ended in the 17th century, when Athens was again devastated, this time by the Venetians, who drove the Turks away in 1687, but then, after a plague, were forced to leave the city themselves. Nevertheless, life in Athens under the rule of the Turks again went on as usual, and only during the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s the city was besieged. In 1826 it was destroyed for the fourth and last time, when the Turks tried to expel the rebellious Greeks from it. This time, the Turkish victory proved to be short-lived, and four years later the independence of Greece was confirmed by an international agreement.
Almost immediately after liberation, ambitious plans arose to turn Athens into a majestic metropolitan city. These plans then seemed unrealistic: almost the entire city lay in ruins, and its population was sharply reduced. Indeed, when the new Greek king Otto of Bavaria arrived here in 1834, Athens differed little from the village and did not have a palace suitable for a royal residence. However, several main streets and a number of monumental public buildings were soon rebuilt, including the royal palace on Syntagma Square and the complex of houses of the University of Athens. In the following decades, new structures were added: the National Park, the Zappion Exhibition Hall, the New Royal Palace, the Olympic Pool and the restored Panathenaic Stadium. At the same time, several richly decorated mansions appeared in Athens, which differed sharply from the typical one- and two-story buildings.
At the same time, archaeological excavations and restoration work were actively carried out, layers of the Turkish and medieval periods were gradually removed from the Acropolis, and its ancient structures were carefully restored.
The next major change in the appearance of Athens, which turned into a city of half a million people, came in the early 1920s, when a flood of Greek refugees expelled by the Turks from Asia Minor flooded here, and the population of the city almost doubled. To solve this critical problem, the suburbs were built up in a short time with international assistance, and the main directions for the future planning of Athens were outlined.
As a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, fixed by the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), Greece almost doubled its territory and population, and soon Athens took a prominent place among the capitals of the Balkan countries. Piraeus, the port of Athens, has become important in the Mediterranean and has become one of the busiest ports in the world.
During the Second World War, Athens was occupied by German troops, and then the civil war broke out (1944-1949). At the end of this difficult decade, Athens entered another period of accelerated development. The population of the city grew strongly, new suburbs arose, the sea coast was landscaped, villas and hotels appeared everywhere, ready to accommodate the expanding flow of tourists. In 1950-1970 Athens was almost completely reconstructed. Traditional one- and two-story houses have given way to six-story residential complexes, and quiet shady streets have given way to busy highways. As a result of these innovations, the atmosphere of serenity, traditional for Athens, has disappeared, and many green spaces have disappeared. From 1970-1990 the city continued to grow, but now the authorities have to pay much more attention to the problems of traffic restrictions and pollution, which Athens shares with many other modern capitals.
LITERATURE
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Shakhnazaryan N.A. The rise of the Athenian state. Yerevan, 1962
Brashinsky I.B. Athens and the Northern Black Sea region in the 6th-2nd centuries BC. M., 1963
Zelyin K.K. The struggle of political groups in Attica in the VI century. BC. M., 1964
Frolov E.D. Socio-political struggle in Athens at the end of the 5th century. BC. (Materials and documents). L., 1964
Ritsos D.N . Technical problems caused by the rapid growth of Athens. Budapest, 1972
Brunov N.I. Monuments of the Athenian Acropolis. Parthenon and Erechtheion. M., 1973
Gluskina L.M. . Problems of the socio-economic history of Athens IV century. BC. L., 1975
Korzun M.S. Socio-political struggle in Athens in 444–425 BC. Minsk, 1975
Dovatur A.I. Slavery in Attica in the VI-V centuries. BC. L., 1980
Mikhalkovsky K., Dzevanovsky A. Acropolis. Warsaw, 1983
Sidorova N.A. Athens. M., 1984
History of Ancient Greece. M., 1986
Strogetsky V.M. Greek historical thought of the classical and Hellenistic periods on the stages of development of Athenian democracy. Gorky, 1987
State, politics and ideology in the ancient world. L., 1990
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Latyshev V.V. Essay on Greek antiquities. St. Petersburg, 1997

Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .

ATHENS

GREECE
Attica, or the Attic plain, is surrounded on all sides by mountains: from the west it is Egaleos (465 m), from the north Parnet (1413 m), from the northeast Pentelikon (1109 m) and from the east Gimett (1026 m). In the southwest and south, a low range of hills slopes gently towards the Aegean Sea. Here, on the Attic plain, there is a city that has no equal in the world. This is Athens - the center of the centers of the whole world.
The name of the city comes from the name of the goddess Athena - the patroness of wisdom and knowledge. The first settlements on the site of modern Athens are known from the 16th-13th centuries. BC e. In ancient Greece, Athens was a major city-state. After the huge destruction brought by the invasion of the Persians, the city underwent reconstruction in the 5th century BC. e. This era is called the Golden Age of Greece. The rich silver deposits helped fund a massive building campaign spearheaded by Pericles, the well-known politician of ancient Athens. At this time, the Parthenon was built - the most significant monument of the city. Athens was the birthplace of many great thinkers: Plato and Aristotle, Sophocles and Euripides. An era of prosperity was followed by centuries of decline and dependence. In 146 BC. e. - 395 AD e. Athens was under the rule of Rome, and in the years 395-1204 - Byzantium. In 1204-1458, Athens became the capital of the Duchy of Athens, in 1458 they were captured by Turkey, and from 1834 became the capital of independent Greece. Modern Athens is characterized by tall residential buildings, wide thoroughfares and sparse green spaces.
The capital of Greece and the nome of Attica has about 900 thousand inhabitants. Together with the port of Piraeus and the suburbs, Athens forms Greater Athens with a population of about 4 million people.
Sailing to the port of Piraeus past the island of Salamis or approaching the capital along the new highway, you can still recognize the main monument of Athens - the Acropolis from afar. And today, as in ancient times, it is the emblem of Athens and Greece. The Athenian Acropolis is a high hill, the white ruins of once beautiful buildings. For three thousand years, the walls of the Acropolis, towering at a height of 152 meters above sea level, served as protection for the largest settlement of the Greeks. Often tourists stop in the Greek capital only to visit the Acropolis with the majestic Parthenon - the temple of the patroness of the city, the goddess Athena (VI century BC). Propylaea, take a look at the caryatids propping up the portico of the Erechtheion temple, stroll through the old quarter of Plaka, and then go to the islands. At the height of summer, the heat and traffic jams cause inconvenience to tourists. In addition, Athens, surrounded on three sides by mountains, is known for its smog. And yet it is worth staying in this exciting, sunny city full of contrasts to feel the charm of its countless taverns and coffee shops, enjoy gourmet cuisine in restaurants, spend the night in an extravagant disco with oriental music. Absolutely everything can be found in Athens: art galleries, cozy retro-style squares, museums with unique collections of ancient art, fashion boutiques and bustling markets with goods from all over the world and much more. The saying "Greece has everything" refers primarily to Athens.
The building of the ancient palace (1842), built in the center of the city, housed the highest legislative body of the country - the Parliament. Behind the palace is the National Park, famous for its palm trees, tropical plants and an abundance of cats. In front of the parliament building there is a monument to the Unknown Soldier in memory of the soldiers who died during the liberation of Greece from the Nazi troops. Tourists watch with interest the changing of the guard of the Greek foot soldiers, dressed in traditional short pleated skirts and pom-pom clogs.
Syntagma Square is located in the center of Athens. The most expensive hotels in the city are concentrated here. The contrast to the fashionable quarters is Omonia Square with the neighborhoods adjacent to it. In the narrow streets literally at every step you come across shops selling cheap goods, street vendors scurry everywhere, and numerous cafes, bars and inexpensive restaurants offer a variety of sandwiches, croissants, souvlaki and, of course, grape wine and aromatic Greek coffee.
In the eastern part of the city, north of the Acropolis, is the Plaka quarter. This corner of Athens seems to take us back to past centuries. Narrow crooked streets here seem to climb the slopes of the Acropolis, connecting with each other with stone stairs. In small houses with tiled roofs or with flat terraced roofs, there are numerous workshops where artisans make souvenirs, often according to ancient Greek models, and sell them right there in small shops. In Plaka there are the buildings of the first University of Athens, several original churches, including the XI century, there is also a very popular Shadow Theater in the city.
Fans of ancient history and culture will find several exceptionally interesting collections in the capital's museums. The National Archaeological Museum, founded in 1881, contains treasures found by Schliemann and his followers in the tombs of the Mycenaean kings, a collection of sculptures from the earliest works to masterpieces of Hellenistic art, a collection of vases and terracotta, ancient Greek ceramics and paintings. The Byzantine Museum houses a unique collection of early Christian sculptures and mosaics, as well as Byzantine icons. In the Goulandris Museum you can see a collection of idols from the Cyclades, examples of ancient and Cycladic art.
In addition, there are several medieval churches from the Byzantine era in Athens. National Gallery of Painting, Ceramics. The Agora Museum and theaters, including the National Lyric. National Greek Folk.
Attica is unique in its beauty. Once here, you get a unique opportunity to visit Delphi, Argos, explore the Corinth Canal, visit the Lion's Gate, Agamemnon's palace and tombs.
Industrially, Athens plays a huge role in the Greek economy. Greater Athens provides over 2/3 of the total Greek industrial output. The textile, clothing, leather and footwear, food, chemical, oil refining, metallurgical, machine-building (including shipbuilding), and automotive industries are developed. This large trading city is an important transport hub, industrial, cultural and scientific center of the whole country. Athens is home to Elinikon International Airport. Has its own subway. Athens is a center of international tourism of world importance.
In 1837, a university was opened in Athens, and in 1871 and 1926, two conservatories. The Academy of Sciences and the National Library operate. Athens is the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The world's first Olympiad was held here in 1896.

Encyclopedia: cities and countries. 2008 .

Athens

Athens - the capital of Greece (cm. Greece) and the nome of Attica, has 757,400 inhabitants (2003), and together with the port of Piraeus and the suburbs - about 4 million. Tourists often stop in the Greek capital just to visit the famous Acropolis. There is a subway. Acropolis - a rocky hill 156 m high - a symbol of Greek civilization. It has been the center of the city since the 2nd millennium BC. e. Its classical buildings are made after the Greco-Persian wars during the reign of the great Pericles, who wanted to emphasize the leading role of Athens in the liberation of Greece. At the top of the hill, the central place is occupied by the majestic temple of the virgin goddess Athena - the Parthenon, which is considered the most perfect building of Greek antiquity. The temple was built in 448-438 BC. e. architect Kallikrates, apparently, according to the artistic image of the great Phidias. The elongated rectangular building with a gable roof forming triangular fields (pediments) is surrounded by Doric columns with exquisite Ionic capitals; the famous sculptor Phidias and his students decorated it with friezes and bas-reliefs. Propylaea, the entrance to the Acropolis in the form of a marble colonnade and adjoining rooms, were built in 437-432 BC.
Other ancient buildings are also impressive - the Erechtheion temple, the theater of Dionysus. In Greece, the beginning of theatrical performances was associated with a ritual in honor of the god Dionysus (in ancient Greek mythology, this is the god of the productive forces of nature, the life-giving juice of trees, mainly the vine). The Acropolis has undergone strong changes, but still retained its appearance for a long time. The crusaders did the most damage to it, as well as the Turks, who set up a powder warehouse in the Parthenon, which, of course, exploded. The original sculptures of Phidias were sold by the Turkish administration to the British ambassador and now most of these treasures are in the British Museum. In the 20th century, environmental pollution came to the fore among the threats. Therefore, the remaining figures are already in museums, and exact copies are exhibited in the open air.
To the northwest of the Acropolis is the ancient Agora. The majestic columns of the temple of Olympian Zeus (175-132 BC) are visible to the southeast. Monuments of Roman domination have also been preserved - the arch and the library of Hadrian (120-130 AD), the Roman Agora, etc.; Byzantine period - the Church of the Lesser Metropolis, Kapnikareya (both 12th century). On the northern slope of the Acropolis is the ancient district of Plaka with narrow crooked streets connected by stone stairs. Along the streets are small houses with tiled roofs or with flat terraced roofs. This exotic quarter is full of artisan workshops, shops, taverns and coffee houses that attract tourists. In Plaka there is the building of the first University of Athens, several original churches, including the 11th century, a very popular shadow theater in the city.
Tourists usually confine themselves to exploring the antiquities and walking around the Plaka quarter, and then go to the islands. At the height of summer, the heat and traffic jams cause inconvenience. In addition, Athens, surrounded on three sides by mountains, is known for its smog. And yet it is worth staying in this exciting, sunny city full of contrasts to feel the charm of its countless taverns and coffee shops, enjoy gourmet cuisine in restaurants, spend the night in an extravagant disco with oriental music. You can find absolutely everything in Athens: art galleries, cozy retro-style squares, museums with rare collections of ancient art, fashion boutiques and bustling markets with goods from all over the world and much more.
The building of the ancient palace (1842), built in the center of the city, housed the highest legislative body of the country - the parliament. Behind it lies the National Park, famous for its palm trees and tropical plants. In front of the parliament building there is a monument to the Unknown Soldier in memory of the soldiers who died during the liberation of Greece from Nazi troops. Tourists watch with interest the changing of the guard of the Greek foot soldiers, dressed in traditional short pleated skirts and pom-pom clogs.
Syntagma Square is located in the center of Athens. The most expensive hotels, such as Grand Bretagne, are concentrated here. The contrast to the fashionable quarters is Omonia Square with the neighborhoods adjacent to it. In the narrow streets literally at every step you come across shops selling cheap goods, street vendors scurry around, numerous cafes, bars and inexpensive restaurants offer a variety of sandwiches, croissants, souvlaki and, of course, grape wine and aromatic Greek coffee. There are many inexpensive, but quite decent hotels.
Fans of ancient history and culture will find several exceptionally interesting collections in the capital's museums. The National Archaeological Museum, founded in 1881, contains treasures found by Schliemann and his followers in the tombs of the Mycenaean kings, a collection of sculptures from the earliest works to masterpieces of Hellenistic art, a collection of vases and terracotta, ancient Greek ceramics and paintings. The Byzantine Museum houses a unique collection of early Christian sculptures and mosaics, as well as Byzantine icons. In the Goulandris Museum you can see a collection of sculptures from the Cyclades, examples of ancient and Cycladic art.
In 2004 Athens hosted the 28th Olympic Games.

Encyclopedia of Tourism Cyril and Methodius. 2008 .

Athens is the capital of Greece, its largest city, which attracts many tourists from all over the world. Acquaintance with Greece to start with Athens has already become a tradition. And there are many reasons for this.

This is the oldest city in the country, which has experienced and seen a lot: luxury and need, prosperity and decline, majesty and insignificance. Despite such changes, the entire civilized world symbolizes modern Athens with freedom and democracy.

The name of the capital of Greece comes from the name of the goddess of wisdom, Athena. The legend says that the Phoenician Kekrops founded a city on a huge rock in Attica, and the goddess of wisdom Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon fought for the right to patronize him. In order to resolve this dispute, the gods from Olympus invited Athena and Poseidon to make gifts to the city. Poseidon, striking a rock with a trident, gave him water, and Athena, with a blow of a spear on a rock, grew an olive tree. The gods considered the gift of Athena more valuable, so the city was given to the goddess of wisdom.

Athens combines history and modernity, European appearance and ancient harmony. Artists and businessmen, young and old, married and single people fall in love with this romantic city. Athens strikes people on the spot with its stunning rhythm of life. And in numerous theaters, restaurants, shops and hotels, you can always take a break from such a rhythm.


Climate and weather

The climate in Athens, like throughout Greece, is Mediterranean. But there is also a difference - low humidity. You will never feel the sweltering heat in Athens, although the average temperature during the holiday season reaches +30 °C. The average temperature in winter is +5 °С, almost without snow, but with frequent rains.

Nature

In addition to the magnificent climate, Athens can boast of its rich nature. The Greek capital is located along the coast of the Aegean Sea, and is surrounded by mountains on three sides on land. Throughout the area of ​​​​Athens there are 12 hills, the most significant of them are the Acropolis and Loukavittos. The most important natural attractions of Athens are olive groves, a variety of flowers, numerous vineyards and, of course, luxurious beaches. Despite such a beautiful appearance, the city still has environmental problems.

Attractions

Traveling around Athens, one cannot fail to visit the symbol of the Greek capital - the Acropolis with its main temple, the Parthenon, the temple of the virgin Athena. The old city is very popular among tourists, in particular Place de la Concorde, where the Parliament building, the luxurious royal park and the ruins of the temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch are located. Thanks to the period of prosperity of the Byzantine Empire, Athens had a huge number of churches: the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Church of St. Theodore, Kapnikareya, Panagia Gorgoepikoos, the Church of St. George. Keramikos is the most important monument of ancient Athens, where the ashes of famous Athenians are kept. Also of interest to tourists are the Tower of Fans, the Lantern of Diogenes and, of course, the Arch of Hadrian. All this is just a small list of what is worth visiting in Athens.

Nutrition

In the Greek capital you will find a huge number of taverns, cafes and restaurants. Their highest concentration falls on the areas of Plaka and Psiri - the city center. Here you can find absolutely everything: oriental exotic and European sophistication, small eateries and luxurious restaurants of traditional Greek cuisine.

If you are a little hungry during city tours, you simply don’t have time for long meetings in a restaurant, but you prefer tasty and healthy food, then welcome to Gregory's and Everest, the main Greek fast food chains.

In the evening, after long walks around the city, after swimming and sunbathing, you really want to sit in a good institution with a cozy atmosphere, delicious cuisine and a generous menu ... A glass of excellent wine, traditional Greek dishes, excellent music - all this can be combined in one institution, the Filistron restaurant, which located near the entrance to the city park. And the main feature of the institution is a gorgeous view of the Acropolis! Here you will be offered a huge selection of national dishes. The institution is so popular that sometimes a table is booked here for a month! Therefore, we recommend that you visit it on a normal weekday.

There is one feature in alcoholic Greek drinks. Often they contain anise, which can cause allergic reactions or just discomfort.

Accommodation

The most demanding travelers will be happy to meet the NJV Athens Plaza (Grecotel), located in the city center, from the window of which a magnificent view of the Acropolis opens. The building of the Hotel Grande Bretagne has been standing on the same square for 130 years, which adds a touch of antiquity to the establishment, but the service here is modern and first-class. Not far from the Temple of Zeus is the luxurious five-star Royal Olympic Hotel. The leader among the four-star hotels is the Titania hotel, located in the city center between Syntagma and Omonia squares.

Entertainment and recreation

Your vacation in Athens will be filled with an unforgettable contrast. A tour to Athens is quite simple to choose depending on the interests of the tourist. For families with children, playgrounds and water slides on the beach with a shallow sea are equipped.

Fans of outdoor activities will also be pleasantly surprised by a wide range of entertainment: diving and water jumps, volleyball and tennis fields.

The most popular among tourists are the largest amusement park in Greece, Allou Fun Park, and one of the largest in the world, the Athens Planetarium. The park is divided into two large areas: for adults and children. The park is open from 10:00 to 24:00. In the planetarium, you can watch 3D films about the distant future, space travel and even the ancient Greek past! Planetarium opening hours: 9:30-16:30. The entrance ticket for children is 5-6 €, for adults - 4-8 €.

Purchases

Among lovers of Greek shopping, the most popular places in Athens are the Monastiraki area and the Ermous pedestrian street near Syntagma Square. It is here that you can visit the largest number of various shops.

Here is a short list of the most famous stores:

  • Hellenic Folk Art Gallery - folk art gallery,
  • Stavros Melissinos is a luxury designer shoe store,
  • Eleftheroudakis is a unique six-story bookstore located between Omonia and Syntagma squares,
  • Mall - the largest shopping center in Athens, located at the Neratziotissa metro station.

And you don’t have to worry about small gifts to friends, because souvenir sellers are always located exactly where there are tourists!

Transport

The fare system in Athens is differentiated depending on your route, its length and type of public transport. The cost of one trip in the metro and bus costs 1 €, tram - --- 0.6 €. A ticket for 24 hours costs 3 €, and for a week - 10 €.

An interesting fact remains that the movement to or from the airport automatically increases the cost of your trip several times. So a single ticket on the metro will already cost 6 €, on the bus - 3.2 €, and the taxi driver automatically adds 3.2 € to the established fare.

The main features of transport in Athens include the following: city buses stop exclusively at the request of passengers, the daily rate for one kilometer taxi trip (0.34 €) doubles at night, you will pay a small surcharge for calling a taxi by phone and heavy luggage .

Connection

Internet services in Greece, and especially in Athens, are excellent. It is enough just to find an Internet cafe or an access point here. For an hour of access to the World Wide Web in an Internet cafe, you will pay from 1.5 to 4 €. But do not rush to quickly pay for the use of this valuable resource! After all, many hotels provide their guests with free access, so do not forget to ask. And Syntagma Square already has a free Wi-Fi hotspot.

Those who wish to stay "always in touch" can purchase a Greek SIM card. SIM cards are sold in the office of a telecom operator, in shopping centers and supermarkets. The cost of a service package can vary from 3 to 20 € depending on the tariff plan. Recharge cards are also easy to buy at any store. Q-Telecom is considered the most profitable operator due to its interesting tariffs, high coverage and various promotions and special offers.

You can also easily use a regular telephone connection. There are telephone booths throughout the city, most of which work with prepaid cards (you can buy them at newsstands). Such a card contains a certain limit of negotiations with any part of the world, its cost is from 4 to 20 €. And in bars and hotels you can find coin operated machines. Their main feature is that they can receive an incoming call.

Safety

Athens can definitely be called a safe city. But still, at some points it’s worth keeping an eye out. Firstly, the political life of Greece has recently become especially tense due to the crisis. The city often hosts strikes, rallies and demonstrations. Therefore, be especially careful and careful in the capital, so as not to get into an unpleasant situation in a foreign city and country. Secondly, in Athens there are not entirely favorable areas, which tourists are not recommended to visit after sunset. These areas include Omonia Square, Larissis railway station and its surroundings, Sophocles, Liossion, Metaxourgio and Filis streets. On some of these streets there are brothels allowed in Greece. In addition, these areas have earned their criminal reputation because of the drug trade.

Business climate

Athens is the center of business activity in Greece. And there are two reasons for this: geographical and historical. World practice confirms that in most countries the capital is the leading link in business. And history reminds us that from ancient times the Athenians were merchants, which remains true to this day. Athenians prefer small family businesses to huge corporations. The business “heart of Athens” is the lower part of Omonia Square. The Stock Exchange is located on Sophocles Street.

Real estate

Recently, information about the crisis in Greece has been on TV screens and newspapers. Due to this, many believe that investing in Greek real estate is dangerous and short-sighted. It is impossible not to agree that there is a wise grain in such reasoning. But contrary to all the laws of the economy, the demand for real estate in Athens is growing rapidly! Because of this liquidity, many business people choose to invest in Greek real estate. This sector of the Greek economy gives a 100% guarantee of winnings if the purchased housing is rented out. Even buying real estate exclusively for yourself will be profitable here.

Obviously, in Athens, real estate is much more diverse than on the islands. Here you can buy houses, villas and apartments in residential complexes. The estimated cost of housing in the city is from 1,000 to 1,500 € per square meter, while the luxurious suburbs set the price up to 10,000 € per square meter.

In Athens, you will have to pay 350-500 € per month for renting a three-room apartment. And the resort area of ​​the capital will add another 70-80% to this cost during the season.

When relaxing alone, be vigilant when accepting an invitation to drink from an outside company. It is possible that you will be taken to a bar or pub, where you will have to pay the bill, no matter what. In such pubs, this is a common rule, and even the police will not be able to help you with anything. Today, in Athens, almost all such "cunning" establishments are closed, except for two - Pub Love and New York Pub, located in Plaka.

Ancient Greek Athens It is a majestic and revered city. It had a huge number of inhabitants. The area has excellent architecture. Athens is also the center of the arts and culture of the Greeks. The main city of Attica is not located on the seashore, as was customary since ancient times, but a few kilometers from the body of water. The settlement was founded around a large hill, on top of which, in a picturesque area, stood a fortress of unprecedented beauty - the Acropolis.


foundation of the foundations

Legend has it that the city was named after the warrior maiden Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom, patronized the arts and crafts, all kinds of sciences, but at the same time she was a great supporter of battles and battles.
The city was born so long ago that history hides the true date from contemporaries. There is evidence that Athens existed during the Mycenae era and even long before it. Athens was sung in his teachings by Plato and his associates.
Athens, like other cities in Greece, was a polis. This city-state reached its peak in the 9th century BC. During this period, Athens was no longer ruled by kings, but by tyrants. But the inhabitants did not see anything wrong with the definition of this name. Translated from the Greek "Tyranos" - the ruler. However, at first everything was perfect, but over the years, the rulers began to take away the most valuable things from people. The population was periodically looted. Since then, the word "tyrant" has become almost a dirty word. By him was meant a cruel ruler.
The inhabitants tolerated tyrants, because they enjoyed the patronage of the nobility and the highest council of elders (Areopagus).
First population
It is believed that at first Athens was inhabited by some Pelasgians, and the first king, according to mythology, was Kekrops. This time is dated 2-3 millennia BC. Later, the Ionians arrived in Athens. By the way, according to legend, the majestic Athena gave the inhabitants of the city an olive tree much later than the moment when the policy began to flourish. So she won honor and recognition. After all, the olive is a symbol of wealth, life. The goddess bypassed Poseidon in the rivalry, who wanted to give the inhabitants of Athens water in order to win their honor and respect and become a recognized ruler. Olive meant more.
Mines flourished in the city, where slaves mined silver, tin and a number of other minerals. Iron deposits were also found not far from the city. Without thinking twice, the Athenians set up enterprises for the extraction of useful metal.
Athens was famous for its ceramic dishes, olive oil, various varieties of honey, and wines. In Athens, marble was mined and processed. All this contributed to the enormous flourishing of trade and crafts. Athens prospered and gained economic bonuses. Here people aspired to whole families, founding and building their homes. So the city grew more and more.

Noteworthy is the reign of Draco. On his behalf, the concept of "Draconian laws" came into modernity. This cruel ruler has established a very dangerous order. According to them, the inhabitants were punished by death even for the most minor offenses. For example, they could take their lives for stealing bulbs.
In ancient times, property inequality reigned in Athens. But in the 6th century BC. this was put an end to. It is all to blame for the growing clashes between the nobility and ordinary poor people. The bloody unrest was suppressed by the election of the archon, who, in the end, thanks to his quick wits, brought general order. Solon abolished the draconian order and began to build a beautiful society, reforming the main areas of Athenian life.

Estates of Athens

According to historians, Solon developed a series of laws, according to which residents received freedom in terms of inheriting property. Benefits were enjoyed by ordinary hard workers - artisans and merchants. Citizens were divided into 4 classes, which depended on their financial situation. All people, regardless of position in society, received equal rights. Any, even not very important, policy issues were decided by the opinion of the majority and only after general discussions.
Solon always defended only the highest stratum - the aristocracy, in the ranks of which there were well-to-do peasants. Under him, only the wealthy held public office. However, at the same time, the poor classes could also decide fate. So, in the 500s BC, some commoners Aristogeiton and Harmodius killed the ruling tyrant, who repaired complete arbitrariness and did not give a normal life to people.
Despite this, the nobility always found an opportunity to unite and lead people in the way that was necessary for her. They rigged votes at meetings of the people, made big bribes, used the services of demagogues (dubious people's leaders).
The flourishing concerned external relations. Athens owned the port of Piraeus. It was the center of trade in the Mediterranean. The policy began to dominate the Maritime Union, which included at least 200 policies. Athens owned a common treasury, which greatly raised the authority of the Athenians.


Great War

In the 400s. BC. Athens was attacked by the Spartans. This epic is called the Peloponnesian War. It lasted for about 30 years. In the history of Athens and Ancient Greece, these were one of the most significant and bloody battles. As a result, the maritime union of Athens could no longer be called a community, and in the city, as a result of a coup, a group of rulers in the amount of 30 tyrants took power. The National Assembly failed.
Athens capitulated to Sparta. The protracted war weakened not only this largest city of Greece, but also most of the policies. In the same period, a major external enemy appeared on the arena - Macedonia. The ruler of this country systematically approached Athens. As a result, city-states decided to unite. Thus the union was formed:

  • 1. Thebes.
  • 2. Magar.
  • 3. Corinth.
  • 4. Athens.

The battle of the coalition of the Greeks was defeated. After all, the Athenian nobility, in the majority, fawned over Macedonia. Thus began the era of Hellenism in Greece. During this period, the Macedonians took over. They gave freedom to the population only formally. However, the Athenians resisted, thanks to their ancient history. For example, the Roman Lucius pardoned Athens only because they have such a rich history. The people were given freedom.


decline

Athens began to gradually decline by the 3rd century BC. The Peloponnesian War completely ruined Greece. Scientists argue that the collapse of Hellenism eventually occurred. On the one hand internecine wars, on the other - the advancing Romans. Already at the beginning of our era, the city was not only captured, but also catastrophically plundered by the warriors of Silla. This Roman brought a huge army to Athens, and there was not a single chance left for the victory of the inhabitants of the besieged policy.

Roman domination continued until the 3rd century. At the same time, Athens did not lose its high position in Greece until the German Heruli warriors came and destroyed everything almost to the ground. Only cultural values ​​have been preserved, some institutions, for example, schools. By the way, this time gave the world the most famous Roman emperor Julian, who was just studying at one of the Athenian schools. However, he also closed these schools.
The center of Hellenism "left" to Macedonia, Athens quickly fell into decay. The unfortunately rich city has become more like a periphery, a small village. Population in 500 years. new era was only 20 thousand people.
The subsequent history of Athens is far from rosy, but rather sad. The city was besieged and robbed many times. The Acropolis, which was an unsurpassed palace, lost its grandeur. In the middle of the 15th century, the Turks entered Athens. And they, in turn, had to defend the city from the raid of the Venetians. During that period, a significant architectural monument, the Parthenon, was badly damaged. He practically fell under the shelling of the Venetian guns.
Revival of the capital
Athens became the capital of the state in the early 19th century. Then the city was more like a provincial village, but free from the Ottoman yoke. King Otto, who ruled in those years, ordered to revive the once beautiful city. Intensive construction began. The design of the architect Leo von Klense was taken as a basis.
Even more quarters appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. Refugees from the territories of Asia Minor came to the city. World War II brought new troubles to Athens. The city was occupied by the Nazis. But with the victory over the Nazis, prosperity and a new revival came to Athens.
Now Athens - the largest metropolis of Greece - the capital of the Olympic Games. They have been held here again since the end of the 19th century. The millennial glory of this city is not forgotten even now. Even in the 20th century, the city was still shaken by political upheavals, but cultural activity did not stop. In 1981, Greece joined the European Union, which gave the country and, of course, its capital, huge privileges as an investment.
So, Athens to this day remains the cherished dream of those tourists who have not yet had a chance to visit the capital of Greece. Majestic architecture, cultures, traditions, wonderful history. All this is preserved in numerous museums of antiquity.

    Palace of Knossos. Crete

    The Palace of Knossos, or rather Knossos, is the most famous Greek landmark, which is more than four thousand years old. It is located near the capital of Crete, Heraklion. It seems incredible, but the legendary palace with the mythical creature the Minotaur was opened only a hundred years ago, and until that moment there were only suspicions about the existence of an ancient architectural monument on this site.

    Gastronomic journey in Greece

    Vacation is the time when you want to do only your favorite things. Everyone imagines rest in their own way: new places, fresh air, a sea of ​​​​impressions, leisurely walks, plenty of sleep, delicious food. For the sake of this, many go on vacation to other countries, because it is believed that the best way to relax is by changing the scenery. And to make your vacation even more healthy, you should pay great attention to your vacation menu. Where is our healthiest food? Of course, in the Mediterranean countries, and especially in Greece. Therefore, we invite you on a gastronomic journey to this country.

    Greece - where to relax with children

    Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos

    In the northeast of the Athos Peninsula of Greece is the oldest Orthodox monastery in this part of Athos - Khalindar or Hilandar. It was founded in 1197. The Khalindar Monastery is located in a very picturesque place and is surrounded on all sides by greenery.

    Gods of Ancient Greece

Age of Athens - two and a half thousand years. The glorious past of the city is now clearly visible: literally from everywhere you can see the ancient Acropolis, towering over the city. Today Athens is a modern metropolis with a population of about four million people. In the twenty-first century, this great city has changed. This was partly due to the 2004 Olympic Games. Now Athens is something more than a repository of antiquities. The city has changed a lot and, contrary to ideas about it as a city with a polluted environment and unbearable traffic, it leaves an amazing impression.

The building boom after the end of World War II and the increase in population from 700,000 to 4 million turned into an architectural disaster. However, now the face of the city is changing: new roads and subways are being built, and the expansion of the pedestrian zone in the city center has already saved Athens from painful traffic jams and even reduced the cloud of smog that literally poisons the metropolitan atmosphere. The cleaner air is evident in the reopening of the views that Athens was once famous for, and despite the skyscrapers and fast food establishments, the city manages to retain its unique charm and character.

Oriental bazaars rival fashion boutiques and shops stocked with Armani and Benetton merchandise. The rapid modernization is balanced by a sense of homeliness in the air: any Greek will tell you that Athens is the largest village in the country. No matter how often you come to Athens, what remains of the classical ancient city will attract your attention - first of all, the Parthenon and other monuments of the Acropolis, as well as the updated one, which presents the best collection of antiquities.

Most of the several million visitors who visit Athens every year limit themselves to visiting these monuments, adding to them only an evening in a romantic setting in one of Plaka's tourist taverns. But in doing so, they miss the chance to see the Athens that the Athenians themselves know and love. Even if you looked into the city for a very short time, this does not justify the desire to see in Athens only a cluster of preserved antiquities and museum exhibits. It would also be worth spending some time getting to know the surroundings of the capital, visiting not far from Athens.

For tourists, the most accessible is probably Plaka - an area in which Turkish, neoclassical and Greek island architecture is mixed. Further along are interesting museums dedicated to traditional arts and crafts, from ceramics to music. A little further north are bazaars, almost the same as in the Middle East, and an additional reward are cafes, bars, clubs in Psirri and the booming, as well as the National Park and shady and elegant. Not so far from Plaka are the hills - Likabet and Philopappou, from which the whole city is visible at a glance, and the tram runs (in the summer it will take you to the beach). All of the above sights can be seen during.

But most of all visitors are surprised in Athens by the bustling life of the city. The cafe is always crowded, during the day and after midnight, the streets are not empty until three or even four in the morning, bars and clubs attract night owls. There is also a place to eat, so much so that it will be remembered for a long time: there are many traditional taverns, and chic restaurants await discerning gourmets. In summer, cafe tables are taken out on street pavements, club life moves to the beaches, or you can go to the cinema, attend concerts and open-air performances based on works of classical ancient Greek drama. Shoppers are dizzy: lively colorful bazaars and huge retail spaces in the suburbs, called malls in the American manner, and, of course, boutiques filled with the creations of the most fashionable fashion designers.

And very good - and for the price too - public transport, inexpensive taxis, so you will not have any special difficulties with movement. Describing the suburbs of Athens - they and the region as a whole will be discussed in other articles - here attention is paid, first of all, to the monuments of antiquity. The temple of Poseidon in Sounion is most eagerly visited: that wonderful architectural monument is located on a cliff overlooking a cape. The sanctuaries of Ramne (Ramnus), Eleusis (Elefsina) and Vravron, as well as the burial mound at Marathon, which was poured in honor of the great victory, are not so well known and not so often visited.

Hiking enthusiasts may want to climb - the mountains have encircled the city, and it is best to climb Mount Parnita. If it is in the spring, then at the same time you will pick up an armful of a variety of marvelous forest and wildflowers. The beaches of the Attic coast are good enough to attract city-weary Athenians, but if you're going to the islands, familiarity with the local beaches is optional. Getting out of Athens is easy: dozens of ferries and hydrofoils leave daily from the Athens suburban port of Piraeus, and also, less often, from two more Attic ports with ferry berths - Rafina and Lavrion.

Brief history of Athens

Athens is a city where life began over seven thousand years ago. A low rocky hill, which later became the Acropolis of Athens, has attracted people since ancient times as a convenient place for settlement. It rises in the middle of a valley irrigated by the rivers Kephis and Iliss and surrounded by the mountains Hymettes, Penterikon, Parnet and Egalei. The slopes of the hill, whose height is 156 meters above sea level, are impregnable, and therefore it is natural that all these advantages were duly appreciated by the ancient inhabitants of Attica. The Mycenaeans built a palace-fortress on the rock.

Unlike other Mycenaean settlements, during the Dorian invasion (about 1200 BC), Athens was neither abandoned nor sacked, so the Athenians always prided themselves on being "pure" Ionians, without the Dorian "impurity". But the Mycenaean-type state did not survive in Athens. Gradually, the village turned into a policy (ancient city-state) and a cultural center. The rulers of Athens were the kings - the basilei, who then ceded the power to the tribal nobility - the Eupatrides. People's meetings took place at the Propylae of the Acropolis. To the west rose the rocky hill of Apec, named after the god of war. Here, on a leveled peak, the Areopagus gathered - the council of the elders of the noble families of the city, the Areopagites. Athens in those days remained in the shadow of large and powerful policies, such as and.

Athens grew rich, and the increased prosperity contributed to the rapid growth of arts and crafts, especially pottery. But economic growth increased political tensions: the dissatisfaction of farmers and Athenians grew, who were excluded from public life, but paid taxes and filed on land that went to the landed aristocracy. Only the reorganization of society, which was aimed at the laws of Dracon (his "draconian" code was promulgated in 621 BC) and the election of Solon as ruler (594 BC), who was empowered to carry out radical political and economic reforms.

Solon's reforms granted civil rights to broad sections of the population and laid the foundations for a system that eventually developed into Athenian democracy. In the middle of the 6th century BC, Peisistratus seized power. Peisistratus is usually called a tyrant, but this only means that he took power by force: his populist policies won him the loyalty and love of many fellow citizens, he turned out to be a very successful ruler, under which Athens became much more powerful, richer and more influential. His sons Hippias and Hipparchus were not so happy: Hipparchus was killed in 514 BC, after which Hippias tried to establish a dictatorship.

He was very disliked by the people and was overthrown with the help of an army called from Sparta in 510 BC. The new leader Cleisthenes carried out more radical transformations: he introduced a government board of 10 strategists, created territorial phyla instead of tribal ones, and each of them sent fifty representatives to the State Council of Bule. Boulet made decisions on issues discussed in the Assembly. All citizens could participate in the Assembly and it performed the functions of both the legislature and the supreme court. The reforms proposed by Cleisthenes formed the basis of Athenian democracy, which lasted almost unchanged until Roman rule.

Around 500 BC, Athens sent a detachment of warriors to Asia Minor to help the Ionian Greeks who rebelled against the Persian Empire, which provoked a retaliatory Persian invasion of Greece. In 490 BC, the Athenians and their allies defeated the vastly superior Persian forces at the Battle of Marathon. In 480 BC, the Persians returned, captured and sacked Athens and left almost the entire city burned to the ground. In the same year, however, the victory in the naval battle at put an end to the struggle of the Greeks with the Persians, at the same time securing the position of the leading city-state in the Greek world for Athens, and Athens was able to unite the cities of the islands of the Aegean Sea and central Greece into the Delian Union, also called Athenian Maritime Union.

The newfound power gave rise to the so-called classical period, during which Athens reaped the fruits of its success and the triumph of democracy along with the flowering of arts, architecture, literature and philosophy, and the influence of this era on world culture is felt to this day. In the second century BC, power passed to the Romans, who revered Athens as a spiritual source, but made little effort to give the city more brilliance.

Christians and Turks in Athens

The emergence of Christianity is, perhaps, the most significant milestone in the process of the long decline of Athens, which lost the glory that the city knew in the classical era. At the end of Roman rule, during which the appearance of the city changed little, Athens lost its role as a link in the Greco-Roman world, and the reason for this was the division of the Roman Empire into East and West and the formation of Byzantium (Constantinople) as the capital of the eastern Byzantine Empire. In this empire, the new Christian attitude very soon overshadowed the ethics developed by Athens, although Neoplatonism was still taught in the philosophical schools of the city.

In 529, these lyceums were closed, and Justinian I, who finished with them, ordered at the same time to re-consecrate the city churches, and all of them, including the Parthenon, became Christian churches. Then Athens almost ceases to be mentioned in chronicles and annals, a hint of a revival was outlined only during the reign of foreign rulers and the Middle Ages: as a result of the Fourth Crusade, Athens with the Peloponnese and a large part of the central one fell into the hands of the Franks. The ducal court was located on the Acropolis, and for a whole century Athens returned to the mainstream of European life. The power of the Franks, however, had almost no one to rely on, except for the provincial aristocracy.

In 1311, the Frankish troops fought the Catalan mercenaries, who had fortified themselves in Thebes, and were driven into the swamp. The Catalans, who organized their own principality, were replaced by the Florentines, and then for a very short time by the Venetians, until the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, appeared in 1456. Athens during the period of Turkish rule was a military settlement with a garrison stationed in it, every now and then (and to considerable damage to the buildings of the classical period) being at the forefront of battles with the Venetians and other Western powers.

Ties with the West were severed, only occasionally French and Italian ambassadors appeared in the Sublime Porte. Occasionally rare travelers or inquisitive painters would visit Athens. During this period, the Greeks enjoyed some degree of self-government, the monasteries of the Jesuits and Capuchins flourished. turned into the residence of the Ottoman ruler, and the Parthenon was turned into a mosque. The areas around the Acropolis returned to the distant past, switched to a partial peasant existence, and the port in Piraeus was forced to be content with servicing a dozen or two fishing boats.

Four hundred years of Ottoman rule ended in 1821, when, together with the inhabitants of dozens of cities in the country, the Athenian Greeks revolted. The rebels occupied the Turkish districts of the lower city - this is the current one - and laid siege to the Acropolis. The Turks retreated, but returned five years later to re-occupy the Athenian fortifications, the Greek rebels had to withdraw deep into the mainland. When in 1834 the Ottoman garrison left for good, and a new, German, monarchy arose, 5,000 people lived in Athens.

Modern Athens

Despite the ancient past and the natural advantages of its location, Athens did not immediately become the capital of modern Greece. This honor initially went to Nafplion in the Peloponnese, the city in which Ioannis Kapodistrias developed plans for the War of Independence, and from where he later led it, and where in 1828 the first meeting of the country's first parliament, the National Assembly, took place. And if I. Kapodistrias had not been killed in 1831, it is quite possible that he would have remained the capital, or maybe it would have been transferred from Nafplion to Corinth or - the cities are better equipped and quite large.

However, after the death of Kapodistrias, the intervention of the Western European "Great Powers" followed, imposing their monarch on the country - Otto, the son of Ludwig I of Bavaria, became him, and in 1834 the capital and the royal court moved to Athens. The justification for the move was reduced to symbolic and sentimental reasons, because the new capital was an insignificant settlement and was located on the very edge of the territory of the new state - it had yet to include northern, Macedonia and all the islands, except for those already available and.

In the 19th century, the development of Athens had the character of a gradual and completely manageable process. While archaeologists were ridding the Acropolis of all the architectural layers that the Turks and Franks had adorned it with, the city was gradually being built: the streets intersected at right angles, neoclassical buildings in the Bavarian style appeared. Piraeus managed to turn back into a full-fledged port, because until the beginning of the 19th century it was greatly hindered by competitors - the largest ports of Greece on the islands and. In 1923, at the end of the tragic Greco-Turkish war in Asia Minor, a peace treaty was signed, according to which an “population exchange” took place: the Turks moved to Greece, the Greeks moved to Greece, and nationality was determined solely by religion.

One and a half million Greek Christians from settlements in Asia Minor that existed for many centuries and the Turkic-speaking, but Orthodox population of Anatolia arrived in Greece as refugees. And more than half of this flow settled in Athens, Piraeus and neighboring villages, in one fell swoop changing the face of the capital. The integration of the new settlers and their efforts to survive constituted one of the greatest pages in the history of the city, and this phenomenon itself left deep traces that are visible to this day. The names of the districts located on both sides of the metro line connecting Athens with Piraeus testify to the longing experienced by the new settlers for the forever lost homeland: Nea Zmirni (New Smyrna), Nea Yonia, Nea Philadelphia - similar names are common for city blocks and streets.

At first, these quarters were villages in which immigrants from the same Anatolian town settled, building houses from whatever they had, and it happened that one well or water tap supplied drinking water to two dozen families. The merging of these suburbs with Athens and Piraeus continued until World War II. But the war brought such new worries that all the old ones stepped aside for a while. Athens suffered greatly from the German occupation: in the winter of 1941-1942, according to rough estimates, two thousand people died of starvation every day in the city. And at the end of 1944, when the German occupation ended, the civil war began.

The British soldiers were ordered to fight their recent allies in the Greek Resistance Army EL AS because the army was led by communists. From 1946 to 1949, Athens was an island in the raging sea of ​​war: roads to the north and to the north could only be called passable at a very big stretch. But in the 1950s, after the civil war, the city began to expand rapidly. A program of powerful investments in industry was implemented - the money was invested mainly by Americans who wanted to convince Greece to enter the US sphere of influence, at the same time the capital survived the influx of immigrants from the impoverished villages devastated by the war.

The wastelands between the blocks began to be built up rapidly, and by the end of the 1960s, Athens had become a major city. Often new buildings look dull. Old buildings were demolished, with particular force the element of destruction raged in 1967-1974, during the junta. Homeowners instead of demolished buildings built multi-apartment residential buildings up to six floors high. The central streets look like canyons - narrow streets seem to be cut between concrete high-rise buildings. A thriving industry took over the outskirts, and the combined efforts of urban planners and industrialists quickly turned Athens into a polluted megalopolis, suffocating from the poisonous fog descending on it, which is called nephos here.

Since the 1990s, in the course of preparations for the Olympics, measures were finally taken to improve the situation in the city. Although Athens is still a long way from or in terms of green spaces and open spaces, the results of the efforts made are already visible. Everything that survived from the urban architectural heritage is being restored, public transport is clean, construction of houses is controlled, new buildings of interesting ultra-modern architecture have appeared (for example, some buildings erected for the Olympics and the unfinished new Acropolis Museum), and the air is not so polluted, like before. It is to be hoped that changes in this direction will continue.

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