The sacred rock of the Acropolis impressively dominates modern architectural imitations. From all parts of Athens, the white marble monuments which adorn it scintillate against the blue sky of Attica. The deep gashes which these monuments bear with dignity in now way detract from the awe with which the visitor senses emotional contact with the full expression of the architectural contribution which the ancient Greeks made to this domain of art. The monuments on the Sacred Rock, whose highest point stands 156 meteres above sea level, are the work of the Golden Afe of Pericles, a period when the world's greatest sculptors and architects of all time lived. Phidias, Mnisicles, Iktinos and kallicrates are the names behind the creation of this wonder which has shone like the sun through the centurys.

At the highest point of the rock of the Acropolis, restin on limestone foundations of an earlier temple (the archaic Parthenon), Pericles ordered the building of the temple in Pentelic marble, in the Doric style, in hounour of the goddess Athena Pathenos. This was ser up as a permanent monumnet of the victory of the Greeks over the Persians and as a thanksgiving from the Athenians to the goddess Athena, protector of their city, who delivered them from the danger of bondage. The famous temple, 72.5 X 34 meters, stands on a flat marble platform three steps high. Austere and magnificent with a colonade of 8 by 17 columns with flutings to each columnm, 10.43 meters highh, with the main facade to the East, it had a sculpted frieze and a 92 metere long chain metope. Its architects were Kallicrates and Iktinos and the cavings were the work of the famous Phidias. The foundations were laid in the year 447 B.C and nine years later, on the occasion of the Great Panathinean Festival, the temple was completed, dedicated to the goddess of Athena.

Situated on the Southern slope of the Acropolis. As early as the 6th century the official Athenian theater was on this side, forming part of the great sanctuary of Dionysus, during whose festival plays were performed. It was here that the works of Aescylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes were first performed. Apart from its artistic function, it was also used for public meetings.

One of the best architectural examples of the period of Pericles are the Propylae of thee Acropolis of Athens. Work began on them in 437 B.C, under the supervision of Mnisicles. Work was half-finished in 432 B.C. Outbreak of the Peloponesian war in 431 B.C was one of the reasons for interuption of the building, but the architect also ran into technical difficulties on aaccount of the terrain. The Propylae occupt the western extremity of the rock which, from Mycenaean times was the only accessible aproch. The structure formed an imposing antechamber through which one gained access to the Acropolis. The Propylae consit of three sections. A central passage has wings to North and South. The North wing contained the picture gallery in which, among others were the works of the famous painter Polygnotos.

To the right of the Propylae, on a rock extrusion, there stands the small temple of Victory Athena, otherwise known as the Wingless Victory. It is a work of the 5th centary B.C and was built to commemorate the victories of the Greeks over the Persians. The temple, fully restored, has eight columns in the Ionian style, four facing East and four at the back which face West.

The most interesting part of the Erechtheion is the South Portico of the Karyatides or maidens. Six statues of beautiful girls of outstanding craftmanship. The colonnade exudes flexibility and charm. The figures stand four infront and two behind, supporting an entablature like columns.

Found in this area are the oldest and most sacred relics of ancient Athens, the mycenean palace, the tomb and shirne of Kekrops, the marks of Poseidon's trident and the sacred olive tree of Athena. All these contributed ans so the building has such a complicated plan, built between 421 and 406 B.C. The basic plan is a rectangle with three porches on different levels. So in the interior we have two sanctuaries, one dedicated to Athena Polias which was entered from the East. The South porch has six statues of Korai (maidens). It is an ionic edifice with rich and ellegant decoration and perfection elaboration of surfaces.

The Arch of Hadrian

The slender arch cosisting of an apsis decorated with Corinthian columns proclaims on the western side (This is the city of Theseus) and on the eastern (this is the city of Hadrian). Hadrian indeed greatly enlarged the town and established entire new quarters north of the temple of Zeus.

Built in 161 A.D by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife Regilla and served as a theatre and concert hall. It has 32 rows of seats which can hold approximately 5000 spectators. According to Philostratos the Odeon was first covered with a wooden roof.

The Theseum (correctly called the Hephaisteum as it was consecrated to the god Hephaistos) is the most intact of all the known Greek temples. A mixture of Doric and Ionic elements, it is probably slightly older than the parthenon. It stands on a slight rise overlooking the extensive remain of the ancient market-place (agora) at the north-west foot of the Acropolis, and facing the restored Roman stoa of Attalos.

From this rostrum cur into the rock the orators Solon, Pericles and Demosthenes - but also a much larger number of demagogues harangued the Athenians the the first attempt at direct democracy.

The highest hill (481 feet) facing the Acropolis is crowned by the ruined marble monumnet of Philopappus, a Syrian prince and Roman consul, honoured by the Athenians in 116 A.D for his gifts to their city.

The 1st century B.C Tower of the Winds was a gift of Andronicus Cyrrhestes, a hydraulic clock with a sun dial and weather vane. The form of the marble octagon corresponds to the eight winds, whose symbolic winged figures are represented on this frieze.

Hadrian completed the temple of the Olympian Zeus about 700 years after Peisitratus had raised the first immense columns - 7 feet, 10 inches in diameter. The 104 Corinthian marble columns of the Roman sanctuary were a third smaller, though still the largest in Europe, as was the temple itself, 354 by 135 feet. The Roman general Sulla removed the pillars of the intervening Hellen- istic temple to Rome in the first centry B.C, Genoese and Venetians did likewise with Hadrian's marbles, so that only 16 columns now remain, 13 standing together under there architraves.

The Temple, as seen today, was built in the 14th centary B.C, and was the third to have been built on that site. The oldest temple remains, discoveries date back to the 7th century B.C. This was succeeded by the likewise archaic temple of the Alkmeonidae which wa destroyed by an eathquake in 373 B.C. The 4th century B.C temple was built with the proceeds of a collection made throughout Greece and is in the Doric style, 60M X 24M, the facade having six columns and fifteen down each side. The adyton was reserved for the priestess Pythia who, in the midst of her sacred symbols, entered it in order to utter the prophesies of the oracle.

The Tholos or Rotunda, whose purpose is not known,is one of the most beautiful sights at Delphi. It is the quintessence of refinement and the perfection of workmanship, expressed in an architectural masterpiece of the 4th centuary B.C with most adornment.

Was built of marble bu the Alkmeonides in 510 B.C, after the defeat of Hyppius. The fame of Athens then, made it natural that the Treasury of the city at Delphi, be the best in apperance. The frieze is quite impressive, depictina a battle of the Amazons and the Labours of Hercules and Theseus.