Greece is one of the oldest and most civilized countries globally, with many ancient monuments dating back centuries ago. Acropolises were located all over Greece, but the most famous Acropolis was located in Athens, Greece’s capital. This Acropolis is one of the most famous parts of Athens.
History of the Acropolis
The various acropolises of Greece were built around 430 BC. They built them for military purposes, and since they were built on a relatively high hill, it allowed the soldiers in the Acropolis to have reasonable control of the city. This ability to control your enemies from above was a crucial thing to have.
The first human-made structures were built on the Acropolis. The Acropolises are one of the national symbols of the Greek people. Why? Because every major city in Greece had one of them during the old days.
Over time, different cities in the Acropolis were influenced by other architecture types. Hopefully, cultures and architecture types merged, and the result was satisfying.
What’s Interesting about it?
In the past, the Acropolis of Athens was known as Scorpio. It was named after the first king of Athens, Scropos. The construction of the Acropolis took about 30 years. At the same time, during the construction of this building, Greece entered a period of prosperity in various fields, including art and thought.
The Acropolis has had various uses throughout history. At one time, this Acropolis was the residence of the king of Athens, and another time it was believed to be the house of the gods. So it was one of the holy places of the city where various Greek gods were worshiped, especially Athena. It was partially damaged during the Greek-British War of 1944. However, it has been completely rebuilt.
Acropolis is a complete ancient building in Greece, which has survived various historical events. This Acropolis is more than 2460 years old, making it one of the oldest buildings on the ground, and these days, it is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage.
Acropolis Entrance Fee
You have to pay around 20 euros to visit the Athenian Acropolis. However, there are days in the year when you can enter the Acropolis for free:
- March 6
- Every Sunday from November 1 to March 31
- May 18
- October 28
- April 18
- last weekend of September
What Are the Things We Can See Other Than Acropolis?
Suppose you have completed your visit to the Acropolis and want to visit other places. In that case, you can look at many different areas such as National Archaeological Museum, Acropolis Museum, Herod Atticus Odeon, and Mount Lycabettus.
Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum, which has a modern design, is definitely worth visiting. It takes about 4 hours to see the whole museum. The museum also has a tour you can use to get information about different things in the museum. The museum has been operating since 2009, so it is about 12 years old.
How Hard Is the Walk Up to the Acropolis?
You might think that since the Acropolis is one of the city’s highest points, it should be hard to visit, but it is not. All you have to do to see the Acropolis is climb a few steps. If you are tired, you can relax in the middle of the road and enjoy the view.
According to tourists who visited there, you have to climb about 150 steps to reach the Acropolis. But the good news for those who can’t climb stairs or have a wheelchair is that there is an elevator near the northeastern entrance to the Acropolis that people can use to access the entrance more easily.
Difference Between the Acropolis and the Parthenon
As we explained, Acropolis is an old building that is basically a citadel. This building was built on the highest hill in the city. But the Parthenon in Athens is an ancient temple that was once a worship place for the Athenians dedicated to Athena. Therefore, it can be said that Acropolis is the place where Parthenon is located.
How Do I Get to Acropolis?
Depending on where you are, you can get to the Acropolis by various means such as a taxi or subway. You can even walk there. However, the easiest way to get to the Acropolis is by subway. After taking the subway, you have to get off at Acropoli station. It takes about 2 minutes to walk from the station to reach the southeast entrance of Acropolis. The Acropolis has two entrances, one in the southeastern part of the structure and the other in the western region.
When Is the Best Time to Visit the Acropolis?
If you have not yet planned your trip to Athens and want to visit the Acropolis at the best possible time, you should know that the best time to visit this building is in the summer and the evening. That is, from 5 pm onwards.
Weather
In general, Athens has a Mediterranean climate, meaning that the winters are cool and the summers are warm. The rainfall in this city is not much; however, it snows there mostly in the northern parts. Storms can sometimes occur in Athens. The city’s rainfall is highest in November, December, January, and February, and lowest in the summer months.
Acropolis Opening Hours
The Acropolis is open from 8 am to 7 pm in the summer, starting in April. The Acropolis is open from 8 am to 5 pm in the winter.
Interesting facts about the Acropolis
- The Acropolis at Athens is one of the first human-made structures built for military purposes.
- These buildings on the Acropolis were built in each city’s highest place to face enemies more quickly when attacked.
- This building, which is very large and beautiful, was built in less than a few decades.
- Although Acropolis does not have much color today, according to research done on this building, in the past, different colors of red, blue, and green were used to paint this building.
