ATHENS

Athens – The City Of Light

The Athens of today has spread throughout Attica, starting from Elefsina, where the goddess Dimitra taught the cultivation of wheat to its people, thus defining the term ‘culture’, down to the plane of Thriasio, Skaramanga, Perama and Egaleo. It spreads on to Parnitha, Kifissia and Ekali. From Ymito Mountain, it goes down to the Mesogia, Spata and Liosia, but also towards Vari and Vouliagmeni. From Penteli and Dioniso it goes on to Rafina, Nea Makri and all the way to Marathona. All the above have been connected to Piraeus.
The historical centre of Athens is easily accessible to everyone who wishes to visit Syntagma Square, the Anafiotika, Thision, Avissinias Square and to also Psiri for some ouzo or to head on to Ano Petralona for an aromatic cup of coffee. A visit to Klathmonos Square and Evripidou near Syntagma is also a must. Furthermore, one is mesmerized by the beautifully litup Acropolis at night.

Athens, according to an article in “Zeit Magazine”, is the new Berlin. Foreign artists are now
regularly visiting Athens, choosing the city for their exhibitions and various events, or even as
their permanent place of residence.
And of course Athens is a true paradise for cultural tourism, a large journey into history and art.
Educational excursions, theatrical productions, festivals, pilgrimages, visits to archaeological sites,
monuments and museums, excursions to study the natural environment, folk art and culture – these
are just a few of the many things that Greece has to offer in the cultural tourism sector.
Traces of a centuries-old and important history is etched in every corner of Greek land: findings from the Prehistoric and Archaic Periods, unique works from Classical, Hellenistic, Medieval and Byzantine monuments, creations from folk art cultures, traces from the passing eons of other civilizations and different religions, that coexist with current creations, constructions and modern works of art.
Whoever really wants to understand Greece, its history and its people, he will find an unrivaled
cultural experience by traveling into the area and chronological period of Greek culture.

observing
a “new” athens

Monuments and sites which constitute new destinations to be visited. The restoration of the Thrasyllos Monument has given the Southern Slope of the Acropolis a totally new look. The reconstruction of the ‘lost’ monument has impressed visitors beyond belief. However, it is not only this which is now clearly seen, it is also the Asklipio which is partly obscured by the trees surrounding it. For obvious security reasons, the visitor is not
allowed to enter the Thrasillio Monument. The climb up is challenging. The levels of the Theatre of Dionysos are also to be reformed and the pathway up has still to be completed – this also being a part of the Curator’s project. On the North Slope, the Hourglass has totally changed the scene, while the inside of the ‘Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos’, in the Roman Market is open to the public for the very first time ever. Another site
whose interior is now, for the first time, open to the public is the Fethiye Mosque; one of the most significant buildings of the Ottoman period which is found in the historical centre of Athens.
Some small events are hosted there as is the exhibition of Hadrian. Another archaeological site, now open to visitors, is the Lyceum of Aristotelis, located next to the Byzantine Museum.
All the above constitute new destinations for the visitor of the city of Athens.

the dual “secret” of the acropolis

called the cave they saw at the southern slope. The restoration workers of the past years claimed that
another restoration project was underway as were many on the monuments found on the ‘holy’ Rock.
However, the large crane-bridge has been removed now, the site has been restored and people enjoying a Sunday walk along Dionysiou Areopagytou wonder which temple it is which captures their eye as they look upward from the Theatre of Dionysus.
Tourists reaching the wide landing with the huge pine tree and the notice boards, learn of the history of this special monument which has adorned the rock of the Acropolis for over 23 centuries. This patroned monument by Thrasyllos is most impressive from whichever angle you look at it; besides, it was constructed so that the whole of Ancient Athens could observe it. Today, it stands out, and majestically so, and is marveled as one walks along the much visited Dionysiou Areopagytou and Makriyianni streets. It mesmerizes you as you look at it from within the Parthenon Hall at the Acropolis Museum and it looks spectacular as you observe it from the Theatre of Dionysus.
It was created around 320 BC. by Thrasyllos, the contender of the Great Dionysians and bore the form of a temple in the template of the patroned monuments. Three of its structural parts have survived through the ages, while the rest of it collapsed.
The monument was demolished after a cannonball hit it in 1827, during the siege of the Acropolis by the
Turks. The iron railings today reveal that something valuable is hidden inside. The older generation
know it as Panagia Spiliotissa which was developed during the Ottoman occupation. Most are surprised
to learn of the dual history of the monument when they read the notices referring to it. Everyone, especially foreign visitors, want to approach the ancient and Christian monuments that exist in front and behind the cave. The guard’s whistle, however, prevents them from getting too close.
Wall paintings
The architect-resurrector of this patroned monument, Dr. Constantinos Mbolemis (former Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the Monuments of the Southern Slope of the Acropolis) gave us a tour of its interior. What an amazing experience that was! The key turns in the lock and as the door opens, the icon of St. Spiridon is the first wall painting you see, then the Evangelist John can be spotted on an other, while a huge painting depicts the ‘Hospitality of Abraham’ with three Angels of the Lord seated at the table. Then there is a casket with new mortars standing on it. Covering the wall paintings is a sheet of plexiglas – protecting the paintings from turning green – since water leaks through the top of the cave.
At the far end of the cave, is the marble icon of the Virgin Mary which has also been restored. “The wall paintings of the Holy Cave of the Virgin Mary bear the very best and well-preserved samples of post Byzantine icon painting in the area of the Acropolis and its slopes,” said Mr. Mbolemis as he gave us this magnificent and unforgettable tour.
During the Christian years, the monument of Thrasyllos was used as a Church in honor of the Holy Virgin Mary of the Cave. The priest would hold a sermon in the central area of the cave which is between the northern wall and the Altar.
Many women would run to the Virgin Mary praying for their children’s health or in the case of infertility, they would pray to have children. At the same place, though, the women who had committed adultery would be severely punished during Ottoman rule.
The Thrasyllos monument was named after its creator, Thrasyllos the Athenian. He was a very rich man who, as a representative of the Hippothoon race of Athens, had won the Great Dionysia (theatrical contest) in 320 BC. He was awarded a bronze tripod, and in order to show it off, he built a monument. Initially, the Thrasyllos monument was over 7 meters in height; taller than a two-storey building and resembled a temple, as was the
norm for patroned monuments. It was placed at the entrance of the natural cave on the southern slope of the Acropolis and seemed to be blocking its entrance. Despite having being constructed to honor the winning of the theatrical contest of a particular tribe, the entrance was adorned with 10 wreaths which symbolized the ten tribes of Athens. According to Mr. Constantinos Mboleti: “The same wreath was known as the symbol of the
Greek Renaissance movement in the beginning of the 19th century in England and other parts of Europe. Many buildings, especially in Edinburgh, have wreaths – inspired by the monument; perhaps the most famous of all being two buildings in America; the circular Capital building and the Lincoln Memorial.
In 271 BC, Thrasyllo’s son Thrasiklis, reformed the monument but without changing its original form much. Following long-term research by the Committee for the Southern Slope of the Acropolis and the Curator of Antiquities of Athens, into the effort of resurrecting the monument, after its demolition by the Turks on the 1st February 1827, and 190 years later, this patroned monument of Thrasyllos stands once again, adorning with its magnificence, the Southern Slope of the Acropolis Hill; a relationship which proved hard to sever.”
Mr. Mbolemis went on to say that in the center of the monument, one can see a multitude of historical icons, a marble statue of Dionysus, which is said to have been placed there during Roman times. In 1802, this same statue was removed by Lord Elgin and can now be found in the British Museum in London.

Following the forming of the independent Greek State, the restoration of the monument was announced by the Archaeological Department. An important factor worth mentioning is the impact this monument made on western architecture.
When the stones of the Thrasyllos monument were placed outside the Dionysus Theatre as building material, the morphological loans from this had already been formed and characterized the wave of the Greek Revival in the United Kingdom, through the work of British artists J. Stuart and N. Revett – “The Antiquities of Athens.” The olive wreath began adorning a number of other buildings. The German architect, Karl Friedriech Schinkel states that in his analysis of the Schauspielhaus in Berlin, he was in fluenced by these when doing the interfaces. The substantial research began in 2002. Mr. Mbolemis oversaw that the implementation of the study of its reconstruction was adhered to, in collaboration with the civil engineer Ms. Efrosini Samba. The sponsor ship of this work faced quite a few obstacles though.
The reconstruction work restarted in 2011 with money from Community Programs and the State Investment Program. The whole project was completed by the Curator of Antiquities of Athens. Four architectural members from the National Archaeological Museum joined in on the reconstruction work, while a new frieze, with four emblematic wreaths, was made with the sponsorship of the foundation of Ioanni F. Kostopoulos.