The most famous monuments of ancient Greece. The main attractions of Ancient Greece: overview, history and reviews

Greece - amazing country which has preserved to this day numerous monuments of spiritual and material culture. The unique history of Greece, reflected in ancient architecture, is striking in its grandeur. Today, Greece is a favorite destination for both history buffs and travelers from all over the world. If you're heading out on a trip to Greece right now, our selection will help you choose the most interesting of the preserved sights in Greece, which are definitely worth a visit.

1. Acropolis of Athens (Athens)

Let's not deprive attention of the visiting card of the country, deservedly included in any top Greek attractions. The Acropolis of Athens - not just for everyone famous monument, and the most that neither is a living embodiment of the achievements of Greek civilization. At the highest point of the Athenian Acropolis rises the majestic Parthenon with 48 inclined columns. Everyone is in awe of his impressive forms. To be near the Acropolis walls means to touch the deep layers of world history. The architectural wonder of Athens has now been restored - the original appearance has returned to the ancient sculptures and relief of the Acropolis. To visit and enjoy the ancient appearance of the Acropolis is a must in excursion program any tourist going to Greece.

2. Delphi (Central Greece)

The ancient Greeks hurried to Delphi to find out their fate and follow the will of the gods. As a cult center of influence, the Delphic Oracle was unrivaled for many hundreds of years. Today, the perfectly preserved ruins of the richest temple complex on the slope of Mount Parnassus are complemented by the most picturesque natural surroundings. Among the local treasures are the sacred temple of Pythian Apollo, perfectly preserved statues of athletes, the ancient Delphic theater and stadium. holiest place for all the ancient Greeks, Delphi is included in the UNESCO list world heritage.

3. Meteora (Northern Greece)

A unique medieval monastery complex built on the tops of huge rocks, Meteora causes real bewilderment and admiration for its appearance alone. An amazing miracle of nature and man - the fantastic monasteries of Meteora huddle on giant rocks, as if they are floating in the air. Initially, access to Meteora was carried out using a whole system of rope, ladders and winches. Nowadays, travelers can see the amazing rock structures and admire the fantastic landscapes of Thessaly, climbing the steps carved into the rocks. The largest monastic complex in Greece is also included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

4. Palace of Knossos (Crete)

Most ancient building known for the labyrinth of the Minotaur, mentioned in legends Ancient Greece. It is this masterpiece of the "late palace" period that allows you to get acquainted and admire the Minoan architecture. More than a thousand elegantly decorated rooms and halls of the palace made it not just a royal residence, but a full-fledged administrative center around which the city of Knossos grew. Today, among the surviving objects of the palace, you can admire the irrational red columns, tapering downwards, Minoan frescoes and truly vast courtyards and gardens of the palace.

5. Vergina (Northern Greece)

Fans of ancient history should definitely come here - in 1977, the burial place of the rulers of Ancient Macedonia was dug up in Vergina. The intact royal tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, as well as a local unique museum, which is famous for its valuable frescoes and the richness of funeral gifts, will not leave indifferent any of the visitors. Vergina is rightfully considered one of the most interesting archaeological discoveries of the 20th century in Europe.

6. Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion (Attica)

Cape Sounion is a real treasure of southern Attica. At the peak of the rock, the Athenians erected a temple in honor of the ruler of the seas - Poseidon. Marble Doric columns have been preserved here, giving an idea of ​​the impressive scale of the temple. This important archaeological site of antiquity is deservedly considered one of the most impressive places in Greece. In addition to its undeniable historical value, the Temple of Poseidon is known for its unusually beautiful sunsets.

7. Epidaurus (Peloponnese)

The most famous attraction of this ancient Greek town is the perfectly preserved theater. In the theater of Epidaurus, where the first rows of spectators have been preserved since ancient times, modern theatrical and musical performances are staged every year. The ancient theater of Epidaurus is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The ancient city is rich in historical values: besides ancient theater, considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, the ruins of the sanctuary of Asclepius, fragments of ancient baths, the remains of a huge odeon and an ancient stadium help to feel the atmosphere of antiquity here.

8. Samaria Gorge (Crete)

Samaria Gorge is not only the most popular place in Crete, but also the largest gorge in Europe. Its stone jungle stretches for as much as 18 km, and it will take 5-8 hours to completely pass the gorge. The area is also a national park created to protect the unique nature of the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) and Cretan endemics. Unique kri-kri goats, wild cats, Cretan cypresses, absolutely charming landscapes and simply indelible impressions - about 500,000 tourists visit Samaria every year.

9. Olympia (Peloponnese)

Who among us does not dream of seeing the place of origin Olympic Games? Olympia is famous throughout the world as the most important religious and sports center of Ancient Greece. Built in honor of Zeus himself, Olympia today is an impressive archaeological reserve, where you can see the ruins of early Christian basilicas, the ruins of the famous temples of Zeus and Hera, antique hippodrome, sports gymnasium and stadium. Currently, the Olympic flame is lit in Olympia and brought to the opening of the next Olympic Games.

10. Athos (Chalkidiki)

The unique monastic mini-state, whose 20 monasteries are literally stuck to the slopes of Mount Athos, is an undeniable historical monument. The picturesque ancient monasteries, which stretched for almost 80 km, the huge cone of the 2-kilometer Mount Athos, the natural beauty of the entire peninsula undoubtedly attract crowds of tourists here. Today Athos and its monasteries are not only one of the main shrines of Orthodoxy, but also a place of concentration of unique relics: miraculous icons, manuscripts, books. Athos (accessible, unfortunately, only to men) is entirely included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This amazing country has a huge number of historical, cultural, architectural and natural attractions. Tourists from all over the world come to Greece not just to relax on the beaches. Here you can replenish your knowledge of how modern Europe was born and formed, a huge part of which belongs to classical era Hellenism and pre-Hellenic history and culture.

TOP 20 attractions in Greece

The sights of Greece will tell you about the birth of the European democratic tradition, the golden era in mythology, literature, sculpture, architecture, theater, sports, etc. Hospitable people who love Russia live in this beautiful country, they are always friendly to Russian tourists. Do not forget the well-known phrase from Russian cinema: "Everything is in Greece!".

1. The ancient Greek city of Delphi

This city in ancient times was the religious center of worship of the god Apollo. According to legend, it is named after his son Delphi. In addition, the city is known for hosting the famous Pythian Games for many centuries. Delphi is on the UNESCO list. This is a world-class historical and cultural landmark.

Delphi arose approximately 1.6 thousand years BC. and at first Mother Earth was worshiped there. And later, the myths of classical Ancient Greece arose, associated with Zeus and the pantheon of gods. During excavations in the second half of the 20th century, here, on the slope of Mount Parnassus, a temple of Apollo, an ancient theater, a stadium, treasuries, etc. were discovered.

2. Medieval city of Rhodes

And this famous Greek landmark belongs to the era of Antiquity and the Middle Ages with its crusader knights. It is also famous beach resort. The most interesting thing to see here is the Rhodes fortress, which was built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 13th century on the site of the ancient acropolis.

Behind the powerful walls of this fortress is the Palace of the Grand Masters, built on the site of the ancient temple of Helios. In the old town of Rhodes, you can wander along the Street of the Knights, plunge into the Middle Ages. There are ancient forts and ports that played a significant role in the history of the island of Rhodes, and much more.

3. Palace of the Grand Masters

Separately, it is worth talking about such a historical and cultural attraction of the Rhodes fortress as this Palace. It is also on the UNESCO list, as part of the Rhodes fortress. This is a very impressive building, built according to all the rules of medieval fortification.

For many centuries, the Palace of the Grand Masters served as the residence of the head of the Order of the Hospitallers, who once controlled the entire Mediterranean. Today, the Palace of the Grand Masters has turned into a huge museum, the exhibits of which tell visitors about the history of the island and the city of Rhodes from Antiquity to the present day.

4. Paleokastritsa beach

This is a world-famous beach and a Greek landmark. It is located on the island of Corfu in the north of the Ionian Sea in the resort of the same name. Tourists can fully enjoy the purest turquoise water, the bright but not burning sun, as well as the beautiful olive, lemon and orange groves around.

You can have a great rest on Paleokastritsa beach, it is one of the ten best European beaches, and at the same time get acquainted with the cultural and historical sights of Corfu, of which there are extremely many here since ancient times.

The Acropolis is the visiting card of the modern Greek capital. The first thing to see in this city is the Acropolis of Athens. From here begins acquaintance with classical Ancient Greece, with its myths and legends, gods and heroes, scientists and philosophers.

It should be noted that on the hill where today you can see the Acropolis of Athens, there was a royal palace in the Mycenaean era. In the 7th century BC e. in the acropolis they began to build the most famous temple of the Parthenon, and a century later the temple of Athena was erected, from which only the foundation remains today.

At the time when Greece was under the Ottoman yoke, the Acropolis of Athens was a mosque. It later became an arsenal. In one of his temples, the pasha's harem was located at one time. The Acropolis of Athens was repeatedly attacked by barbarians and vandals. Today it is a magnificent open-air museum.

Many tourists tend to visit Cape Sounion to see this ancient temple with their own eyes. Once the ancient Greek Poseidon, the god of the sea, patronized the fishermen and sea travelers who lived in Attica and all of Hellas. They brought gifts and sacrifices to their god, and he gave them good luck.

The Temple of Poseidon was built in 400 BC. Among scientists there is a version that it was erected by the Atlanteans - the inhabitants of the legendary Atlantis. Only the ruins of the temple and 12 columns have survived today. Archaeologists near the temple found a huge statue of a man, possibly Poseidon, and several smaller statues.

Olympus is the most high mountain in the country, located on the coast of the Aegean Sea. But she didn't become famous for that. As you know, it was this mountain that the gods of Ancient Greece chose as their place of residence, which is why Olympus acquired a sacred status. The area around the mountain range today is a national reserve.

What mere mortal does not dream of visiting the home of the gods? That is why this mythological sight of Greece is a success among travelers from all over the world. Fortunately, there is also an excellent tourist infrastructure, incl. ski resort.

8. Santorini Island

This island is considered by many to be the best tourist destination on earth. It is ideal for family holidays. There are beautiful clean sandy beaches from white to black, houses, as if from a fairy-tale picture. Often held in Santorini wedding ceremonies between couples dreaming of family life, it's like a fairytale.

On such a tiny island, a huge number of attractions. First of all, these are Catholic and Orthodox churches, there are about three hundred of them. There are also many ancient ruins of the Minoan era of Greek civilization. Stay in local hotels, sunbathe on the beaches - you will have unforgettable memories.

9. Samaria Gorge

This is a famous natural attraction of the island of Crete. The Samaria Gorge is the largest in Europe, it is named after an old village located nearby. This is an incredibly beautiful place, visiting which you can take many unique beautiful photos.

It is worth going to this gorge with a tourist excursion in order to once again appreciate the great Greek past, see the ancient Cretan civilization, marvel at the beauty of the nature of Crete, its flora and fauna, get acquainted with the ancient way of life, life, customs and traditions of the islanders.

Federal Communications Agency

State educational institution

Higher professional education

Siberian State University of Telecommunications

and Informatics"

Department of SPP

in cultural studies

Prominent monuments

ancient architecture

Completed by: student of group E-73

Shcherbinina Olga

Checked by: Metelkina Yu.S.

Novosibirsk

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………3

I. Monuments of ancient Greek architecture………………………………………………4

Acropolis……………………………………………………………………4

Parthenon……………………………………………………………………6

Propylaea……………………………………………………………………8

Church of Nike the Wingless…………………………………………………..9

Erechtheion………………………………………………………………………9

II. Monuments of ancient Roman architecture…………………………………………….12

Colosseum………………………………………………………………….14

Trajan's Column……………………………………………………………15

Pantheon…………………………………………………………………..15

Mausoleum of Hadrian…………………………………………………………………………15

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………..17

List of references…………………………………………………………………………………18

INTRODUCTION

“To not know history means to remain a child all your life” - Mark Tullius Cicero said these words 2000 years ago, and the speech of the politician and great orator in which they sounded belongs to history. But has the meaning of these words grown old in twenty centuries? No, they are alive today, they are part of our life.

Architecture is also a part of our life. Our cities are larger, the streets are wider, the houses are higher than what was created in antiquity, and yet they have not lost their essence and in some respects the most important remained what they were - cities, streets, houses ... Before us is not just a chain endless changes, but the process of development, because only that which remains itself in something most essential can develop. Architecture is the art of creating a living environment according to the laws of usefulness, strength and beauty. “Regarding art, it is known that certain periods of its heyday are by no means in line with the general development of society” (K. Marx) 1 . Peaks in the art of architecture are the Parthenon, Chartres Cathedral, the ensemble of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower. But in the same way, the Palace of Knossos, created in Crete a thousand years before the Parthenon, and a residential building in Kirokritia in Cyprus, built three millennia before the Palace of Knossos, remain the pinnacles of this art in our culture.

An increasing number of people are realizing that familiarization with the historical past is not only an acquaintance with the masterpieces of world civilization, unique monuments of ancient art, not only a school of education, but also an integral part of morality and art, an integral part of modern life, to a certain extent, an assessment of the present and even » future. This necessitates historical research of the past.

The term "antiquity" comes from the Latin word antiquus - ancient. It is customary to call them a special period in the development of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as those lands and peoples that were under their control. cultural influence. The chronological framework of this period, like any other cultural and historical phenomenon, cannot be accurately determined, but they largely coincide with the time of existence of the ancient states: from the XI-IX centuries. BC, the time of the formation of ancient society in Greece and before V AD. - the death of the Roman Empire under the blows of the barbarians.

The ancient Greek and ancient Roman civilizations were the largest civilizations of the ancient world. They occupied territories located geographically close to each other, existed at almost the same time, so it is not surprising that they are closely related. Both civilizations had developed cultures that developed in interaction with each other.

The civilizations of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome later became the basis for the emergence of European civilization, and had a huge impact on the development of the medieval, and, consequently, the modern world. "Without the foundation that was laid by Greece and Rome, there was no modern Europe" 2 .

Monuments of ANCIENT GREEK architecture

… The proof that the illustrious power of Hellas and its former wealth is not a false rumor is the construction of majestic buildings.

Plutarch, Pericles XII

Athens, the capital of Greece, is a city of amazing fate, at the same time the oldest and perhaps the youngest capital in Europe. This is a city, life in which began more than five thousand years ago and which was a recognized center of culture and art of the entire ancient world when most modern European capitals did not exist at all. This is a city that, after centuries of decline and desolation, was reborn again as the capital of a small Balkan state only more than a hundred years ago, after Greece gained independence. But not modern Athens, similar to many cities in Europe, attracts the attention of scientists and attracts numerous crowds of tourists. In the center of the new city, remarkable monuments of the art of the past have been preserved, primarily the architecture of classical Greece, the era of its highest prosperity, the 5th century BC. e. This is the Athenian Acropolis with its world-famous Parthenon and Erechtheion temples, the monumental main entrance - the Propylaea and the graceful temple of Athena Nike, as well as a number of interesting monuments lower city located at the foot of the Acropolis, including the famous theater of Dionysus.

ACROPOLIS

From anywhere in Athens, you can see a hill with a flat top elongated from east to west - the Acropolis. It rises above the city, above its squares, grid of streets, low houses. The slopes of the Acropolis are overgrown with small shrubs, from which powerful fortifications protrude. From all sides it is surrounded by fortress walls, high in those places where the slopes are gentle, and low where the rock of the Acropolis is impregnable. The dimensions of the upper square of the Acropolis are small - 300 m long and 130 m wide. On this space, ancient architects erected their beautiful buildings. The columns of the Parthenon rise proudly here - the temple of the patroness of the city, the goddess Athena. Next to it is the Erechtheion - the temple of Athena, Poseidon and Erechtheus. The entrance to the Acropolis is decorated with majestic gates - the Propylaea. To the right of them stands a small temple of the goddess of victory Nike.

The ancient builders tried to make the transition from the low houses of the city to the temples of the Acropolis not too abrupt. The sacred hill was surrounded by buildings glorified in antiquity. Near it were the theater of Dionysus, the market square - agora, temples, shrines. And later, when Greece became a Roman province, new buildings arose in this glorious city. The Roman emperor Hadrian built a lot in Athens. A place for musical competitions - the Odeon was built in the 2nd century AD. e. near the southern walls of the Acropolis. At the foot of the hill grew the colonnade of the market square and the temple of the god Hephaestus.

Athenian architects at all times sought, above all, to emphasize the splendor of the Acropolis. So, the huge temple of Olympian Zeus, begun in the VI century. BC e. and completed under Hadrian, was erected at a respectful distance from the sacred hill. Between the temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis, Hadrian placed an arch, as if dividing Athens into two parts - the ancient city and the city of Roman times.

The Acropolis not only adorned the great city. First of all, it was a shrine around which the entire public life of the Hellenes took place. The Acropolis united the townspeople, protected them from enemies. But the high artistic and aesthetic significance of his monuments, no doubt, was understood by the Greeks themselves. After all, it was not without reason that they had a saying: “Yes, you are a blockhead, when you didn’t see Athens, a donkey, if you didn’t admire them, when you willingly threw them - a camel.”

The Athenian Acropolis is close in its significance to the Kremlins of ancient Russian cities. Kremlins were also not only fortresses in hard days invasions of enemies and a place where especially solemn holidays were held, but the best temples were erected in them, they were decorated with the most outstanding works of art.

In Athens, it is now forbidden to build tall buildings that could obscure the Acropolis. The Hellenic Kremlin reigns over the modern city as evidence of the greatness of ancient Greek culture, as a monument to the formation of European civilization.

Nowadays, there is a museum here, whose works, having passed through the millennia, have not lost their significance and are of great historical value. They are silent witnesses of the glorious events that took place on this hill in the centuries when, even in the conditions of the slave system, he first learned the foundations of democratic freedoms.

However, they are even more significant from an artistic point of view. Marble temples and sculptural monuments of ancient Athens are recognized by all connoisseurs of beauty as inaccessible examples of art.

The buildings, the ruins of which can now be seen on the Acropolis, were erected in the middle of the 5th century BC. BC e. However, even before the 5th c. the Athenian Acropolis was not a desert rock. Life has been going on here since the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. The Acropolis was already a refuge for the inhabitants of the surrounding plains during the attack of enemies. Powerful fortress walls up to 10 meters high and 6 meters wide protected the Acropolis, made it an impregnable stronghold. It was possible to penetrate the hill from the west and north. The entrance from the western, less reliable side was fortified especially carefully. On the north side, it was apparently hidden by thickets of bushes and the steps of a narrow staircase carved into the rock led to it. Subsequently, when only the sanctuaries of the gods remained on the Acropolis, the stairs on the northern slope became unnecessary and the northern entrance was laid. Only one main entrance to the Acropolis has been preserved - from the western side.

In the XVI-XII centuries. BC e. Athens did not stand out from the rest of the cities of Greece. They were inferior to Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos and other powerful Hellenic centers. The advance of Athens began after the fall of the Cretan state. There is still a poetic legend about the ancient hero Theseus, who brought victory to Athens. The legend tells of the terrible tribute that the Athenians had to send annually to Crete. Seven boys and seven girls became the prey of a terrible monster, half-man, half-bull - the minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth in Crete. Once, the myth tells, the son of the Athenian king Aegeus, the brave and handsome Theseus, fell into the number of young men. With the help of the daughter of the Cretan king Ariadne, who fell in love with him, he defeated the monster and returned to Athens, bringing them freedom and glory.

The ancient Acropolis of Athens may have been similar to the acropolises of Mycenae and Tiryns. The buildings of this time were poorly preserved, since later many structures were erected on the Athenian Acropolis in different eras.

Excavations have shown that in the II millennium BC. e. meetings of rulers were held here, trials, religious festivals. In the northern part of the Acropolis, archaeologists have found a platform, apparently for the sacred ceremonies of the Athenians. To the west of the royal palace, at the northern gate, a well was discovered, which gave good drinking water to people who found protection from enemies behind the walls. The data of archaeological excavations indicate that in these years the social, religious, cultural life Athenians was focused on the Acropolis.

In the VI century. BC e. on the Acropolis stood the temple of Athena, called Hekatompedon (translated as “one hundred feet” - the length of the side of the temple was one hundred Greek feet). It was located directly opposite the Propylaea and struck with its beauty the person who entered the Acropolis. This effect was facilitated by the measured gradual ascent of the hillside and the passage through the small gates decorated with columns - the Propylaea.

The placement of the Propylaea and Hekatompedon on the ancient Acropolis was dominated by symmetry, which was often followed by archaic masters. The principle of symmetry was also considered important by sculptors, especially the creators of statues on the pediments of temples. Symmetry also underlay the statues that adorned the Acropolis at that time. The image from the front, strictly in front, which seemed especially expressive and beautiful, also appeared in the planning of buildings of that time. That is why the architects placed the temple of Hekatompedon right in front of the Propylaea, so that a person who entered the Acropolis would see this main temple of the Sacred Hill not from the side, but from the front, from the richly decorated facade.

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The cities of the ancient world usually appeared near a high rock, on which a citadel was erected, so that there was somewhere to hide if the enemy penetrated the city. Such a citadel was called an acropolis. In the same way, on a rock that towered almost 150 meters above Athens and had long served as a natural defensive structure, the upper city gradually formed in the form of a fortress (acropolis) with various defensive, public and religious buildings.
The Athenian Acropolis began to be built up in the II millennium BC. During Greco-Persian Wars(480-479 BC) it was completely destroyed, later, under the leadership of the sculptor and architect Phidias, its restoration and reconstruction began.
The Acropolis is one of those places, “about which everyone says that they are magnificent, unique. But don't ask why. No one can answer you... It can be measured, even all its stones can be counted. Not such a big deal to go through it from end to end - it will take only a few minutes. The walls of the Acropolis are steep and steep. Four great creations still stand on this hill with rocky slopes. Wide zigzag the road goes from the foot of the hill to the only entrance. This is the Propylaea - a monumental gate with Doric columns and a wide staircase. They were built by the architect Mnesicles in 437-432 BC. But before entering these majestic marble gates, everyone involuntarily turned to the right. There, on the high pedestal of the bastion, which once guarded the entrance to the acropolis, rises the temple of the goddess of victory Nike Apteros, decorated with Ionic columns. This is the work of the architect Kallikrates (second half of the 5th century BC). The temple - light, airy, extraordinarily beautiful - stood out for its whiteness on blue background sky. This fragile building, which looks like an elegant marble toy, seems to smile on its own and makes passers-by smile affectionately.
The restless, ardent and active gods of Greece were like the Greeks themselves. True, they were taller, able to fly through the air, take on any shape, turn into animals and plants. But in all other respects they behaved like ordinary people: married, deceived each other, quarreled, reconciled, punished children ...

Temple of Demeter, builders unknown, 6th c. BC. Olympia

Temple of Nike Apteros, architect Kallikrates, 449-421 BC Athens

Propylaea, architect Mnesicles, 437-432 BC Athens

Nike, the goddess of victory, was portrayed beautiful woman with large wings: victory is fickle and flies from one opponent to another. The Athenians portrayed her as wingless so that she would not leave the city, which had so recently won a great victory over the Persians. Deprived of wings, the goddess could no longer fly and had to remain forever in Athens.
Temple of Nike stands on a ledge of a rock. It is slightly turned towards the Propylaea and plays the role of a lighthouse for the processions that go around the rock.
Immediately behind the Propylaea, Athena the Warrior proudly towered, whose spear greeted the traveler from afar and served as a beacon for sailors. The inscription on the stone pedestal read: "The Athenians dedicated from the victory over the Persians." This meant that the statue was cast from bronze weapons taken from the Persians as a result of their victories.
On the Acropolis there was also the Erechtheion temple ensemble, which (according to the plan of its creators) was supposed to link together several sanctuaries located on different levels, - the rock here is very uneven. The northern portico of the Erechtheion led to the sanctuary of Athena, where a wooden statue of the goddess was kept, supposedly fallen from the sky. The door from the sanctuary opened into a small courtyard where the only sacred olive tree in the entire Acropolis grew, which rose when Athena touched the rock with her sword in this place. Through the eastern portico, one could get into the sanctuary of Poseidon, where, having struck the rock with his trident, he left three furrows with murmuring water. Here was the sanctuary of Erechtheus, revered on a par with Poseidon.
The central part of the temple is a rectangular room (24.1 x 13.1 meters). The temple also contained the tomb and sanctuary of the first legendary king of Attica, Kekrop. On the south side of the Erechtheion is the famous portico of caryatids: at the edge of the wall, six girls carved from marble support the ceiling. Some scholars suggest that the portico served as a platform for honorable citizens, or that priests gathered here for religious ceremonies. But the exact purpose of the portico is still unclear, because "porch" means the vestibule, and in this case the portico had no doors and from here it is impossible to get inside the temple. The figures of the portico of caryatids are, in fact, supports that replace a pillar or column, they also perfectly convey the lightness and flexibility of girlish figures. The Turks, who captured Athens in their time and did not allow images of a person due to their Muslim beliefs, however, did not begin to destroy these statues. They limited themselves only to the fact that they cut down the faces of the girls.

Erechtheion, builders unknown, 421-407 BC Athens

Parthenon, architects Iktin, Kallikrat, 447-432 BC Athens

In 1803 Lord Elgin, English ambassador in Constantinople and a collector, using the permission Turkish Sultan, broke one of the caryatids in the temple and took it to England, where he offered it to the British Museum. Too broadly interpreting the firman of the Turkish Sultan, he also took with him many sculptures of Phidias and sold them for 35,000 pounds. Firman said that "no one should prevent him from taking away some stones with inscriptions or figures from the Acropolis." Elgin filled 201 boxes with such "stones". As he himself stated, he took only those sculptures that had already fallen or were in danger of falling, ostensibly in order to save them from final destruction. But Byron also called him a thief. Later (during the restoration of the portico of caryatids in 1845-1847), the British Museum sent a plaster cast of the statue taken away by Lord Elgin to Athens. Subsequently, the cast was replaced with a more durable copy made of artificial stone, made in England.
At the end of the last century, the Greek government demanded that England return the treasures belonging to her, but received the answer that the London climate was more favorable for them.
At the beginning of our millennium, when Greece was ceded to Byzantium during the division of the Roman Empire, the Erechtheion was turned into a Christian church. Later, the Crusaders, who took possession of Athens, made the temple a ducal palace, and during the Turkish conquest of Athens in 1458, the harem of the commandant of the fortress was set up in the Erechtheion. During the liberation war of 1821-1827, the Greeks and Turks alternately besieged the Acropolis, bombarding its buildings, including the Erechtheion.
In 1830 (after the declaration of independence of Greece), on the site of the Erechtheion, only foundations could be found, as well as architectural decorations lying on the ground. Funds for the restoration of this temple ensemble (as well as for the restoration of many other structures of the Acropolis) were given by Heinrich Schliemann. His closest associate V.Derpfeld carefully measured and compared the antique fragments, by the end of the 70s of the last century he was already planning to restore the Erechtheion. But this reconstruction was subjected to severe criticism, and the temple was dismantled. The building was restored anew under the guidance of the famous Greek scientist P. Kavadias in 1906 and finally restored in 1922.

"Venus de Milo" Agessander (?), 120 BC Louvre, Paris

"Laocoön" Agessander, Polydorus, Athenodorus, c.40 BC Greece, Olympia

"Hercules of Farnese" c. 200 BC e., National museum, Naples

"Wounded Amazon" Polykleitos, 440 BC National Museum Rome

Parthenon - the temple of the goddess Athena - the largest building on the Acropolis and the most beautiful creation of Greek architecture. It does not stand in the center of the square, but somewhat to the side, so that you can immediately take in the front and side facades, understand the beauty of the temple as a whole. The ancient Greeks believed that the temple with the main cult statue in the center is, as it were, the house of a deity. The Parthenon is the temple of Athena the Virgin (Parthenos), and therefore in the center of it was a chrysoelephantine (made of ivory and gold plates on a wooden base) statue of the goddess.
The Parthenon was erected in 447-432 BC. architects Iktin and Kallikrates from Pentelian marble. It was located on a four-stage terrace, the size of its base is 69.5 x 30.9 meters. Slender colonnades surround the Parthenon on four sides, gaps of the blue sky are visible between their white marble trunks. All permeated with light, it seems airy and light. No white columns bright drawings as it is found in Egyptian temples. Only longitudinal grooves (flutes) cover them from top to bottom, which makes the temple seem taller and even more slender. The columns owe their harmony and lightness to the fact that they taper slightly upwards. In the middle part of the trunk, not at all noticeable to the eye, they thicken and seem to be elastic, more resistant to the weight of stone blocks. Iktin and Kallikrat, having thought through every smallest detail, created a building that strikes with amazing proportion, extreme simplicity and purity of all lines. Placed on the upper platform of the Acropolis, at an altitude of about 150 meters above sea level, the Parthenon was visible not only from anywhere in the city, but also from numerous ships sailing to Athens. The temple was a Doric perimeter surrounded by a colonnade of 46 columns.

"Aphrodite and Pan" 100 BC, Delphi, Greece

"Diana the Huntress" Leohar, c.340 BC, Louvre, Paris, France

"Resting Hermes" Lysippus, IV century. BC e., National Museum, Naples

"Hercules fighting a lion" Lysippus, c. 330 BC Hermitage, St. Petersburg

"Atlant of Farnese" c.200 BC, Nat. museum, Naples

The sculptural decoration of the Parthenon involved the most famous masters. Artistic director construction and design of the Parthenon was Phidias, one of the greatest sculptors of all time. He owns overall composition and the development of the entire sculptural decoration, some of which he did himself. The organizational side of the construction was handled by Pericles, the largest statesman of Athens.
All sculptural decoration The Parthenon was intended to glorify the goddess Athena and her city - Athens. The theme of the eastern pediment is the birth of the beloved daughter of Zeus. On western pediment the master depicted the scene of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for dominance over Attica. According to the myth, Athena won the dispute, giving the inhabitants of this country an olive tree.
The gods of Greece gathered on the pediments of the Parthenon: the Thunderer Zeus, the mighty ruler of the seas Poseidon, the wise warrior Athena, winged Nike. The sculptural decoration of the Parthenon was completed by a frieze, on which a solemn procession was presented during the Great Panathenaic feast. This frieze is considered one of the peaks classical art. With all the compositional unity, it struck with its diversity. Of the more than 500 figures of young men, elders, girls, on foot and on horseback, not one repeated the other, the movements of people and animals were conveyed with amazing dynamism.
The figures of the sculptural Greek relief are not flat, they have the volume and shape of the human body. They differ from statues only in that they are not processed from all sides, but, as it were, merge with the background formed by the flat surface of the stone. Light colors enlivened the marble of the Parthenon. The red background emphasized the whiteness of the figures, the narrow vertical ledges that separated one frieze slab from another clearly stood out in blue, and the gilding shone brightly. Behind the columns, on a marble ribbon encircling all four facades of the building, a festive procession was depicted. There are almost no gods here, and people, forever imprinted in stone, moved along the two long sides of the building and joined on the eastern facade, where a solemn ceremony of handing over to the priest a garment woven by Athenian girls for the goddess took place. Each figure is characterized by its unique beauty, and together they accurately reflect real life and customs ancient city.

Indeed, once every five years, on one of the hot days of midsummer in Athens, a national festival took place in honor of the birth of the goddess Athena. It was called the Great Panathenaic. It was attended not only by citizens of the Athenian state, but also by many guests. The celebration consisted of a solemn procession (pomp), the bringing of a hecatomb (100 heads of cattle) and a common meal, sports, equestrian and musical competitions. The winner received a special, so-called Panathenaic amphora filled with oil, and a wreath of leaves from the sacred olive tree growing on the Acropolis.

The most solemn moment of the holiday was a nationwide procession to the Acropolis. Riders on horseback moved, walked statesmen, warriors in armor and young athletes. Priests and nobles walked in long white robes, heralds loudly praised the goddess, musicians filled the still cool morning air with joyful sounds. Along the zigzag Panathenaic road, trampled down by thousands of people, they climbed high hill Acropolis sacrificial animals. Boys and girls carried a model of the sacred Panathenaic ship with a peplos (veil) attached to its mast. A light breeze fluttered the bright fabric of the yellow-purple robe, which was carried as a gift to the goddess Athena by the noble girls of the city. For a whole year they wove and embroidered it. Other girls raised sacred vessels for sacrifices high above their heads. Gradually the procession approached the Parthenon. The entrance to the temple was made not from the side of the Propylaea, but from the other, as if for everyone to first go around, examine and appreciate the beauty of all parts of the beautiful building. Unlike Christian churches, the ancient Greek ones were not intended for worship inside them, the people remained outside the temple during cult activities. In the depths of the temple, surrounded on three sides by two-tiered colonnades, stood proudly famous statue the virgin Athena, created by the famous Phidias. Her clothes, helmet and shield were made of pure, sparkling gold, and her face and hands shone with the whiteness of ivory.

Many book volumes have been written about the Parthenon, among them there are monographs about each of its sculptures and about each step of gradual decline since the time when, after the decree of Theodosius I, it became a Christian temple. In the 15th century, the Turks made a mosque out of it, and in the 17th century, a gunpowder warehouse. The Turkish-Venetian war of 1687 turned it into final ruins, when an artillery shell hit it and in one moment did what the all-devouring time could not do in 2000 years.

Culture of Ancient Greece

Propylaea of ​​the Athenian Acropolis. Ancient Greece (437-432 BC)

Propylaea of ​​the Athenian Acropolis, architect Mnesicles (437-432 BC), Ancient Greece.

When unexpected wealth fell on the Athenians in 454 - the treasury of the Delian Union directed against Persia was transported to Athens, Pericles decided to create on the site of what was destroyed by the Persians in 480-479 BC. the Athenian Acropolis, a new architectural complex - the greatest "wonder of the world", a new all-Hellenistic sanctuary, designed to strengthen leading place Athens in the Greek world. The use of huge funds from the treasury of the union, the involvement of the best craftsmen and architects ensured the birth of one of the most perfect ensembles in world art. Grandiose construction began under the general guidance of the sculptor Phidias. Instead of a simple archaic entrance to the Acropolis, a monumental, solemn gate appears - the Propylaea - with Doric porticos at different levels and a wide staircase, an inclined corridor, inside framed by an Ionic colonnade supporting the vaults of a marble ceiling, where, according to a traveler of the 2nd century AD. Pausanias, twinkled on blue sky golden stars.

Propylaea occupied the entire western part hill and consisted of a central building and two unequal side wings. The right wing was crowned by a small graceful temple with Ionic columns, built by the architect Kallikrates in honor of the goddess of victory - Niki Apteros (Wingless, so that Victory could not fly away from Athens), decorated with a low bas-relief on the theme of the Greco-Persian wars. However, it's time to cross the magical threshold of the Propylaea to get to know the world of the Acropolis better.

The Parthenon is the temple of Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin). Ancient Greece (432 BC)

Parthenon - Temple of Athena Parthenos(Athena of the Virgin), Ancient Greece is the main building of the Athenian Acropolis, both in its significance and in size.

Once he towered over the entire Acropolis, just as Athens towered over the rest of the states of Greece, being the embodiment of the glory and power of the Athenian state. This temple was built of Pentelian marble in 447-438 by the architects Iktin and Kallikrates. The sculptural decoration was created by 432 BC. famous sculptor Phidias and his students. The temple is a Doric peripter measuring 30.89 x 69.54 m with 8x17 columns. The noble beauty and harmony of proportions, the amazing plasticity and proportionality of all its forms give rise to a feeling of elation and grandeur. The main decoration of the inner space of the temple was the world-famous chrysoelephantine statue (made of gold and ivory) of Athena Parthenos, about 12 m high, created by the sculptor Phidias in 438 BC.

Together with Greece, the Parthenon has survived all stages of its history. He was and christian church Hagia Sophia and Turkish mosque. It was almost completely destroyed by war in the 17th century. And at the beginning of the 19th century, it lost all the surviving sculptures and reliefs, now scattered throughout all European museums. But even today, the Parthenon is rightfully considered one of the greatest examples of ancient architecture, a masterpiece of world art and plastics.

Discus thrower. Ancient Greece (middle of the 5th century BC)

Disco Thrower - type antique statue an athlete throwing a disc, widespread in ancient Greece. The most famous of the statues of the sculptor Myron from Eleuthera in Attica. It is known that Myron lived and worked in Athens and received the title of an Athenian citizen; what was considered great honor. As Pliny writes, Myron studied with Agelad, an excellent master who worked in Argos, whose students were also Poliklet and Phidias. The statue was created by him in the middle of the 5th century. BC. during the transition from strict style» to the classic. The original in bronze has been lost, but 15 repetitions of the Roman time in marble have survived, which testifies to the glory of this work. The best repetition is a statue of the 2nd century AD. from the Palazzo Lancelotti, now in National Museum in Rome. There is also a beautiful torso of the "Discobolus", a cast from which served as the basis for a successful reconstruction of this famous work. “In Discobolus, Myron takes us to the world of action, where the movement suddenly took on a supreme role, where a person knows the intoxication of power, restrained by balance. In this sense, Miron is the founder of the art of sculpture, just like his contemporary Aeschylus is the creator of dramatic action. Both explored the limits human strength”, - as A. Bonnar noted in his work “Greek Civilization”.

Although the Roman copies of the Discobolus are quite good, the plastic language of Myron himself is lost in them, since a different material is used, there is no sense of freedom and flexibility of forms, some stiffness of the whole image is felt, in which all the tension of the athlete’s energy is lost. However, the works of unknown masters close to him in time, inspired by the motive of Myron, still possessing that living plasticity, have been preserved.

Apollo Belvedere. Ancient Greece (4th century BC)

Apollo Belvedere - an antique statue depicting the god Apollo in the form of a young beautiful young man shooting from a bow. It was made of bronze during the late classic period, in the middle of the 4th century BC. ancient Greek sculptor Leohar. The statue has not survived, but its Roman counterpart in marble was found in Italy between 1484 and 1492 at Andio near Rome. During the reign of Pope Julius II, in 1506, a statue of Apollo was installed in the antiques gallery in the Belvedere Garden in the Vatican. Hence its name.

The tree trunk for the support of Apollo's right hand was absent in the bronze original, it was supplemented in a marble repetition by a copyist. However, the statue was found with broken arms. In the 1550s, the Italian sculptor G. Montorsoli, a student of Michelangelo, completed both hands.

God Apollo is plastically perfect; the cloak thrown over the shoulder does not hide a single muscle of the torso. But in the image of God - outwardly very spectacular - there is no inner significance. Over the years, the fame of the statue grew, and Apollo Belvedere became a symbol of harmony and beauty. But according to the plot, he just launched his deadly arrow, which even the almighty Zeus cannot stop, and now he is watching how it pierces the victim. Apollo is not at all one of those deities who are distinguished by mercy, on the contrary, he is cold and heartless.

Nike of Samothrace. Ancient Greece (c. 190 BC)

Nike of Samothrace(c. 190 BC) - famous statue carved in marble by an unknown master Greek goddess Nicky. The right wing of the statue is lost and is a plaster reconstruction. The statue's head and arms are missing. The height is 3 meters 28 centimeters.

In 1863, on the island of Samothrace in the Aegean Sea, the Nike sculpture was found by Charles Champoiseau, a French consul and archaeologist. Carved from golden Parian marble, a statue on the island crowned the altar of sea deities. Researchers believe that an unknown sculptor created Nike as a sign of the Greek naval victories of the Rhodians over King Antiochus III in 190 BC.

The silhouette of the goddess, meeting the sea wind on the bow of the ship, is full of swiftness. She is conveyed by fluttering folds of clothing. The figure, barely hidden by the folds of the adjacent outfit, is perfect. Nike from Samothrace immediately became an icon and symbol of art. This is definitely one of the pinnacles of creative life and one of the most famous images. Sculptors and architects turn to the image of the flying goddess, goblets and emblems are cast in her form. The statue of Nike of Samothrace, depicting the goddess of victory, shows that not only gods can be immortal.

Repeatedly made and attempts to restore the original position of the hands of the goddess. It is assumed that right hand, raised up, held a goblet, wreath or bugle. A brush made of the same marble was found in Samothrace in 1950 and is now on display in the Louvre, just behind the statue of Nike. The statue itself is installed at the turn of the Daru stairs, which effectively emphasizes its swiftness and impulse. The right wing of the statue is a reconstruction, exact copy left wing made of plaster. Multiple attempts to restore the hands of the statue were unsuccessful - they all spoiled the masterpiece. These failures force us to admit: Nika is beautiful just like that, perfect in her imperfection.

Venus (Aphrodite) de Milo. Ancient Greece (130-100 BC)

Venus (Aphrodite) de Milo - the famous ancient Greek statue of the late Hellenistic period (c. 130-100 BC). Marble original, not a copy, as previously thought. The statue was found by a Greek peasant in his field in 1820 in two large fragments and many small fragments on the island of Milos (in ancient times Melos) in the Aegean Sea. According to an eyewitness, the French navigator Dumont d'Urville, who saw the statue when it was still standing in a peasant's barn, she held an apple in her left hand raised upwards, and with her right she held a falling robe. Durville told about the find to the French ambassador in Istanbul, the Marquis de Riviere, who, having received the statue in March 1821, presented it to King Louis XVIII. So the statue ended up in Paris, in the Louvre, where it is exhibited to this day.

The statue's hands have never been found. The author of this remarkable masterpiece is Alexander or Agesander of Antioch. Several lost letters from the author's signature on the plinth make it impossible to establish his name with certain accuracy. The master made the statue, probably in imitation of more ancient, classical samples. Stylistically, the statue belongs to the current of Hellenistic art, reflecting a return to the Greek classics of the Age of Pericles. The statue successfully combines the majestic monumentality of classical samples with the dynamic composition characteristic of Hellenism, although the art of the 2nd century BC, when the statue of Venus was created, is marked by crisis tendencies, the loss of a sense of integrity, nevertheless, it is this work, due to its sensuality and naturalism, has become over time the most famous, beloved, universally recognized symbol of beauty throughout the world.