Athens is the city of great goodness, which causes many associations at the heart of every antique history admirer.
The Goddess Athena
It is the city, the state which scheduled the development path of all European civilization for many centuries forward. A great number of things, without which we can’t imagine our modern life, appeared exactly here first.
But Athens today is shabby, stagy and alarming city with empty eyes of dark windows and nailed-up doors, splattered with graffiti and overcrowded with “fair-faced” immigrants. Poverty and decadence are everywhere in spite of all efforts to dolly it up and decorate. Though, Athens is worth to be visited, one-time at least, to look…
not even at Parthenon, which still looks proudly at this messy bazaar around it.
The Turks made here ammunition store (!!) hoping, that Venetians will not shoot. But they did it!
The Parthenon of Athens
The British took out to the British Museum almost every piece. The Greeks require their heritage back – like, they were robbed!… But may be, you were rescued? You couldn’t even find your Holy City Delphi (did you try, at least?), as long as the French did it…
And even not for the super-theatre, which is old, gray and magnificent, as a wise monk. What a lot of fates it looked on…
… and not even for the tiny pieces of sites which meet around the city – terms, libraries, halls, water pipes – archaeological museum under the open sky.
… and not even for the powerful remains of the Temple of Zeus Olympic, – one’s jaw dropped when coming there. Only these two columns are enough to understand: it was great CIVILAZATION, … but not today.
A stock of vulgar tiny houses gang around and rabbit together, it crowds, yelping, – it wants to get a territory, but scared.
Athens, Greece
… and not even for terrible ballet, which is performed by forced comedians against the walls of the Royal Palace. Oh, Jeez, what mushrooms does the producer of this show take?!
One should at any cost look at Athens Archaeological Museum and Binaki Gallery.
The Greeks were finally managed to save some evidences of their former majesty and we are very grateful for this. It is required to spend at least one day at the Archaeological Museum. You should walk there slowly, enjoy and be inspired with OUR common history. Do you think piggy-bank was invented nowadays? It sounds like false. It was invented more than four thousand years ago!
What about frying pan? Do you think it is modern thing? Here it is.
The collection of various vases, amphorae and vessels in museum is just admirable. And not only because of its amount, but mostly because of skills and fantasy. The amateur or the student of fictile art which is considered to be rather honored profession erst should spend there more than one day.
Athens Archaeological Museum
In this stage one has a sudden feeling of approaching to the Pearl of all museum.
It seems that it was placed like this intentionally. In order not to appeared here from round the corner, but beginning slowly realize, that you are becoming closer to the shadow-figure, which is unspeakably familiar … since childhood. What is this in it? Nothing special. It is one of great number of antique statues … but the talent makes any work the way it becomes the masterpiece, even if there is no any features of it. This is a real masterpiece!
Bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon. ca. 460 BC
You can visit unfortunate Athens only with one purpose – to see this statute.
And what about memorial headstones? It does not give any cue on death.
Work in bronze. Have you ever seen modern monuments? Let’s make a comparison. Don’t you think that for 4 000 years we have not been drawn out, but took a step back, especially concerning this skill, at least?
One probably can speak about Classical Greek sculpture for hours…
Stay tuned…
More about Greece:
Santorini and the Theory of Atlantis
My 300 Spartans History
Antinous – favorite of Emperor Hadrian
November 25, 2011 at 11:53 am
Magnificamente! )
November 25, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Grazie, Signore
November 25, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Really amazing pictures. Do you speak italian?
) (I saw the upper comment)
November 25, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Well, I have been in Italy and remember some words
November 26, 2011 at 5:41 am
It’s true that they say “grazie” a lot.
) Even if you don’t want you remember this word.
November 25, 2011 at 11:22 pm
Absolutely love this. What wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing this!
November 26, 2011 at 12:26 am
There are so many wonderfull places in the world. Wish You lucky travels.
November 26, 2011 at 2:48 am
You have seen some magnificent things. Your photos are beautiful! — Susie C.
November 26, 2011 at 5:08 am
You have seen no less, as far as I can guess
November 26, 2011 at 12:39 pm
I spent 3 weeks in Greece several years ago and got many amazing photos. This is a beautiful shot of the Parthenon.
November 26, 2011 at 12:55 pm
I’m happy for you!
November 26, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Wonderful pics. So you recommend going to Greece for the Poseidon adventure?. Please tell me the food was OK??
November 26, 2011 at 11:18 pm
If You have ever been in Italy or France than Greece cuisine will seems to You mediocre at least.
November 26, 2011 at 7:59 pm
I spent the month of June in Greece this year. Truly wonderful experience. You’ve taken some fabulous photos. Thanks for the stroll back through a great holiday.
November 27, 2011 at 7:38 am
Have You been in Athens? Or islands?
November 27, 2011 at 6:34 pm
I have not gotten to Greece, but have it on the wish list. I have seen the Parthenon statues in the British Museum (several times). You have pointed out well the ambivalence that I feel toward museums of antiquities. I rejoice that they have been preserved, but ponder the effect of removing them from their correct location. On the other hand, I have seen many “ruins” of temples, etc. surrounded by modern structures. What happened to all the cities, towns, and villages which used to surround those temples? Thanks for the contemplation.
November 27, 2011 at 9:34 pm
It is not the better time to visit Greece now. Politics.
The British Museum is on my wish list.
November 28, 2011 at 2:59 am
Extraordinary riches in this city. I loved it. Great to relive it through your excellent pictures.
November 28, 2011 at 4:06 am
I do my best.
November 29, 2011 at 10:16 am
great to see that the Athens Archaeological Museum finally opened. When we were there in 2007 it was still under construction.
November 29, 2011 at 10:51 am
Maybe next time?
December 2, 2011 at 12:55 pm
Hi Victor,
I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. I like your blog…keep travelling, Keep writing…
http://intherainandsun.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/the-versatile-blogger-award/
-Pommi
December 2, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Well, well. A good way to make advertising
December 2, 2011 at 9:55 pm
half true, but not fully..:) just sharing…like corporates would put it
in any which case I genuinely like most of your posts…a reason good enough to share..:)
December 5, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Hahah, oh man, the poor greeks have taken a beating their whole life. Even today the continue to, in your blog, and economically…. hahah
December 5, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Haha?
It’s sad for me. I like Greece.
December 14, 2011 at 8:37 am
it’s not true to say that the acropolis marbles were stole, certainly they should be returned, but they were not robbed. prior to removal most marble antiquities were being burned to produce lime, or included in new buildings,. elgin originally had planned just to make casts, but got carried away and using his own money he in his mind saved the marbles, and sold them for public display to the british government for less than he had spent to save them,
just a note.
thanks for your like earlier, i enjoyed your blog also.
December 14, 2011 at 10:45 am
Thank You. I believe in Greece.
December 18, 2011 at 11:25 am
Your photos are stunning. They took me right back to Greece!
December 18, 2011 at 11:32 am
Yes, I’d like to return to Greece always when see my post.
July 26, 2012 at 7:10 am
I thought that ‘The British took out to the British Museum almost every piece’ from the Parthenon frieze too!
But it’s not true
They took a lot but there’s still a lot to see in Athens (now in new Akropolis Museum), and some parts are in other museum like Louvre or Vatican.
Great post, nice pics! Thanx
July 26, 2012 at 8:10 am
Yes, you are right.