| Page Views: 6,580 Last Visit to Athens: - | A brand new old story by athenian80 - last update: Aug 12, 2005 |
Eternal city of light that never sleeps And as Athiná struck the rock with her javelin, the first olive tree the world had ever seen, emerged. "And the name of the city shall be Athina". Athens is where I was born. I grew up in one of her many hills (allow me to say "her" instead of "it"-after all she is named after a goddess), in the borough of Vironas (after Byron, the poet). Since I was a kid I was thrilled by the legends that give explanations to the city's nature, background and overall essence. Athens is like no other European capital. Curiously enough, it is the most ancient and at the same time the newest capital. Walking in the streets of Athens is a real journey through time. You may pass next to a building that was erected a couple of millennia ago, then a 19th-century neoclassical mansion and next to it see a glass-tower. The character of Athens is defined by her openness, her extroversion. Athenians don't like staying indoors. Well, this is in part due to the weather: sunshine is year-round. All the apartment blocks have balconies and outdoor cafés are full of people even in winter days. In summer you'll see many people taking their stroll at 3 in the morning. Athens doesn't have much green and is quite crammed but she has beautiful surroundings. Her borders are defined by forested mountains and the sea. |
| The eternal emblem of Athens |
Athens' history in brief The first people that settled on the foot of the rock in the middle of the Attic basin 5500 years ago, could never imagine that this would become the heart of an immensely powerful state. The first heyday of Athens, around 1300 BC is the period from which most of the myths associated with the city are grounded. The glory of the city reached its peak in the 5th century BC-the time of Pericles - when it dominated the entire Mediterranean in aspects such as political power, economy and culture. The most magnificent of its buildings, especially those situated on the rock of the Acropolis, are from that period. The conception of democracy gradually contributed to the release of all creative powers of the society, having a great impact on the development of arts and sciences. In byzantine years the glory of Athens gradually faded as Constantinople and Thessaloniki became the epicentres of the Greek world. Yet, some noteworthy byzantine monuments remain in the city. A thousand years later Athens was under the Ottoman rule as the rest of the country. During that period, the landmarks of Athens were plundered and mutilated. When Greece regained its independence, Athens was just a village until it was declared to be the capital of the new born state in 1834.Gradually, Athens expanded and in the early 1900s it was considered to be one of the most beautiful cities of Europe. In 1896 the Olympic Games were revived in Athens after 15 centuries. Unfortunately, a great deal of the remarkable neoclassical mansions were demolished between 1950 and the 70s. WWII and the ensuing civil war devastated the country forcing many people to migrate to Athens. Unattractive, multi-storey buildings replaced the traditional ones, downgrading the image of the city. |
| Athena in person at the Olympics Opening Ceremony |
The new Era of Athens Athens has entered the 21st century dynamically. In the last decades she had, however, the reputation of a polluted and congested capital that after visiting the Acropolis someone should avoid. Although this stereotype was somehow exaggerated, in part it was true. The 4 million populated capital urgently needed a renovation. The motive was the homecoming of Olympic Games. For seven years and until August 13th 2004, the city was literally upside-down. The project was massive: new highways, a brand new airport and a state-of-the-art metro, tram that links downtown with the seafront, unification of the archaeological sites though pedestrian streets, new sidewalks, renovation of buildings and squares and so on. New landmarks were added to the city's skyline, most notable of which the new Olympic stadium. Against what doubters expected (and they were many) Athens staged excellent Olympics characterized as "unforgettable, dream Games". I'm sure that the new face of Athens will surprise you pleasantly... |
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| Pros: | "Antiquity's most stunning masterpieces - striking modern innovations for the Olympics. A massively revamped city" | | Cons: | "Traffic , noise and the charmless buildings of the 60s and 70s throughout the city" | | In A Nutshell: | "Forget the stereotypes that follow Athens!" |
athenian80's Athens Travel Tips
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 Comments for athenian80 about Athens | | | | |
fdak Sun Jun 15, 2008 22:44 UTC
thanks for the adivce, can you provide me with good website for Athens map? | Miriya_ Mon Feb 18, 2008 08:52 UTC
Looks yummy. | volopolo Fri Feb 15, 2008 13:40 UTC
Lovely page about Athens! | winoah Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:01 UTC
I think I'm ready to see Athens.. thanks to you and your very helpful tips! Great job! |
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- Cosmos Hotel
16 Psaron Street, Athens
- Riva Hotel
114 Michalakopoulou Street, , Athens, Prefecture o, Athens
- Amazon
19 Mitropoleos Sytagma, Athens
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