We approached the Acropolis (opolis = high town), without the benefit of a map, as you can see it from just about anywhere in town perched on its hill with massive stone columns rising to the sky like candles on a birthday cake. We simply walked until we struck the surrounding wrought iron fence and then followed it around till we discovered an open gate that led into the lower area where large racks of assorted marble and sandstone ruins and relics lay scattered across the ground. Most of them numbered and obviously sorted into some sort of order. An open-air archaeological junkyard and repair shop no less. We didn’t see anybody around other than a largish tour group much further up the hill towards the base of the cliffs, so we took off in the general direction towards them in the hope of discovering the main pathway to the top.
We discovered later that there was a ticket gate on the other side of the Acropolis and the charge was about AUD$25 per person. Another fabulous bonus! This bodes well, thought I. The god’s on Mount Olympus are surely smiling on us or at the very least smirking and snickering.
Ploughing ahead we wandered up a grass and rock covered slope which opened up onto the remains of an ancient amphitheatre with half of the tiers either missing or over grown by soil and grass. We perched on the rocks overlooking it and had a cigarette and a quiet moment of reflection as to our locality; after all, the whole of the Acropolis was commissioned by Pericles in 567B.C. and completed some 30 years later. It really gives me goose bumps and a vaguely ethereal feeling to contemplate such an ancient creation.
We patiently waited for the over weight tour group of 50 something’s on the terrace above us, cameras flashing like a paparazzi convention, to rumble off like so many sheep, bleating, grunting and sweating profusely in loyal pursuit of the brightly clad tour guide ahead.
As we meandered around the base of the cliffs we finally came across the main pathway, which at that point came along side the Theatre of Dionysus. This amphitheatre has been fully restored and is absolutely beautiful in its symmetry and timeless grace. The angle of descent from the upper to the lower tiers is amazingly steep and a lot of the tiers have been replaced with modern concrete sections in some places as well as having steel handrails. Yet the surrounding walls and mosaic tiled central stage still echo the age and dignity of the structure. My first show stopper of the trip. They hold regular poetry readings as well as opera and theatre productions in the evenings here throughout the summer months. I would love to attend such an evening if for nothing more than to be a part of such an amazing history. It has to be practically the oldest theatre on earth.
We pushed on up the path until we reached the main entrance portico which I have to say at the very least was impressive in its grandeur. Unfortunately due to the upcoming Olympic Games, all of the main structures are clad in scaffolding as they attempt to do as much restoration as possible. It detracted from the overall effect but only slightly. Given the state of the site due to endless years of conflict and war I guess they are doing well to have as much left as they do. In the 1780’s when Turkey was the occupying force they had chosen the Acropolis to house their powder magazine. A well-aimed cannonball from the Venetian army found its mark during the height of battle and a great deal of damage was done as the magazine erupted.
Again in 1816 the Earl of Elgin decided to remove the massive sculpted plinths from around the top of the Parthenon for the glory of His Majesty in Britain. They still reside today in the British Natural History Museum although a bid to return them in time for the games is steadily gaining impetus. The problem here is manifold as when the British Government repeal the laws allowing the marbles to be returned, they open the floodgates for endless antiquities to be returned oversees. This includes the largest collection of Australian Aboriginal remains in the world. Strange to think that the return of Aboriginal remains to Australia is being blocked by a bunch of rocks from the Acropolis. Had Elgin not removed the marbles when he did the damage caused by acid rain and traffic pollution would have been severe. Even today the Greeks do not have a museum capable of holding them safely. I believe that they are building one but like all things Greek it may take some time.
We wandered around looking at the Parthenon and the Temple of Nike with its six maidens, The Catyrids, holding up the portico. All of the statuettes are plaster copies as 5 were pinched by Elgin when he knocked off the Parthenon marbles. The other was grabbed by the Greeks and placed in the main Acropolis Museum. The view from the top around Athens is great. A complete 360 lookout for the entire city. From different vantage points you can see other massive pillars rising up in parks around the city, ancient churches and a variety of temples. The best kept being the Temple of Zeus, which we went down to look at afterwards.
Whilst having our picnic lunch beside the Parthenon, I was chopping at an apple with my penknife when it slipped through the fruit and bit into my thumb. Boy did the blood flow. Luckily I had a plaster strip in my back pack and whacked that on but yes folks, my blood has mingled into the dust along with the blood of god only knows how many others over the last 2,500 years. Blood brothers with the Gods of Olympus!
We probably spent about 2 hours picking our way around the structures before heading back down into the Plaka, the street markets and the Temple of Zeus. A little way further out we came across an old graveyard, which they are slowly excavating. Entry here was free as well but the lady in the ticket box insisted that we must take a ticket with free entry written on it. Obviously her brother in laws cousin three times removed has a printing shop somewhere in The Plaka. Business and families are truly tribal in Greek society. Keep the money in the family circle. They had a museum there displaying relics that they had unearthed to date and we looked around the cabinets full of pottery and small items of jewellery. Some of it was quite fascinating but the part that I liked best were the statues dotted around on the floor space that you could lay hands on. Ancient warriors and riders on horseback in armour with notes telling how their bronze shields and spears had eroded away eons ago. So, so ancient yet tangible and touchable. Really neat!
Returning to the city centre we stopped to look at one of the new underground stations that has just been built for the city loop. The loop had taken a very long time to build because no matter which direction they tried to take the line they kept running into sections of artefacts. Work would halt and the museum staff would come and take a look and either give the go ahead to proceed or shut down operations all together, until the historical value of the site could be determined. One site was so important they had to backtrack 300 meters and change the proposed line direction all together. The underground station which the line was heading to was half way through construction and had to be abandoned and a new one built at a location where the line could intersect with it. Crazy stuff hey. That particular site has been given to the University of Athens Archaeological Department for student training.
As Reinhardt later explained to me, it was the main reason why Athens and most other Greek cities were in such a run down state. People would get development projects together, raise the finance, purchase the land and as soon as they turned the first sod of earth they would hit old stone work or some such. Work would have stop immediately until the museum had cleared the site for further digging but this could take up to 12 years due to the huge number of sites under investigation. The investors would lose patience and the project would die, never to be resumed.
About 5 years ago they finally changed the law and now the rules say that if no ruling has been given within six months they can proceed without museum clearance. Reinhardt has actually seen people smashing up statues on construction sites with sledgehammers to tote them away in the depth of night to dump them. The destruction of incredibly valuable historical pieces to avoid any project delays.
Any way, back at the subway station, where they have dug down from street level to subway level, they have left the original excavation wall in place behind plate glass. It stands about 4 meters high and runs for some 50 meters in length. Small plaques are attached to various protrusions such as water ducts, foundations and mosaics from B.C. and various human graves, one even still had the skeletal remains lying in the stone walled burial crypt. Pre-Christianity I might add. I wonder how he would have felt if he had known his remains would be on public display in a subway station a couple of thousand years later. Really cool stuff. A cross section of 3 millennia of history in front of your face.
It was a huge day and as the light began to fade to grey we scooted off to the nearest bus stop for the trip back to the hotel and a well earned Tanqueray and tonic with a twist of course, on the balcony.
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