Greek Ruins In Athens

City laws in Athens prohibit the building of tall buildings, either for commercial or residential purposes, so as not to disturb the view of the Acropolis. As a result, this 2,500 year old group of temples and monuments can be seen from all over Athens. Do you find yourself at a spot known for its good views? There’s the Acropolis. Are you at a restaurant for lunch or a mid-afernoon beer? There’s the Acropolis. Walking down a random alley because you’re lost? You’ll probably be able to find the Acropolis and use that to find your way home.

The country of Greece is home to roughly 11 million people, and half of them live in Athens. By comparison, Washington DC has less than 750,000 people, or one seventh of the population of Athens. Despite the huge number of residents (not counting the additional tourists who visit for the history, culture, and food), the city doesn’t feel crowded. The streets aren’t packed with people like you see in Manhattan and the subway system isn’t shoulder-to-shoulder like you see in Tokyo. It feels like a small city, with plenty of wide avenues, open spaces full of trees and greenery, small shops and restaurants, and some of the most incredible archeological sites I’ve ever seen.

The Parthenon. When you think of Greek ruins in Athens, this is what most people think of.

The Temple to Athena at the Acropolis. Given that the city is named for her, it’s no surprise that there were several temples and monuments in her honor at the Arcropolis.

Apparently, the idea of an ‘acropolis’ was common in ancient Greece. Most towns and cities had their own acropolis, situated on the highest hill in the city. There, the residents would build temples and monuments to the patron gods and goddesses of the city. In modern times, when you think of an acropolis, you are usually thinking of the Acropolis in Athens. Originally built in the 5th century BC, the Acropois is home to the Parthenon, several smaller temples to Athena (the patron goddess of Athens, after whom the city was named), as well as monuments to other deities.

Antoher angle of the Parthenon. I’m trying to be artsy, with the sun backlighting the temple.

The Acropolis at night, taken from a nearby market.

Over the centuries, the role of the buildings at the Acropolis changed. Originally home to temples for the Greek gods, some buildings on the Acropolis were later used to honor foreign kings and some buildings were used for administrative offices for a period. The Parthenon itself was used as a church to the Virgin Mary for a time, before being used as the garrison for an occupying Turkish army during the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, given how important Athens was in ancient Greece and how important the Acropolis was to Athenians, the Acropolis was an easy target for invading armies to plunder and demolish over the years, so the buildings that remain are in poor shape. Many of the remaining statues, reliefs, and other decorative work have been removed from the Acropolis itself and are on display at the nearby Acropolis museum.

Beyond the Acropolis itself, as you walk through the city, you will find the Temple of Hephasteus, the Ancient Agora, the Temple of Zeus, and more. Some are in great condition, others require a lot of imagination to try to figure out what they looked like in their heyday.

The Temple of Hephasteus. Still standing, and easy to imagine what it looked like in its heyday.

The Temple of Zeus. These 13 pillars are all that’s left standing. There were several other ruins that were in worse shape than this.

If you’re willing to drive 2 hours outside of Athens, you can go to Delphi, home of Apollo’s Oracle, who would listen to your questions and get answers from Apollo himself. As the home of the Oracle, Delphi became a popular destination for travelers looking for answers. As travel increased, it brought commerce with it, and Delphi became a major social, economic, and political hub. Unfortunately, many of the buildings have not survived the milennia since they were built, but the views from Delphi across the mountains and valleys is spectacular.

Some of the ruins at Delphi. Travelers used to travel for days to get here to get their questions answered by the Gods. Apollo isn’t answering questions these days, but the view can’t be beat.

The Athenian treasury at Delphi. Gifts and donations to the Gods were stored here, and it is one of the few buildings that is still standing.

I was never a fan of history when I was in school; in fact, it was one of my worst subjects. But being among the ruins in Athens brings history to life in a way that was lost on me in school. Perhaps one day, virtual reality will allow us to walk the streets of ancient Greece to see how they lived. In the meantime, I’ll have to imagine it as best as I can, with a glass of Greek wine in hand.

A glass of tasty Greek wine, and the Acropolis in the background. It’ll help you find your way home, even after you’ve finished a bottle or two of local wine.