Exploring the Ancient Past in Athens!

There is more to do in this vast world of ours than can be accomplished in one lifetime. Luckily for you Legendary Journeys has a special talent when it comes to finding amazing locations all around the world to send you to. From the high tech to the ancient, we run the gamut of amazing experiences which can be found around the world. Our focus today is going to be more on the ancient side of things. Civilizations rise and they fall, but the impression they leave behind is what allows the citizens who breathed life into their culture to live on forever. Perhaps no civilization has left a more impressive resume behind than the Greeks, and today we stop into Athens, Greece to delve into some of that rich history! 

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel which can be found atop the high, rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and has within it the remains of many ancient buildings of fantastic architectural and historic merit. It is so famous and renowned that it is often referred to just as the Acropolis, which roughly translates to highest or topmost city in English. There is substantial evidence to suggest that it was lived in as far back as seven thousand years ago, but it was Pericles in the fifth century who undertook the construction of many of the most important and well regarded landmarks including the Propylaia, the temple of Athena Nike, and the world famous Parthenon. The Propylaia is a monumental gateway that has inspired many such designs around the world, most famously the Brandenburg Gate of Berlin. The temple of Athena Nike, used for worship of the Goddess of Victory, was used often during the Peloponnesian War against the Spartans as a place or worship in the belief that she would smite their enemies and grant them boons. The Parthenon was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron goddess of the city of Athens. The building was constructed between the years 447 and 432 BC and is widely regarded as the most important surviving building of Classical Greece architecture, considered the peak of the Doric order. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sees millions of people gather there each year, delighting many who come to see a glimpse of Greek history which is not matched anywhere else!

The Temple of Hephaestus is a very well preserved Greek temple. Unlike many of the buildings described above, it remains largely intact despite the fact that it has been standing for nearly 2500 years. Hephaestus was the patron god of metal working and craftsmanship and many workshops and metal-working stations could be found in the vicinity of the temple, as the workers believed their patron gave their works mythical properties and allowed them to work all the harder. For many years it was believed this temple was for Theseus, an Athenian hero, whose remains were thought to be laid to rest here. That theory was refuted after inscriptions within the temple spoke at length about Hephaestus, however.

There are few cities in the world which can match Athens' prestigious and historic landmarks. Walking through the Acropolis is like stepping into a time machine with all of the splendor that is on display of a civilization passed on by time. Legendary Journeys is immensely proud to offer a wide variety of trips that will take you to this amazing city. For all of the information on these great trips, click here.