The famous Acropolis in Athens - a major tourist attraction and a business card of the Greek capital, as well as an important historical, archeological and architectural monuments (included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site).

The word "Acropolis" from Greek means "upper town" or "fortress". As a rule, the Acropolis were built on the inaccessible hill and well strengthened, thus becoming a perfect haven in the event of hostilities.

The world-famous Acropolis - the ancient citadel, situated on the top of the cliff towering over Athens 156-meter hill with a lot of, unfortunately, only partially extant beautiful ancient temples and other structures.

During the archaeological excavations revealed that the mound was inhabited as early as the 4th millennium BC, most likely used in the Mycenaean era and has been actively built up in the archaic period. In 480 BC, during the Greco-Persian War Acropolis was thoroughly destroyed by the Persians. The new large-scale construction on the Acropolis began in 447 BC on the initiative of Pericles, and it is mainly the construction of this period have survived.

Among the most interesting and impressive buildings of the Acropolis special attention certainly deserve monumental Propylaea - marble covered gate with five passes in the central and adjacent to it on both sides of the wings, porticos, one of which once housed the Pinacoteca. Propylaea made of white Pentelic marble interspersed with darker Eleusinian and harmoniously combine the architecture Doric and Ionic order. To the right of Propylene in the marble steep rocky outcrop, it is the Temple of Athena Nike.

Of particular interest is the legendary Parthenon - the main temple of ancient Athens, and a magnificent monument of ancient architecture, built in honor of the patroness of Athens and throughout Attica - the goddess Athena. For the construction of the temple was also used white Pentelic marble. Decorations engaged famous Greek sculptor Phidias (today some of the masterpieces of his sculptural art can be seen in major museums around the world).

No less interesting and has no analogues in the Erechtheion ancient Greek architecture. Because of its connection to several shrines (the eastern part of the temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena, and the west - the king Erechtheus and Poseidon), he has an original asymmetric layout. On the south side is adjacent to the temple famous portico Pandroseyon, which propped up the architrave six marble statues of girls (kariotid).

In the south-eastern and southern slopes of the Acropolis you can see today, and two ancient theater - the theater of Dionysus (under reconstruction) and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The latter is used for its intended purpose and in our days, it is the main scenic area of ​​the annual Athens Festival.

Certainly worth a visit and is located at the foot of the hill the New Acropolis Museum, which opened its doors in June 2009. Fantastic collection of unique ancient artifacts and various architectural fragments collected during the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens, is considered one of the best in the world among such collections.