The view from the top is always breathtaking, fulfilling. And when the top you’ve reached is the Parthenon of the Acropolis in Athens, you’re stone in love not only with the view — but with history risen. In fact, the word Acropolis is from the Greek words akron (“highest point, extremity”) and polis (“city”).
The Parthenon is described as a “resplendent” marble temple. It was built between 447 and 432 B.C. during the height of the ancient Greek Empire, according to online sources. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, the Parthenon is the columned fondant topping, not quite the cherry, atop the Acropolis of Athens. It is reportedly the largest and most lavish temple the Greek mainland had ever seen.
But to be still on top of the world — of where democracy was founded —and still standing tall and defiant, makes the Parthenon a trophy of time. Its wonder it owes to time, that very element that it has battled, conquered and bowed to, and eventually won through the millennia since 447 BC.
“Throughout the centuries, the Parthenon withstood earthquakes, fire, wars, explosions and looting yet remains, although battered, a powerful symbol of ancient Greece and Athenian culture,” states History. It’s estimated that 13,400 stones were used to build the temple, at a total cost of around 470 silver talents (roughly $7 million today).
As winter was fading in sunny Greece, my family and I took the scenic trek from the base of the Acropolis (where the theater is) to the piece de resistance, the Parthenon. There is an elevator reserved for the physically challenged, but you have to show written proof of your “challenge.” Me, I told them the story of how I broke my ankle 18 months ago, and the person in charge, like most Greeks we met anywhere and everywhere in Athens, was very amiable and considerate. She let me take the scenic elevator with my husband Ed. Of course, there are still many stones and steps to conquer when you reach the pinnacle of the Acropolis, and I did it, feeling like an Olympian in Onitsuka Tiger.
You must circumnavigate the Parthenon and appreciate it from all angles as it scrapes the Mediterranean sky.
The Parthenon was once a Christian church until 1458 A.D., when the Muslim Ottoman Empire seized Athens. The Ottoman Turks converted the Parthenon into a mosque, yet kept many Christian paintings and artifacts intact.
In the early 19th century, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, removed the marble friezes and several other sculptures and shipped them to London, England, where they remain on public display in the British Museum today, according to online sources.
The Greek government has reportedly requested they be returned.
Aside from the Parthenon, there are several other structures within the Acropolis in Athens — the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. They are all like marble satellites around the Parthenon, which is dedicated to the goddess Athena, after whom Athens is named.
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One also gets a high from the typical Greek life, the food, the artisanal souvenirs. We stayed in an Airbnb flat near the Acropolis, which was walking distance to the Monastiraki (literally, little monastery), a flea market neighborhood in the old town of Athens, and is one of the main shopping districts in Athens. It also has a row of cafes (including Starbucks) with the best kebab, souvlaki and saganaki cheese. Upon the recommendation of my former student Rica de Jesus, we went to Thanasis Café and we were in the Parthenon of our Greek food dreams. Meals, even with wine, cost around 50-60 euros for four people in Athens, half the price of good meals in Italy.
Also visit the Plaka district, another shopping district that looks like the Malate district of the ’80s and ’90s. We went to a random rooftop restaurant and again, it didn’t disappoint — especially with the yogurt dessert laced with honey.
Shopping tips: Buy olive oil, fragrant olive oil soap, olives, baklava, bath towels, linen shirts (at H&M!), leather sandals and carpets if you chance upon one.
The Greek alphabet may be Greek to you — but the Greek way of life isn’t. The Greeks love life, food, music, family and visitors! The Parthenon may be stone cold, but the Greeks are as warm as Ouzo!
You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com. Follow me on Instagram @joanneraeramirez.