Parthenon
- Address:Attiki, Athens
- Hours:Open daily 8am - 5pm (until 7:30pm in Summer)
- Admission:Acropolis admission: € 12
Must-Do Experience, UNESCO Heritage Site, Ruin - Ancient, Temple
8:28 PM Wednesday, May 23
Passing clouds. Cool.
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The Parthenon (Parthenonas), one of the world's most famous buildings, represents a high point in ancient Greek architecture. Built around 440 BC, the Parthenon's classical architecture has influenced buildings ever since - and still does today.
Built for worship of the goddess Athena, it was to give thanks for the salvation of Athens and Greece in the Persian Wars. Officially it is called the Temple of Athena the Virgin; the name Parthenon comes from the Greek word for virgin.
In the 2,500 years of its existence, the building has been a temple, a treasury, a fortress, and a mosque; in the 6th century AD the Parthenon became a Christian church, with the addition of an apse at the east end. Today it is one of the world's leading tourist attractions.
Built of Pentelic white marble, the Parthenon is famous for its classical Doric columns and decorating sculptural friezes which depict scenes of battle and history in marble. Some of these, known as the Elgin Marbles, are in the British Museum and there is fierce debate about whether they should be returned to Greece.
Latest Reviews All Parthenon Reviews »
This was a very useful tour for the first time visitor, as it provided orientation of the main city sights aboard the coach, as well as extensive visits to the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum. Our guide was very well-informed about all aspects of the tour, and provided fascinating detail during the visits to the Acropolis and the Museum.
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The trip was very good.Its a very well balanced trip in which we get to see a lot and learn a lot in a short time.I booked the trip just based on reviews and I felt the experience was similar to the better reviews.The tour guide was very good and was taking a lot of effort and interest in telling the stories and myths regarding the artifacts.Very nice trip.
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This is real value for money. You can use this bus and co-ordinate the other guided tours run by this organisation as you taxi service. The driver is a revelation in skill. The bus is comfortable, the commentary accurate and timely. Best of all is the staff on the bus. They are friendly, and helpful. I recommend this as a good starting point as a reference/preview to the other tours you have to take. I would suggest you take the full tour the 1st time and take notes of interesting places you want to visit. Then workout the times the bus arrives at a particular place of interest and use the hop on hop off the bus pass offers. Good value.
Continue Reading »Practical Info
The nearest underground train station is Akropoli. The Parthenon is the largest temple on the Acropolis, and entry to the Acropolis is via Dionysiou Areopagitou or Theorias, Anafiotika
