The Acropolis Museum is one of the most important museums in the world. It houses the treasures of the Acropolis that have withstood the ravages of past centuries. The fate of the Acropolis during various eras was by no means easy. According to the information that has reached us from travelers who visited the “Holy Hill”, until the 17th century its main buildings were intact. However, his troubles began soon after, in the middle of the century. First in 1656 The Propylaea, the grand entrance of the Acropolis, was destroyed by a powerful explosion while being used to store gunpowder. Later, the Ottoman troops destroyed the temple of the goddess Nike, located next to the Parthenon, and used the materials from which it was built to strengthen the fortifications of the Acropolis. The heaviest blow to the majestic temple came during the war with the Venetians. Then a large part of the elements of the Acropolis were blown up by the bombs of the Venetian troops.
After the withdrawal of the Turks and the proclamation of the unified Greek state, the idea of building the Acropolis Museum was born. The first Acropolis Museum was built between 1865 and 1874 by the architect Panagis Kalkos. With its modest area of 800 sq.m. he soon proves too narrow for all the finds from the Acropolis. A second building was soon built, and later it was expanded, and the original museum was extended. However, the problems persist. The location of the exhibits is inadequate, and the museum cannot absorb the influx of visitors.
In 2000 an architectural competition was announced for the construction of the new Acropolis Museum. The project, worth 130 million euros, is implemented with funds from the European Union. The new building is located on three levels and occupies an area of 15 thousand square meters. It is located only 300 m. from the ancient monument and offers a panoramic view of its most visited site – the Parthenon.
On the first floor there are ceramic vessels, bas-reliefs and sculptures brought from places of worship. The majestic caryatids, the columns in the shape of female figures that once stood in the Erechtheion temple, lead to the second floor, where a hall with more than 30 columns opens. The climax undoubtedly occurs on the last third floor, where you can see a recreation of the Parthenon friezes. A small part of the original friezes is preserved in Athens. The rest are kept in the British Museum in London. For their return, Greece has been waging a long-standing war, but still without results.
Address: 15 Dionyssiou Areopagitou Street
Official website: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr
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