What is the Acropolis of Athens famous for?

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon.

Why is the Propylaea important?

The Propylaea was the monumental gateway to the Acropolis of Athens, and was one of several public works commissioned by the Athenian leader Pericles in order to rebuild the Acropolis a generation after the conclusion of the Persian Wars.

What was important about the Erechtheion location?

For many years, the accepted scholarly opinion has been that the Erechtheion fulfilled a triplicate purpose in its interior design: to “replace the Old Temple [of Athena], to house the old image, and to unite in an organized building several shrines and places of religious significance.”

What function did the propylaia serve in Athens?

In ancient Greek architecture, a propylaea, propylea or propylaia (/ˌprɒpɪˈliːə/; Greek: προπύλαια) is a monumental gateway. The prototypical Greek example is the propylaea that serves as the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens.

What does the Acropolis symbolize?

The Acropolis, and the Parthenon in particular, is the most iconic monument of the ancient Greek civilisation. It continues to stand as a symbol in many ways: it is the symbol of democracy and the Greek civilisation. It also symbolises the beginning of Western civilisation and stands as the icon of European culture.

Why is the Acropolis on a hill?

From both a religious and a military point of view, a hilltop site was highly desirable: militarily, because an acropolis had to be a citadel; religiously, because a hill was imbued with natural mysteries—caves, springs, copses, and glens—that denoted the presence of the gods. The Parthenon, Athens.

Why did the propylaia have a ramp?

The Propylaia (Propylaea) were built as a monumental entrance to the Acropolis rock. Later, the Romans built a more dramatic ramp that guided the visitors up towards the entrance of the Acropolis in a zigzag fashion. …

What was the Pinakotheke of the propylaia the gateway for the Acropolis )?

The Propylaia is an impressive building in itself, and was designed to draw admiration from those who walked through it. The gateway was built on two different levels because of the uneven ground. The north wing contained painted panels, which is why it was called the Pinakotheke, meaning ‘art gallery.

Why was the Erechtheion different?

The western part of the Erechtheion was dedicated to the worship of Athena Polias (patron deity of Athens), while the eastern part was devoted to Poseidon-Erechtheus (Wycherley 1978). So the apparent differences between the two buildings had a second level of expression.

What is the message of the caryatid porch on the Erechtheion?

Interestingly, the porch of the Erechtheion stands over what was believed to be the tomb of the mythical king Kekrops and perhaps the Caryatids and their libation vessels are a tribute to this fact – libations were poured into the ground as an offering to the dead during religious festivals.

What was the function of the Propylaia at the Acropolis?

The Propylaia (Propylaea) were built as a monumental entrance to the Acropolis rock. It is an impressive building that surrounds the natural entrance to the plateau, and one approached it in ancient times through an inclining ramp that led visitors straight through the steps in front of the Propylaia.

When was the Acropolis built in Athens Greece?

5th century bc
Athens has the best-known acropolis, built during the second half of the 5th century bc. The Athenian acropolis, located on a craggy, walled hill, was built as a home of Athena, the patron goddess of the city.

What is the Propylaea of Athens?

The Propylaea was the monumental gateway to the Acropolis of Athens, and was one of several public works commissioned by the Athenian leader Pericles in order to rebuild the Acropolis a generation after the conclusion of the Persian Wars.

What is the purpose of the Propylaia?

Propylaia. The Propylaia (Propylaea) were built as a monumental entrance to the Acropolis rock. It is an impressive building that surrounds the natural entrance to the plateau, and one approached it in ancient times through an inclining ramp that led visitors straight through the steps in front of the Propylaia.

Why was the Propylaea never completed?

To the extent that preparations had been made, they were for a floor at the level of the western portion of the building, considerably below the level required on the east. As a result of the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta in 431 BC, the Propylaea was never completed.

Why is the Erechtheion at Propylaia?

This theory might be simplistic however, because twelve years later, when the war was still in full swing Athenians allocated a great amount of funds for the construction of the elaborately ornate Erechtheion. The Propylaia is a building of the Doric order with few Ionic columns supporting the roof of the central wing.