Admire the spectacular Parthenon with yacht charter in Greece
By Jenny Wilson published on 2 October 2016
There can be few buildings more iconic than the spectacular Parthenon. One of the most famous historical sites in the world, it should definitely not be missed when you take a yacht charter in Greece.
Athens is home to the best-known acropolis, meaning upper city, in the world. An acropolis is situated on a hill overlooking the rest of the habitation, making it the safest place in the city. The Parthenon, the most important structure of the Athenian Acropolis, was built in the fifth century BC.
Designed to hold a statue of the deity Athena, it is the most recognisable of all the Greek temples. Like many religious buildings of the time, it was not intended that worshippers should enter but that they would merely admire the contents from outside, hence the use of columns as opposed to solid walls. Most of these were of the Doric order; however, those holding up the treasure room were crafted in the Ionic style. This combination was rare and gave the Parthenon an even more distinctive appearance. In addition to the impressive marble architecture, the building was adorned with spectacular friezes and statues that could be appreciated as visitors walked around the temple.
Over the millennia, the Parthenon has been a temple, a church, a mosque and a gunpowder store, the last of which resulted in an unfortunate accident that nearly destroyed the buildings. The buildings have since been the subject of various restoration projects to protect this most significant site. In 1812 Lord Elgin, in his role as a sort of cultural ambassador, removed some of the friezes to preserve as much of this monument as possible and brought them to the United Kingdom. This decision is still the source of some contention; however, the preservation of the so-called Elgin Marbles at the British Museum has allowed many thousands of visitors to admire these wondrous artworks. The rest of the marbles have been removed from the Parthenon and are housed in the Acropolis Museum.
The Parthenon is not only a culturally significant monument but also one of the most distinctive tourist attractions in the world.
