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The Temple of Aphaia in Agia Marina is one of the most beautiful temples of classical Greece and also one of the oldest survived. Built on a hill, at 160 meters, it is surrounded by pine trees and it stands out for its unique energy. Since prehistoric times (1300 B.C.) it has been a unique place of worship. The first temple built was dedicated to Aphaia, or else Vritomarti-Diktinna, a deity from Crete, whom according to the Greek mythology, King Minos of Crete was in love with. In order to save herself from him, she decided to dive into the sea, where local fishermen from Aegina Island rescued her. She, then, disappeared with the help of the goddess Artemis and when the locals looked up for her, they found instead a statue. For this reason, they gave the statue the name Aphaia (ie vanished in the ancient Greek language). The Temple of Aphaia, the Parthenon, and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion form an isosceles triangle.
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The pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo spoke, was the site of the omphalos, the ‘navel of the world’. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi in the 6th century B.C. was indeed the religious centre and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. At the foot of Mount Parnassos, within the angle formed by the twin rocks of the Phaedriades, lies the Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which had the most famous oracle of ancient Greece. Delphi was regarded as the centre of the world. According to mythology, it is here that the two eagles sent out by Zeus from the ends of the universe to find the navel of the world met. The sanctuary of Delphi, set within a most spectacular landscape, was for many centuries the cultural and religious centre and symbol of unity for the Hellenic world. The history of Delphi begins in prehistory and in the myths of the ancient Greeks.
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The Monastery lies at a short distance to the east of Athens, on a hillside at the foot of Mt. Hymettos. It is enclosed by a high wall with two gates, one on the east and one on the west side. The catholicon was built in the late 11th -early 12th century and was dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin to the Temple. It is a cross-in-square, four-column church, with a dome, and its walls are built in the cloisonne masonry with poor brick ornaments. The domed narthex was added in the 17th century. About the same time, the barrel-vaulted chapel to the north, dedicated to Aghios Antonios, was added, too. The interior of the church is decorated with wall paintings dating from the 18th century while those in the narthex date back to 1682 and were made by Ioannes Hypatios, according to an inscription. To the west of the church is a complex containing the kitchen and the refectory. Along the south side of the enclosure, a row of buildings is attached. Among the preserved structures is the bath installation, built in the late 11th -early 12th century, with a domed central chamber. During the Turkish occupation, it […]
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A Trip to Cape Sounio The temple of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the sea, dominates the southernmost tip of Attica, where the horizon meets the Aegean Sea. Perched on the craggy rocks of Cape Sounio, the temple is enveloped in myth and historic facts dated from antiquity until the present times. Sounio is located on the southernmost tip of Attica; it is the endpoint of the Athenian Riviera, at a 65.5km distance from Athens. You will be impressed by the lovely view of the sea and of the Saronic Gulf Islands.
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Acropolis is a Greek term that literally means any complex or citadel built on a high point, such as a hill. The Acropolis in Athens is undoubtedly the most famous of them all in Greece. It was built in 5th century BCE, which is a planned construction under the guidance of the Pericles of Athens. It took two years to build a detailed plan for the Acropolis of Athens, even for the Parthenon alone, it took them a lot of planning too. The level of detail and planning that went into the construction of the Acropolis was designed in order to create a lasting monument. In fact, the best architects and sculptors were commissioned into the building of the Acropolis. The Acropolis, Athens measures at 490 feet in height above the city of Athens. Meanwhile, the entire surface area covered by the ancient structures and monuments spans about 7 acres or 3 hectares. The site was a natural choice to build such a massive fortification. In fact, there was already an existing structure on the hill but it was destroyed to build the Acropolis in its place. * * from World Heritage inscription, unesco.org Ancient Agora of Athens Temple of Olympian […]
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The tour starts with the visit of the sacred rock of the Acropolis. On the Acropolis, we will visit the Parthenon temple, dedicated to the goddess of wisdom Athena. The temple is famous because of its unique architecture. Then visit of the Erechtheion temple with the Cariatides, famous female statues with the function of columns, the Propylea the famous monumental entrance of the sanctuary of the Acropolis, with the temple of Athena Nike -Victory. Also, the Odeum of Herodus Atticus and the Dionysus Theatre will be seen from the Acropolis. The tour continues with the visit to the temple of Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of modern times took place. Then the house of parliament with the change of the guards and the monument of the Unknown Soldier. The tour continues with the visit to the old Town Plaka, picturesque neighbourhood with narrow streets, beautiful architecture traditional tavernas and many souvenirs stores.Visit of the Ancient Greek Agora, the political, social, and commercial centre of Ancient Athens The tour will be completed with the absolute highlight, the Acropolis museum that houses the relives and statues that were decorating the temples of the Acropolis by having visual contact […]
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Athens Street Art Tourists visiting the Greek capital are often amazed by the walls of Athens. Full of spray, the Athenian walls inspire different emotions in passers-by. Rather ugly tags, sports teams, and political parties’ slogans and symbols are one side of the coin, which certainly doesn’t offer any particular beauty to Athens. The other side of the coin is, however, equally present: beautiful murals and masterpieces of street art have become the main attraction for both Athenians and tourists.
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All tours by Thenia
