Athens, Greece

This morning we ported in the Greek port town of Piraeus. We met our driver for the day and took off for Corinth.

Corinth is a historical site of biblical proportions. When Paul left Athens escaping persecution, he went to Corinth and was welcomed by the Corinthians. Paul spent a year and a half in Corinth and established the church there. After Paul left to spread Christianity, the Corinthians struggled with their new religion. Paul wrote a letter to them of encouragement. The Corinthians wrote back with questions asking for clarification on certain matters. Paul’s letters to the Corinths became 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Corinth is mentioned in Acts as well.

Corinth was founded in 900 BCE and in 400 BCE grew to a populations of 90,000. Most of the ruins were from 600-500 BCE. The Temple of Apollo was built in approx. 550 BCE. It is mind-blowing to me that when Paul visited Corinth (around 44 CE) the Temple of Apollo was already 600 years old, which is older than anything that settlers built in America. Most of the picture below are with the Temple of Apollo.

Next, we went to the Acropolis. The Acropolis name comes from Acro-edge polis- city: edge of the city. The Acropolis in Athens was constructed in the 400s BCE. The Parthenon has underwent many “remodels” before it was protected and restored. The building was named the Parthenon after it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, instead of pagan gods. In the picture below, you can see the restoration work done with newer marble. If a building is not more than 60% original, it cannot be restored.

Below are pictures of the Propylaea, which was like the entrance to the Acropolis

The Temple of Athena Nike

The most interesting to me was the Erechtheion. It was built with women instead of columns. These women are known as korai, all look very similar but have subtle differences and appear to be holding up the building. During British colonialism, one of the women was taken and put in a National British Museum. The korai on the Erechtheion today are remakes. Five of the original korai are in the Acropolis Museum in Athens, and the last one is still at the British Museum. Greece has asked for her back but has not been successful. Greece maintains she was stolen and Great Britain says she was legally gained. At the Acropolis Museum in Athens, her spot remains empty waiting for her return someday.

More Pictures from the Acropolis

After the acropolis, we went to lunch. Our meals didn’t come out together so I only got a picture of Kate’s Gyro. Fun Fact: Gyros in Greece, or at least Athens, are made with chicken or pork, not lamb!

After this, we took a brief photo stop by the Olympic stadium for the first modern Olympics held in 1896. The entire stadium is made of marble and seats 63,000 people. When the Olympics came back to Athens in 2004, the javelin and archery events were held in this stadium.