The Acropolis of Athens, the Best Known Acropolis in the World

What would a visit to Athens be without going to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon? And still people ask why the Partheon is so important. It’s because it was the most perfect building built by the world's most advanced civilization.

The Acropolis of Athens is the best known acropolis (Gr. akros, akron, edge, extremity + polis, city, pl. acropoleis) in the world. Although there are many other acropoleis in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis was formally proclaimed as the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments on 26 March 2007. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock which rises 150 m (490 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens, with a surface area of about 3 hectares. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Kekrops or Cecrops, the first Athenian king.

The Acropolis rock is part of a Late Cretaceous limestone ridge (Higgins) that cuts through the Attica plateau in the northeast to the southwest axis and includes the Likavitos hill, the Philopappos (Museum) hill, the hill of the Nymphs, and the Pnyx.

The rock rises from the basin about 70 meters and levels to a flat top 300 meters long by 150 meters wide. Its flat top is due to the numerous landfills that have accommodated construction of fortifications and temples since the Mycenaean era. With its many shallow caves, the abundant percolating water springs and steep slopes, the Acropolis was a prime location for habitation and worship location for Neolithic man.

History

The greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena, dominates the centre of the modern city from the rocky crag known as the Acropolis. The most celebrated myths of ancient Athens, its greatest religious festivals, earliest cults and several decisive events in the city's history are all connected to this sacred precinct. The monuments of the Acropolis stand in harmony with their natural setting. These unique masterpieces of ancient architecture combine different orders and styles of Classical art in a most innovative manner and have influenced art and culture for many centuries. The Acropolis of the fifth century BC is the most accurate reflection of the splendour, power and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak, the golden age of Pericles.

Most of the major temples were rebuilt under the leadership of Pericles during the Golden Age of Athens (460–430 BC). Phidias, a great Athenian sculptor, and Ictinus and Callicrates, two famous architects, were responsible for the reconstruction. During the 5th century BC, the Acropolis gained its final shape. After winning at Eurymedon in 468 BC, Cimon and Themistocles ordered the reconstruction of southern and northern walls, and Pericles entrusted the building of the Parthenon to Ictinus and Phidias.

In 437 BC Mnesicles started building the Propylaea, monumental gates with columns of Pentelic marble, partly built upon the old propylaea of Pisistratus. These colonnades were almost finished in the year 432 BC and had two wings, the northern one serving as picture gallery. At the same time, south of the propylaea, building of the small Ionic Temple of Athena Nike commenced. After an interruption caused by the Peloponnesian War, the temple was finished in the time of Nicias' peace, between 421 BC and 415 BC.

During the same period the building of the Erechtheum, a combination of sacred precincts including the temples of Athena Polias, Poseidon, Erechtheus, Cecrops, Herse, Pandrosos and Aglauros, with its so-called the Kore Porch (or Caryatids' balcony), was begun.

Between the temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon there was the temenos of Artemis Brauronia or Brauroneion, the goddess represented as a bear and worshipped in the deme of Brauron. The archaic xoanon of the goddess and a statue made by Praxiteles in the 4th century BC were both in the sanctuary.

Behind the Propylaea, Phidias' gigantic bronze statue of Athena Promachos ("she who fights in the front line"), built between 450 BC and 448 BC, dominated. The base was 1.50 m high, while the total height of the statue was 9 m. The goddess held a lance whose gilt tip could be seen as a reflection by crews on ships rounding Cape Sounion, and a giant shield on the left side, decorated by Mys with images of the fight between the Centaurs and the Lapiths. Other monuments that have left almost nothing visible to the present day are the Chalkotheke, the Pandroseion, Pandion's sanctuary, Athena's altar, Zeus Polieus's sanctuary and, from Roman times, the circular temple of Augustus and Rome.

Site Monuments

Parthenon

The Parthenon, dedicated by the Athenians to Athena Parthenos, the patron of their city, is the most magnificent creation of Athenian democracy at the height of its power. It is also the finest monument on the Acropolis in terms of both conception and execution. Built between 447 and 438 BC, as part of the greater Periklean building project, this so-called Periklean Parthenon (Parthenon III) replaced an earlier marble temple (Parthenon II), begun after the victory at the battle of Marathon at approximately 490 BC and destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. This temple had replaced the very first Parthenon (Parthenon I) of c. 570 BC. The Periklean Parthenon was designed by architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, while the sculptor Pheidias supervised the entire building program and conceived the temple's sculptural decoration and chryselephantine statue of Athena.

Erechtheion


The elegant building known as the Erechtheion, on the north side of the sacred rock of the Acropolis, was erected in 421-406 BC as a replacement of an earlier temple dedicated to Athena Polias, the so-called ''Old temple''. The name ''Erechtheion'', mentioned only by Pausanias (1, 26, 5), derives from Erechtheus, the mythical king of Athens, who was worshipped there. Other texts refer to the building simply as ''temple'' or ''old temple''. The building owes its unusual shape to the irregularity of the terrain - there is a three-metre difference in height between the eastern and western parts - and the multiple cults it was designed to accommodate. The eastern part of the building was dedicated to Athena Polias, while the western part served the cult of Poseidon-Erechtheus and held the altars of Hephaistus and Voutos, brother of Erechtheus. This is where, according to the myth, Athena's sacred snake lived. The sanctuary also contained the grave of Kekrops and the traces of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for the possession of the city of Athens.

Propylaea



The Propylaia of the Athenian Acropolis were built on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood. The first propylon, or gate, was constructed in the age of Peisistratos (mid-sixth century BC), after the Acropolis had become a sanctuary dedicated to Athena. A new propylon, built in 510-480 BC, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and repaired after the end of the Persian Wars, during the fortification of the Acropolis by Themistokles and Kimon. The monumental Propylaia admired by modern visitors were part of the great Periklean building program. They were erected in 437-432 BC, after the completion of the Parthenon, by architect Mnesikles. The original building plan was particularly daring both in architectural and artistic terms, but was never completed.

Temple of Athena Nike


The temple of Athena Nike stands at the southeast edge of the sacred rock atop a bastion, which in Mycenaean times protected the entrance to the Acropolis. The Classical temple, designed by architect Kallikrates and built in 426-421 BC, succeeded earlier temples also dedicated to Athena Nike. The first one of these, a mid-sixth century BC wooden temple was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. The eschara, the altar believed to have supported the cult statue of the goddess, dates to this period. Under Kimon, c. 468 BC, a small temple of tufa was erected around the base of the statue and a new altar was built outside the temple. The foundations of these early temples and altars are preserved inside the bastion under the floor of the Classical structure. Pausanias (1, 22, 4) refers to this temple as that of the Apteros Nike, or Wingless Victory, and mentions that the cult statue of the goddess had no wings so that she would never leave Athens. Apart from the cult of Athena Nike other, earlier cults were also practiced on this site. On the west side of the bastion was a Mycenaean double-apsed shrine and on the east side, the pre-Classical shrines of the Graces and of Hekate Epipyrgidia. The construction of the Classical temple of Athena Nike was part of the Periklean building project. Several inscriptions, mostly decrees of the city of Athens, provide information on this particular part of the project.

Temple of Rome and Augustus

The temple of Rome and Augustus was erected in the late first century BC east of the Parthenon or of the Erechtheion. Several architectural elements of the building were found east of the Parthenon and many more were brought here after their discovery elsewhere. Nearby are the irregular tufa foundations (approximately 10.50x13 metres) of a building generally considered to be the Roman temple. Another theory, however, based on the construction technique of these foundations and on depictions of the Acropolis on Roman coins, places the temple east of the Erechtheion.

The inscription on the temple's epistyle mentions that the building was dedicated by the city of Athens to the goddess Rome and to Octavian Augustus. Pausanias does not mention the building during his visit to the Acropolis, possibly because it did not present any interest at his time. The small, circular temple had a single row of nine Ionic columns and no interior wall, the entablature and conical roof being entirely of white marble. The fact that the columns imitate those of the Erechtheion may indicate that the temple was built by the same architect who repaired the Erechtheion after it was damaged by fire.

Old temple of Athena




The earliest temple to Athena Polias on the Acropolis, called 'the Old temple' in ancient literary sources, was located between the Erechtheion and the Parthenon. It was probably built in the third quarter of the sixth century BC, on the site of an earlier, Geometric temple and of the even earlier Mycenaean palace. The Old temple was damaged by the Persians in 480 BC, but was repaired soon after; parts of its entablature were incorporated in the Acropolis fortification wall. The temple was damaged again in 406 BC after the completion of the Erechtheion and was never rebuilt. Traces of the temple's altar to Athena are visible on the bedrock, east of the building.

The Old temple was a Doric, peripteral structure with six columns on the short sides and twelve on the long sides. The interior arrangement was quite unusual. The east part of the temple consisted of a distyle pronaos with antae and a naos divided into three naves by two rows of columns. Inside the naos was the wooden cult statue (xoanon) of the goddess Athena. The east part of the temple consisted of three rooms, each dedicated to the worship of Poseidon-Erechtheus, Hephaistus and Boutes. The marble pediments of the Gigantomachy, displayed in the Acropolis Museum, and a sime with lion and ram's heads probably belonged to this temple. The metopes, cornices and roof tiles were also of marble, while the rest of the temple was built of limestone.

The temple was unearthed in 1885 and W. D?rpfeld was the first to identify it. Only the foundations of its south side, towards the Erechtheion, are visible today, along with two stone column bases from the Geometric temple.

Sunyaragi Garden, Sophisticated of Ancient Architecture

Sunyaragi garden is a beautiful water garden with sophisticated jetting irrigate technology. This garden is woke up in the year 1703 by Prince Kararangen or with other name is Prince Arya Carbon. Sunyaragi garden came from word ”sunya” meaning silent and ”ragi” meaning physic or raga. This garden reside in power of Keraton Kasepuhan.

This composition construction represent a water garden. From rest of existing inheritance, it’s seen result of human being culture at its epoch which very sophisticated and unique. It should have been see until today if there’s no trouble and get treatment periodically.

Marginally, Sunyaragi Garden’s complex which is located in this Brigjen Dharsono Cirebon roadside divided into two shares that is cave building and guesthouse. Part of guesthouse provided with gallery, cubicle, bathroom, religious service space and encircled by garden completed with pool. Cave medium building curve like mountains, equipped by underground link tunnel. Outer of its complex have reef and cloud motif. The outside gateway’s door is in form of Bentar temple and external door is in form of Paduraksa. Entire rooms were fulfilled by immeasurable relief.

This Old building is still visited until today in many people, because its situation right across especial wayside. It’s parking area wide enough, the frontage garden get a new touch to take a rest for tourists. There also built a stage or culture podium for the staging of Cirebon’s arts.

Kuala Lumpur Tourism

Lake Toba is a volcanic lake with the size wide approximately 100km x 30 km in North Sumatra, Sumatra, Indonesia. In the middle of this lake there also a volcanic island called Island Samosir that make this lake more unique. Fresh and cold atmosphere, charming and beautiful view, with mountain encircling make it wonderful.

Lake Toba became of important tour target in North Sumatra besides Hill Lawang and Nias, attract domestic tourist and also from abroad. It’s very easy to reach this place, from Medan you can go to Parapat in less then 4 hours. Parapat location is about 185 kilometer from North Sumatra Capital city. It is a suburb area in Lake Toba. There are so many lodgings and hotels in Parapat, some of them have provided swimming pool facility and jacuzzi.

Besides the natural beauty in Lake Toba , where estimated exist since 73.000-75.000 year ago (estimated to represent result of newest super volcano eruption), we can also boating to Island Samosir to see former Batak epoch king custom house as well as king’s grave in Tomok region. Golf Course also available in this island.

Samosir island itself surroundings by mountain, where as far as we can see we’ll find mountains. It makes the weather very chill, considering that Samosir island is located in highest place between 700 “1.995 mdpl. It’s really a wonderful view and suitable to release yours exhausted after works.

Machu Picchu, The Lost Town

Machu Picchu (”Old Mountain” in Quechua language; often also referred as “The lost Inca Town”) was a Inca pra-Columbus ruins location which is located in mountain region at height around 2.350 m. Machu Picchu located in the Urubamba valley in Peru, it’s about 70 km northwest of Cusco. This archaeological site have already forgotten by international world, but not by local society. It’s found again by archaeologist from Yale Hiram Bingham university on 24 July 1911.

Machu Picchu as an ancient town which attracted archaeologists. It was build by the most powerful Inca’s controller called Pachacutec Yupanqui in year 1440 Century which representing symbols of community and dedication. Some researcher believes Machu Picchu was a Pachacutec mausoleum, because there were some buildings arranged in layers gold. Some other researcher theorize Machu Picchu was “Ilacta“ or town to take control the economics of conqueror regions and to protect Inca’s aristocrats.

Another theory, Machu Picchu as a “villa“ for Inca’s magnifiers, at the same time as ceremony place perception of astrology and season. Mount Siluet (Huayna Picchu or “young mountain“) which reside in Machu Picchu background show Inca people nose which see to sky.

Located in the middle of mountain area, Machu Picchu is most beautiful creature of Inca’s Empire. More than anything else with building exist in surrounded. In this place, there are 200 buildings. Most of them in the form of resident house. But, there also a number of temple, depository warehouse, and other public building. All of them were still in the form of square stone which represent the last Inca’s periods.

Some unique matter exist in Machu Picchu was the existed buildings seen unity with nature. Like stone formation used as building construction, graven stone, water’s stream through a channel from stone, and temples which stand above steep bank.

To reach Machu Picchu we there’s two ways to go there by train and by foot. By fringing River Urubamba, we could use train from Cuzco town (170 km south Lima capital of Peru) then continued by using special bus to go to highest. It’s about 450 meters and 13 hairpin (blind turning). This is way of which may be spelled fastest and pleasant. Moreover, we could also walk by following famous traditional route known as a Footstep Inca.

Possibly, this site is the most recognized symbol from empire of Inca and have been showed as world Heritage site from UNESCO since year 1983 at the same time become the most of object attention due to generated damage by tourism.

Romanticism in Venice, The water city

VENICE have epithet Love Town besides Paris of course, surely we can have a romantic atmosphere there. Otherwise, Venice resident skillful to make handicraft, becoming one of the tourism attractiveness.

Choose month of April-May to visit Venice because that is a springtime where the weather not cool enough and suitable weather for tourist from tropical state and avoid to visit Venice in summer – on month of July - August-- besides its weather extremely hot and high level of tourist’s density, smell of Venice river because of sunshine’s effect and air humidity. Most Indonesian people choose October to go there because that is a winter time where snow falls down at that moment.

Venice is easy to reach from another Italian town whether by car, bus or train. We can directly take water bus from Ferrovia Santa Lucia station, otherwise the bus stop and the biggest parking area which is located in Piazzale Roma across directly with water bus station. There is also an airport in Mestre, it’s about 10 kilometers outside the town, and also Venice Mestre’s station, which is the last dot of Venice majors cart route where connected this city with Treviso, Padova, Parma, Bari, Milan until Zagreb.

Venice split by especial river called Canal Grande. Its function is very important because it’s like a main road for Venice resident. The Great street of Venice length around 3.5 km and encircled by ancient buildings and palaces from 13th up to 18th centuries. It is dressed of mixture between Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.

We can rent a gondola, Venice famous boat rolled by an oar, (or water bus for cheaper cost’s) to enjoy the beauty of Canal Grande. Gondola is the most chosen transportation by tourists to fringe the beauty of Water town which built since IX century. Why it called Water town? It’s because of Venice was built from 118 archipelago and it has 180 canals. This exotic town facing Adriatic Sea connected almost by 400 bridges!! What an extraordinary.

Basilica San Marco is the main target of the tour in Venice, Santo Markus town square "Piazetta in San Marco" representing one of the symbol of Venice’s beauty. Its location is flanked by Palazzo Ducale "Ducale Palace", library and south of Balisika Santo Markus also its view straight to Bacino in San Marco "Saint Mark’S Basin". This town square became mute eyewitness all religion activity and social of Venice since hundreds of year ago, such as Santo Markus corpse arrival procession, execute malefactor, and departure expectation of navy in Bacino, San Marco up to boat carnival (Regatta) and mask festival (Venetian Mask).

Behind all its beauty, in fact this town is disappeared threatened also, due to every 10 years, this town progressively sink some centimeters. Unhappily till now there’s no one have earned to save this town from the destruction threat. In fact, there are some geologists and engineers told them to increase the land surface as high as 30 centimeters which purposed to avoid this city sink from floods threat and overflowing water. However, it is possible still require to be awaited by its result.

Venice native is known very friendly and esteem the meaning of town history, therefore, we must not to destroy or defile this town. Native have measure up to within call with family and have to feel hand in glove familiarity characteristic. Every lunch time or even supper is the moment to gather and become a kind of small celebration to family. It can waste the time more or less then 2 to 3 hours because it’s always interrupt with discussion between family so that no wonder all governance office or even shops are closed at that hours.

There are a lot what we can see in this town. Sestieri is a especial division of Venice which dividing this town become 6 canton, that is Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Marco and Costello. Later, there are a lot of restaurants in the river side which transparent and clean, so that we can enjoy a view while we enjoy the food. In the other hand, there are some crafting factories that we can visit and see they making it at the same time. We can buy the craft for the souvenir.

Not left behind the famous bridge which make people wondering that is Rialto bridge. Around this bridge there are luxuriant hotels as well as luxuriant restaurants. There also The Bridge of Sight, Academia Bridge, and Scalzi Bridge.

Kyoto, Japan's Capital of History And Culture

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Kyoto is the cultural and historical capital of Japan, with its proliferation of shrines and temples that lie hidden between the concrete constructions of the urban sprawl.
Although archaeological evidence places the first human settlement on the islands of Japan to approximately 10,000 BC, relatively little is known about human activity in the area before the 6th century AD. During the 8th century, when the powerful Buddhist clergy became involved in the affairs of the Imperial government, the Emperor chose to relocate the capital to a region far from the Buddhist influence. Emperor Kammu selected the village of Uda, at the time in the Kadono district of Yamashito Province, for this honor.

The new city, Heian-kyō (平安京 "tranquility and peace capital"), became the seat of Japan's imperial court in 794, beginning the Heian period of Japanese history. Later, the city was renamed Kyoto ("capital city"). Kyoto remained Japan's capital until the transfer of the government to Edo in 1868 at the time of the Imperial Restoration. (Some believe that it is still a legal capital: see Capital of Japan.) After Edo was renamed Tokyo (meaning "Eastern Capital"), Kyoto was known for a short time as Saikyo (西京 Saikyō, meaning "Western Capital").

An obsolete spelling for the city's name is Kioto; it was formerly known to the West as Meaco or Miako (Japanese: 都; miyako "capital"). Another term commonly used to refer to the city in the pre-modern period was Keishi (京師), meaning "metropolis" or "capital".

Golden Temple, The Temple of God

Overview

The Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib, situated in Amritsar, Punjab, is the most sacred temple for Sikhs. It is a symbol of the magnificence and strength of the Sikh people all over the world. In the evolution of the Darbar Sahib, is entwined the history and ideology of Sikhism. In its architecture are included, symbols associated with other places of worship. This is an example of the spirit of tolerance and acceptance that the Sikh philosophy propounds. Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, (on account of its scenic beauty and golden coating for English speaking world), is named after Hari(God) the temple of God. The Sikhs all over the world, daily wish to pay visit to Sri Amritsar and to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib in their Ardas.



Golden Temple (Punjabi:) or Darbar Sahib (Punjabi:) located in the city of Amritsar, which was established by Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru of the Sikhs and the city that it was built in, is also due to the shrine, known as "Guru Di Nagri" meaning city of the Sikh Guru.

Its name literally means House of God. The fourth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Ram Das, excavated a tank in 1577 which subsequently became known as Amritsar (meaning: Pool of the Nectar of Immortality), giving its name to the city that grew around it. In due course, a splendid Sikh edifice, Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God), was constructed in the middle of this tank which became the supreme centre of Sikhism. Its sanctum came to house the Adi Granth comprising compositions, Sikh values, philosophies and teachings of the Sikh Gurus and other saints of Guru Nanak's time, e.g. Ravidas a Hindu Guru, Baba Farid a Sufi Sant (Saint) and Kabir, all of whom the Sikhs refer to as the Bhagats.

The compilation of the Adi Granth was started by the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Arjan Dev (Arjan Sahib).

Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a

Iguassu Falls, Breathtaking Waterfalls

Spectacular, breathtaking, majestic. There's no better description of the torrents of water cascading down Iguassu Falls, one of the largest and most impressive falls in the world.

Iguazu Falls, Iguassu Falls, or Iguaçu Falls Portuguese: Cataratas do Iguaçu pronounced [kataˈɾatɐz du igwaˈsu]; Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú, [kataˈɾatas del iɣwaˈsu) are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu.

Their name comes from the Guarani or Tupi words y (IPA:[ɨ]) (water) and ûasú (IPA:[wa'su]) (big) meaning "great water". Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful aborigine named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. The first European to find the falls was the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541, after whom one of the falls in the Argentine side is named. The falls were rediscovered by Boselli at the end of the nineteenth century, and one of the Argentinian falls is named after him.

The falls are unequally divided between Brazil and Argentina. To see them properly, you must visit both sides. In Brazil you get the grand overview and in Argentina you get a closer look. The 275 falls are over 3 kilometers (2 miles) wide and 80 meters (260 feet) high, which makes them wider than Victoria, higher than Niagara, and more beautiful than either. Every second, 450,000 gallons of water come tumbling down. Seventy percent of the falls are actually in Argentina, but

Senggigi, Amazing Beach in Lombok

Senggigi, named after a princess in local legend, is the main tourist center on Lombok. Senggigi is the most developed tourist area on Lombok island. The major of tourist activities, and variety of cafes, Bar, Restaurants, Discothèque, Travel agent, Souvenir shop, Internet cafe, Photo processor, Money changer and range of accommodation from simple home stay to luxury five star Hotels.

Senggigi Lombok is a place for travelers who seeking for quite settings and fun at the same time. Nice beaches, friendly and warm people, cheap places to stay and eat and beautiful natural landscape are the highlights of Lombok. Senggigi is much more welcome for tourist of all ages. Eventhough Lombok island is majority dominated by Sasak Moslems, but alcoholic drinks are quite easy to find in any bars or cafes in major tourist places like senggigi or the gilis.

SENGGIGI BEACH AND RESORT

The resort area is about 10 kilometers north of Ampenan, and about 20 minutes drive from Selaparang Lombok airport. Cafés, Restaurants, and bar line up colorful on the main road, Senggigi beach are nice and safe for swimming, snorkelling, and in the right conditions some decent surf

Tirta Gangga, Water Garden in East Bali

Tirtagangga was built by the King of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem in 1948. The architecture is the combination of Balinese and Chinese style. Tirta Gangga was originally the bathing and resting place for the king of Karangasem and numerous pools still exist in the complex. In the north of the complex, a large natural spring shoots out of the ground believed to be sacred and directly derived from the River Gangga. It was totally destroyed by the Mount Agung eruption in 1963 and being abandoned for years.

Tirtagangga royal water garden are composed mainly by water, gardens and sculptures. It is situated in the middle of rice fields around the natural springs of Rejasa, approximately 7 km. (5 miles) north of Amlapura, the main town of east Bali, Indonesia.

Tirtagangga is a well-known cultural object of Bali. It belongs to the royal family of Karangasem.