ACROPOLIS

Most visitors to Athens head almost instinctively for the Akropolis, to begin their explorations at the site where Athens itself began.

From the Akropolis, it is easy to see why this abrupt steep-sided rock was chosen as the first citadel of ancient Athens: it is a superb natural defensive site. It was a fitting home for the virgin warrior goddess, Athena.

Once up on the Akropolis, most will be drawn irresistibly to the Parthenon, the greatest monument of Doric architecture in all Greece. The temple, designed by the architect Iktinos, held the monumental gold and ivory (chryselephantine) statue of Athena designed by the sculptor-architect Pheidias. The name, "Parthenon", refers to the room where the virgin goddess Athena (Athena Parthenos), had her statue.

The Parthenon is of Pentelic marble, of a purity of texture and color . Along with a handful of monuments (the Taj Mahal, Saint Mark's in Venice), the Parthenon is familiar from countless photographs long before one actually sees it. No photographs and no descriptions can prepare one for the unique golden glow of the Parthenon's columns.