Athens Holidays - National Library of Greece

The National Library of Greece (Greek: Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη) is situated near the center of city of Athens.

It was designed by the Danish architect Theophil Freiherr von Hansen, as part of his famous Trilogy

of neo-classical buildings including the Academy of Athens and the original building of the Athens University.

The original idea for establishing a National Library came from the philhellene Jacob Mayer, in an August 1824

article of his newspaper Greek Chronicles, published at Messolonghi, where Mayer had been struggling

alongside Lord Byron for Greece's independence. Mayer's idea was carried out in 1829 by the new Greek

government of John Kapodistrias, who grouped together the National Library with other intellectual institutions

such as schools, national museums, and printing houses. These were all placed in the Orphanage of Aegina,

under the supervision of Andreas Moustoksidis, who thus became president of the committee of the

Orphanage, director of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, and director of the National School.

At the end of 1830, the library, which Moustokaidis called the National Library, held 1,018 volumes of

printed books, which had been collected from Greeks and philhellenes. In 1834, the Library moved to

Athens, the new capital, and was at first temporarily housed in the public bath at the Roman Market and

then later in the Church of St. Eleftherios, next to the Cathedral and other important buildings.

The collection grew rapidly. In addition to the purchase of books from private libraries, carried out under the

supervision of Dimitris Postolakas (1,995 volumes), the Library accepted many large donations of books,

like one from Christoforos and Konstantinos Sakellarios (5,400 volumes) and one from Markos Renieris (3,401 volumes).

In 1842, the Public Library merged with the Athens University library (15,000 volumes), and was housed together

with the currency collection at the new building of Otto's University. George Kozakis-Typaldos was appointed

as the first director of the newly enlarged institution, remaining in his post until 1863. At this time, the Library

was enriched with significant donations and with rare foreign language books from all over Europe.

With the royal charter of 1866, the two libraries merged, and were administered as the "National Library of Greece".

On 16 March 1888 the foundation stone for a neoclassical marble building was laid, financed by three Kefallonian-born

brothers of the Diaspora, Panagis, Marinos and Andreas Vallianos. The Library remained in the University building

until 1903, when it was moved to the new building which was designed by Theophil Hansen and supervised by Ernst Ziller.

Today, the Library is still housed at the Vallianos building, as well as at two other buildings, at Agia Paraskevi

and Nea Halkidona. The valuable collections of their combined materials represent the written Greek cultural treasure.

(Information from Wekipedia)

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The National National Library of Greece, one of Theophil Hansen's "Trilogy" in central Athens.

Athens Holidays - University of Athens

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greek: Εθνικόν και Καποδιστριακόν Πανεπιστήμιον Αθηνών),

usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in Southeast Europe[citation needed]

and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837.

Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece, with more than fifty

thousand undergraduate students. In 2010, according to University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP),

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is the best university in Greece and 171th university in the world.

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was founded on May 3, 1837, and was housed in the

residence of architect Stamatis Kleanthes, on the north east side of the Acropolis. It was the first University

not only in the newly established Greek State but in all the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean in general.

Before it was renamed to honour Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first head of state of independent modern Greece,

the university was known as the Othonian University and consisted of four faculties; theology, law, medicine

and arts (which included applied sciences and mathematics). It had 33 professors, 52 students and 75 non-

matriculated “auditors”. In November 1841, classes began in a new building designed by the Danish architect

Christian Hansen. “The Propylaea” was designed by Hansen younger brother, Theophil Hansen in 1859 but

the building project was not completed until 1885.

A major change in the structure of the University came about in 1904, when the faculty of Arts was split into

two separate faculties: that of Arts and that of Sciences, the latter consisting of the departments of Physics

and Mathematics and the School of Pharmacy. In 1919, a department of chemistry was added, and in 1922

the School of Pharmacy was renamed a Department. A further change came about when the School of

Dentistry was added to the faculty of medicine.

In this first and “heroic” period for Greek education, the university faculty made great efforts to fill the gap

between their newly founded institution and older ones in other countries.

Between 1895 and 1911, an average of one thousand new students entered the faculties each year, a figure

which rose to two thousand at the end of World War I. This led to the decision to introduce entrance

examinations for all the faculties, beginning in the academic year 1927-28. Since 1954 the number of

students admitted each year has been fixed by the Ministry of Education and Religion, on the proposal of the faculties.

In the 1960s construction work began on the University Campus in the suburb of Ilissia.

The Ilissia campus now houses the Schools of Philosophy, Theology and Sciences.

(Information from Wekipedia)

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The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, one of Theophil Hansen's "Trilogy" in central Athens.

Athens Holidays - Modern Academy of Athens

The Academy of Athens (Greek: Ακαδημία Αθηνών) is Greece's national academy,

and the highest research establishment in the country. It was established in 1926,

and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education.

The Academy's main building is one of the major landmarks of Athens.

The organization of the Academy of Athens, whose title hearkens back to the ancient Academy of Plato,

was first established on 18 March 1926, and its charter was ratified by the law.

This charter, with subsequent amendments, is still valid and governs the Academy's affairs.

According to it, the Academy is divided into three Orders:

Natural Sciences, Letters and Arts, Moral and Political Sciences.

The main building of the Academy is a neoclassical building between Panepistimiou Street and Akadimias Street

in the centre of Athens. The building was designed as part of an architectural "trilogy" in 1859 by the Danish

architect Theophil Hansen, along with the University and the National Library.

Funds had been provided by the magnate Simon Sinas specifically for the purpose, and the foundation stone was

laid on 2 August 1859. Construction proceeded rapidly, after 1861 under the supervision of Ernst Ziller,

but the internal tumults during the latter years of King Otto's reign, which resulted in his ousting in 1862,

hampered construction until it was stopped in 1864. Works resumed in 1868, but the building was not completed

until 1885, at a total cost of 2,843,319 gold drachmas, most of it provided by Sinas, and, after his death,

by his wife Ifigeneia. The sculptures were undertaken by the Greek Leonidas Drosis, while the murals

and paintings by the Austrian Christian Griepenkerl.

On 20 March 1887, the building of the "Sinaean Academy", as it was called, was delivered by Ziller to the Greek

Prime Minister, Charilaos Trikoupis. In the absence of a national Academy, the building was used for housing

the Numismatic Museum in 1890, and in 1914 the Byzantine Museum and the State Archives. Finally, on 24 March 1926,

the building was handed over to the newly-established Academy of Athens.

(Information from Wekipedia)

 

 

 

 

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The main building of the Academy of Athens, one of Theophil Hansen's "Trilogy" in central Athens.

Athens Holidays - The Acropolis (Part IV)

我在雅典衛城拍了很多照片。我很高興能夠和你們分享這一神秘的地方。

文化意義

每四年雅典人便會舉行泛雅典娜節，其與奧林匹克運動會的重要度相約。

在節日期間會有一隊隊伍由雅典城向衛城前進，

並進入巴特農神殿(在巴特農神殿的帶狀雕刻裡有描述)。

而雅典人會將佩潑洛斯女裝放在菲迪亞斯的巨大象牙與黃金雅典娜雕像上。

美術與建築

雅典衛城入口被稱為衛城山門。在衛城山門右方有著細小的勝利女神雅典娜神殿。

而由菲迪亞斯雕塑的雅典娜銅像，

原來是站在山門正中。在衛城正中為巴特農神殿(即純潔的雅典娜神殿)。

 在山門左方為厄瑞克忒翁廟與女像柱。城外亦有著劇場，稱為酒神劇場。(資料來自維基百科)

 

 

I took many photos at the Acropoli in Athens.

I am very pleased to be able to share this mythical place with you.

Archaeological remains

The entrance to the Acropolis was a monumental gateway called the Propylaea.

To the south of the entrance is the tiny Temple of Athena Nike.

A bronze statue of Athena, sculpted by Phidias,

originally stood at its centre. At the centre of the Acropolis is the Parthenon or Temple of Athena Parthenos

(Athena the Virgin). East of the entrance and north of the Parthenon is the temple known as the Erechtheum.

South of the platform that forms the top of the Acropolis there are also the remains of an outdoor theatre called

Theatre of Dionysus. A few hundred metres away, there is the now partially reconstructed Theatre of Herodes Atticus.

All the valuable ancient artifacts are situated in the Acropolis Museum, which resides on the southern

slope of the same rock, 280 metres from the Parthenon. (Information from Wekipedia)

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The Acropolis

雅典衛城

Athens Holidays - The Acropolis (Part III)

我在雅典衛城（Acropolis）的第一個感覺就是很像龐貝古城，

都有著悠久的歷史，這裡甚至有更多的故事和傳說。

黑暗時代

雅典衛城的東南角，由奧林匹亞宙斯神殿望至。雅典衛城看來並沒有像其他邁錫尼宮殿般受到暴力破壞，

而且亦沒有曾被放火或大規模毀壞的痕跡，這是經由當時的文物推測而得。這與雅典人傳說裡此地成功抵

擋多利安人的入侵的論調吻合。現在無法得知上古時這裡的岩石建築是甚麼模樣的，不過仍可得知此地曾

被塞隆人在起義裡攻佔，並兩度被庇西特拉圖佔據，以奪取政權。而具有九門的城牆則像是在城的西北角

最大的水源處興建。庇西特拉圖在城的西南方，環城附近，建立了阿爾特蜜斯神殿，因為這是其家鄉的宗教。

When I was in the Acropolis the first feeling is like Pompeii,

both have a long history and here even have more stories and legends.

The Dark Ages

There is no conclusive evidence for the existence of a Mycenean palace on top of the Athenian Acropolis.

However, if there was such a palace, it seems to have been transplanted by later building activity on the Acropolis.

Not much is known as to the architectural appearance of the Acropolis until the archaic era.

In the 7th and the 6th centuries BC the site was taken over by Kylon during the failed Kylonian revolt,

and twice by Pisistratus: all attempts directed at seizing political power by coups d' etat. Nevertheless it seems that

a nine-gate wall, the Enneapylon, had been built around the biggest water spring, the "Clepsydra", at the northwestern foot.

 

 

 

 

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巴特農神殿

The Parthenon

Athens Holidays - The Acropolis (Part II)

我在雅典衛城(Acropolis)參觀了很久, 一方面欣賞這些難得一見的古建築, 另一方面希望拍到理想的照片。

早上和下午的光源變化可以令照片截言不同, 要拍到一些有氣氛的照片, 有時需要到同一地點來回拍攝幾次,

當陽光照射在建築物上所發出的金光, 會令本來藍色的天空變成深藍色。

所以鏡頭下的影像會比眼晴看到的更多更漂亮, 這就是攝影的樂趣!

衛城由阿提卡的平原延伸至陡峭的懸崖上，三面被懸崖包圍。人們只可由西面步行上去，

在該處有一較低的山脊連接至阿雷奧帕古斯山。其由藍灰色的石灰石建成，

因此其十分堅硬但卻可被水份滲透。其表面由片岩、沙岩與石灰泥組成，較石灰石軟身但可防水滲透。

此種建法已為噴水井提供了良好的環境，而且在山腳有遮蔽的洞穴，雅典衛城看來並沒有像

其他邁錫尼宮殿般受到暴力破壞，而且亦沒有曾被放火或大規模毀壞的痕跡，這是經由當時的文物推測而得。

這與雅典人傳說裡此地成功抵擋多利安人的入侵的論調吻合。現在無法得知上古時這裡的岩石建築是甚麼模樣的，

不過仍可得知此地曾被塞隆人在起義裡攻佔，並兩度被庇西特拉圖佔據，以奪取政權。而具有九門的

城牆則像是在城的西北角最大的水源處興建。庇西特拉圖在城的西南方，環城附近，建立了阿爾特蜜斯神殿，

因為這是其家鄉的宗教。這樣便有了水源，所以人們通常環繞著其居住。

該處最早的古代文物來自中期新石器時代，但很多文獻記載著早在早期新石器時代，阿提卡附近便有人居住(前6000年)。

當進入青銅時代後，邁錫尼的邁卡隆被建在山丘的頂部，為邁錫尼君主居住地，其家人、護衛、信徒、工匠與平民百姓

均居住在此。這個城市被厚硬的巨石牆所包圍。(其有兩層矮牆以巨石製造並灌以水泥，其城門亦非正常排列，

便得矮牆與箭塔可以對右方的入侵者進行攻擊。)在當時有一場大地震衛城的東北角裂開了，結果水份可以被該處土地吸收。

人們精心製作了一組梯級並在該處開井，在邁錫尼時代，這是受到保護的水源，
並且在城市被包圍時起重要作用，提供了寶貴的食水。(資料來自維基百科)

I stayed at the Acropolis for a very long time.  On the one hand, I wanted to appreciate these

rare ancient buildings but on the other hand, I wanted to shoot some good pictures.

The differences of light in the morning and afternoon can produce totally different results.

To get the right mood, sometimes requires you to go back and forth several times in the same location.

This allows you to get the right amount of light to produce the picture that you want,

as the suns golden rays reflect off the buildings. They will also turn a blue sky into a darker richer blue.

That's why the images created under the watchful eye of the lens are more beautiful than

the images we see through our eyes. This is the fun of photography!

While the earliest artifacts date to the Middle Neolithic era, there have been documented habitations in Attica from

the Early Neolithic (6th millennium BC). There is little doubt that a Mycenaean megaron stood upon the hill during

the late Bronze Age.[citation needed] Nothing of this megaron survives except, probably, a single limestone column-base

and pieces of several sandstone steps. Soon after the palace was built a Cyclopean massive circuit wall was built,

760 meters long, up to 10 meters high, and ranging from 3.5 to 6 meters thick. This wall would serve as the main defense

for the acropolis until the 5th century. The wall consisted of two parapets built with large stone blocks and cemented

with an earth mortar called emplekton (Greek: ἔμπλεκτον). The wall follows typical Mycenaean convention in that

it followed the natural contour of the terrain and its gate was arranged obliquely, with a parapet and tower overhanging

the incomers' right-hand side, thus facilitating defense. There were two lesser approaches up the hill on its north side,

consisting of steep, narrow flights of steps cut in the rock. Homer is assumed to refer to this fortification when he

mentions the "strong-built House of Erechtheus" (Odyssey 7.81). At some point before the 13th century an earthquake caused

a fissure near the northeastern edge of the acropolis. This fissure extended some thirty five meters to a bed of soft marl

in which a well was dug. An elaborate set of stairs was built and the well was used as a protected source of drinking

water during some portion of the Mycenaean period, as it was invaluable in times of siege. (Information from Wekipedia)

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雅典衛城上的神殿

The temple in the Acropolis

Athens Holidays - The Acropolis (Part I)

去年的聖誕假期我又去了一個期待已久的旅遊目的地 - 希臘雅典

我住的酒店就在雅典的明勝雅典衛城(Acropolis)附近, 所以就成為我第一個參觀的地方。

雅典衛城（Ακρόπολη）位於希臘首都雅典，是最著名的衛城（頂端城市）之一。

雅典衛城於2007年3月26日被正式宣布為歐洲首要的文化遺產名錄古蹟。

衛城是由平頂岩構成，位於海拔150米（512 英呎）。其亦被命名為西哥羅佩（Cecropia），

以紀念常被描繪為半人半蛇的怪物的雅典首任國王凱克洛普斯（Kekrops或Cecrops）。(資料來自維基百科)

雅典衛城上築有巴特農神殿(Parthenon), 請大家先欣賞部份照片, 往後我會慢慢介紹這個歷史衛城。

I went to a long-awaited destination - Athens, Greece in last year's Christmas holiday.

I live in the hotel nearby the Acropolis, so it was my first place to visit in Athens.

The Acropolis of Athens or Citadel of Athens is the best known acropolis in the world.

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 that 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,

Cecrops, the first Athenian king. (Information from Wekipedia)

On the top of Acropolis is the Parthenon, please enjoy the first part of the photos,

next I will slowly introduce the history of the Acropolis.

 

 

 

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巴特農神殿

The Parthenon