Page 204 - Acropolis News Today

Number one tourist attraction, and pre—pandemic over 3.5 million people climbed to the top each year. one good thing to come out of the lockdowns was there was finally the time and the space to make the site more accessible to those with mobility issues. i have just seen the sign for the disabled entrance, i think. yes. you know what, it is still a mission to get up here. i can see why the ancient greeks were so fit 7 you have to be a god to get up this ramp. lets do it! which way am i going? ...

Hera, aphrodite and so on. and between them they had hephaestus, a very hard working metalsmith, a very powerful god, and he was lame. that is incredible, disabled gods all gods with disabilities. im learning so many things, this is amazing. im also told that accessibility at the acropolis is not a new thing. even in the archaic period, that means sixth century bc, there were ramps leading up to the temple of athena, not the parthenon, because the parthenon did not exist until the fifth century....

For the brand—new lift, built to comfortably accommodate two wheelchairs at a time. but not everyone sees it as an improvement — with some critics calling it a modernist eyesore. well, i think it beats climbing flights of steps any day of the week. this is all right. look at this view. this isjust... i mean, this is an extra part of the trip. this is a part that only we get. all the other good old—fashioned two—leggers have to go up the stairs! and this is what im talking about. afterjus...

About the concrete slabs being laid down, saying that it is hiding the original features of the acropolis and even wounding the stone here. but ive been told that these slabs can be raised and you would still have the original features. and, actually, look — this is some of the original stone and it is smooth anyway. rival historians claim the work carried out is a means to get more tourists to visit and is disrespectful to the sites diverse past. im heading down to the acropolis museum to mee...

Athens open—air amphitheatres are a really special place to go and see a concert or play. patti smith and diana krall are both appearing this summer at the odeon herodes atticus at the foot of the acropolis. if youre a fan of the classics, plays by aeschylus, sophocles and euripides are on at the ancient theatre of epidaurus, with full english subtitles. i think ill need �*em! many visitors pass through the vast and ancient piraeus port on their way to the greek islands. while youre there, c...

And using the acropolis new accessible paths, i get to experience all of this. the acropolis has a long history, and over its time its been used as a fortress, a mosque, and its even been blown up. but its headliner has got to be the parthenon — a temple dedicated to the ancient greek goddess athena, who gave the city of athens its name. wow! i have never been so happy to see concrete. that is amazing. ive actually been here before, and the last time i was here this was all rough and gravelly ...

A long history. and over its time it has been used as a fortress, a mosque, and its even been blown up. but its headliner has got to be the parthenon, a temple dedicated to the ancient greek goddess athena, who gave the city of athens its name. wow! i have never been so happy to see concrete. that is amazing. i have actually been here before, and the last time i was here this was all rough and gravelly and really hard to push along, but now i get to experience the acropolis and i get this wonder...

Been used as a fortress, a mosque, and its even been blown up. but its headliner has got to be the parthenon — a temple dedicated to the ancient greek goddess athena, who gave the city of athens its name. wow! i have never been so happy to see concrete. that is amazing. ive actually been here before, and the last time i was here this was all rough and gravelly and really hard to push along. but now i get to experience the acropolis, and i get this wonderful view of the parthenon. this is brill...

Of the cats of athens. if youve ever visited greece, then theres a good chance a feline friend has made a cameo appearance in your trip outside a taverna or at an ancient ruin. these guys are everywhere. ps—ps—ps. shes so cute! im meeting sam beaker, a volunteer at athens—based cat charity nine lives. we are a team, nine lives, and we feed every day here in acropolis and in many other places around the centre of athens. wow. i mean, thats a big job. there are many, many cats in athens. yes...

Remember when i said it was a 15—minute hike up some stairs to get to the acropolis? those are the stairs im talking about. wow! id never make it up there. hello. but help is at hand. all i have to do is catch my breath and admire the scenery, as i wait for the brand—new lift, built to comfortably accommodate two wheelchairs at a time. but not everyone sees it as an improvement — with some critics calling it a modernist eyesore. well, i think it beats climbing flights of steps any day of t...