Saturday, October 31, 2026Day 26/50
Port of Piraeus, Athens, Greece
70F, cloudy
TK and Janie at the Parthenon
The Island Princess arrived in
Piraeus about 7 a.m., and we immediately headed for our Princess tour bus to
see several significant sites in Athens.
Piraeus, known as an important Greek shipping port, is a suburb of Athens. As we traveled the seven miles through city
streets, Christina, our tour guide, started telling us interesting information.
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece, with a city proper population of about 643,000 and a wider metropolitan population of over 3 million people. It is one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, with a recorded history spanning over 3,400 years. It is known as the birthplace of democracy and western philosophy.
Athens is the home to ancient iconic
sites, most notably the Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon. It serves as the
primary economic, cultural, and political center of Greece and hosted the
Olympic Games in 1896 and 2004.
Christina also mentioned some other
facts while we were on the bus ride:
- English has over 45,000 Greek words!
- Greece includes 277 inhabited islands, 2000 islands overall
- 30% of the people make a living through tourism
- Agriculture is important, especially olives. Around 50-60% of Greek olive oil is exported, much of it historically shipped to Italy in bulk. Greece is consistently among the top three global producers, often ranking third after Spain and Italy.
- Greece mines gold, producing roughly 2.1 tons per year in recent years
- 90% of Greeks are Orthodox
Just one more: Christina mentioned Pentelic marble, a
famous white marble quarried from Mount Pentelicus near Athens and used
extensively in ancient Greek architecture.
The ancient quarry is protected by law and today is used exclusively for
the Acropolis Restoration Project. Pentelic
marble is known for its pure white color with a famous golden tinge caused by
iron particles within the stone. Over
20,000 tons of Pentelic marble were used in constructing the Parthenon.
Shortly after that, the Parthenon came into view. It is heart-stopping, perched on a hill, so proudly representing its former glory as a symbol of Greece.
First glimpse of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis
To do the
Parthenon justice, I felt the need to provide a brief history of the national
symbol of Greece. I can’t help myself.
First though, Christina
explained what the Acropolis is: “Acro” means highest point, and “polis” means
city-state. The Acropolis in Athens is a monumental ancient citadel on a rocky
hill above the city, best known for the Parthenon and its central role in
classical Greek civilization.
The Parthenon
began as a 5th‑century BCE temple to Athena on the Acropolis of Athens and has
since passed through phases as a church, mosque, ruin, and modern symbol of
Greek cultural heritage. It was
constructed during the leadership of Pericles, at the height of Athens’
political and cultural power.
Built as a Doric
temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the city’s patron deity, its purpose was
both religious and civic: to honor Athena and to display Athenian wealth and
artistic achievement.
Under Roman rule,
the Parthenon remained an active temple, but by the 5th century CE, as
Christianity spread through the empire, the Parthenon was converted into a
Christian church, first dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
During the
Byzantine period, the Parthenon became one of the most important churches in
Athens. After the Ottoman conquest in
the 15th century, it was transformed again—this time into a mosque, complete
with a minaret. Despite these changes,
the building remained largely intact until the late 17th century.
In 1687, during a
Venetian siege of Ottoman-held Athens, the Parthenon—used as a gunpowder
store—was struck by artillery fire. The resulting explosion destroyed much of
the roof and central structure. Many sculptures were damaged or lost.
In the early
1800s, large portion of the surviving sculptures were removed and transported
to Britain. Their removal remains a
major cultural and diplomatic controversy.
After Greece
gained independence, the Parthenon became a national symbol. Extensive
restoration efforts began in the 20th century and continue today, focusing on
stabilizing the structure and preserving remaining sculptures. It is now one of the world’s most recognized
monuments of classical architecture, symbolizing democracy, cultural
achievement, and Greek identity.
TK along with me
and about 40 others in our group trudged up the hill (Acropolis) about 50 miles
(we were told it was 150-200 stair steps to reach the Parthenon). The stairs and walkways in between are
marble, mostly no handrails, and it all started to be a bit overwhelming at one
point for someone who is not fond of heights. We made it!
Thank you for the history lesson. I needed a refresher on the Parthenon. I love that they built the hotel around the church.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting, so much history. Are there Israeli or IDF there on vacation and are they buying property like other parts of the Med and East, or do they have laws about foreign ownership? I like that they insist on keeping history alive.
ReplyDeleteAlmost forgot Happy Halloween, do they have trick or treat or a party on board?
ReplyDeleteAnother Starbucks!! Do they have cups for sale there to add to TK’s collection?
ReplyDeleteGood read while waiting for church to start.
Happy Halloween in whatever time zone you are in!!!