History of the Acropolis in Greece

Today we will travel back in time to one of humanity's greatest legacies the eternal symbol of ancient Greek civilization the city of Okhozabalassi in Ethan The Greek word "Okhozabalassi" means a city on a height And true to its name it stands proudly on a limestone cliff over 150 meters above sea level overlooking the entire bustling city of Ethan This is not just an architectural masterpiece but the heart and soul of Greece The history of Okhozabalassi dates back to ancient times during the Neolithic period thousands of years ago Archaeological remains show that people have lived here since the fourth millennium BCE However the true golden age of Okhozabalassi began in the fifth century BCE under the rule of Pezikun an Esitadisita a rhetorician and a great leader of Ethan After his resounding victory over the Persian forces Ethan entered a golden era Pezikun launched an ambitious project to transform Okhozabalassi from a defensive fortress into a magnificent religious and cultural center honoring the city's guardian goddess Dotothenu He gathered together the finest architects and artisans of the time such as Ethanessi Kanikozet and especially Fidesi who was regarded as the chief engineer of the entire project The first and most precious structure on the peak of Okhozabalassi is the Pathanan Temple which was started in 447 BCE This temple is a masterpiece of Doric architecture entirely built from pristine Pentelic marble Pathanan is not only a temple dedicated to the goddess Othinpatseni also known as Othinu but also a treasury the financial vault of the alliance Every detail of Pathanan is meticulously planned The architects used intricate optical illusions to create a perfect harmony For example the pillars are not completely vertical but slightly tilted inward and their middle parts are slightly bulging This makes the temple appear perfectly straight and solid when viewed from a distance Inside the temple once stood a colossal statue of the goddess Athena sculpted by Fidias made of gold and ivory reaching 12 meters in height This statue has unfortunately been lost to history In addition to Pathanan we cannot fail to mention the Virgil Barlier temple gate This is the official entrance A grand structure with towering columns and intricate lotus-patterned brackets creates a breathtaking impression for anyone who steps through The construction of Virgil Barlier was extremely complex because it had to adapt to the steep terrain of the rock formation Another striking structure is Denetian famous for its row of goddess columns Six graceful female statues standing upright use their heads to support the roof of the temple The statues you see today are copies while five of the six original statues are carefully preserved in the Akosha Palace Museum to prevent the erosion of time This temple was built on the most sacred site where it is believed the contest between Athena and Poseidon took place to become the city's patron And there is also the Athena Naki Temple a small elegant temple in the annik style located in the southwest wing of Akosha Palace In Greek "naki" means victory This temple was built to commemorate the military victories of the Etruscans Through thousands of years Akosha Palace has witnessed countless ups and downs of history It was once a royal palace a fortress a Christian church a Muslim mosque and even a gunpowder storehouse for the Cossack army It was the use of the building as a gunpowder store that led to a tragedy in 1687 In the battle against the Venasi a cannonball struck the Temple of Athena causing a terrible explosion that destroyed much of the temple's interior structure Then in the early 19th century Lord Elgin the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire had a large part of the sculptures from the Parthenon taken to Britain Today these works known as the Elgin Collection are on display at the British Museum in London and they remain a subject of ongoing diplomatic controversy between Greece and the United Kingdom Despite the destruction of time and war Urgozapalasi remains standing Since the mid-20th century the Greek government has implemented large-scale restoration projects to preserve this invaluable heritage Experts from around the world have used the most advanced technologies to reinforce restore and recreate lost parts striving to preserve the integrity and beauty of the structures Today Urgozapalasi is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world attracting millions of tourists each year In 1987 UNESCO recognized Urgozapalasi as a World Heritage Site affirming its global value Standing atop Urgozapalasi gazing at the towering stone pillars rising against the blue sky you are not only standing at the threshold of an architectural marvel but also touching the flow of history and feeling its spirit The intellect and vision of beauty of one of the most vibrant civilizations humanity has ever created Urgozapalasi is more than just a relic It is a vid lesson in history art architecture and mortuary science It is a testament to human's extraordinary creativity and an endless source of inspiration for future generations Thank you for joining us on this historic tour