Since it was first built as a Mycenaean fortress in the 13th century BC, the site now known as the Acropolis has been used to worship not only the Greek gods, but also the Virgin Mary and Allah in later times. Now, of course, its military and religious functions have passed, and it is left in ruins. Still, this is a very popular site, as evidenced by the crowds that captured it. Video above by Manuel Bravo. Most tourists who visit the Acropolis have the idea that in the distant past the building would have been more magnificent, but few people understand how to imagine it exactly. Bravo uses 3D models to integrate the current appearance of the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, and other buildings with the Golden Age of Athens.
To fully understand the Acropolis, Bravo emphasizes, we not only need to understand what it was originally intended to look like, but also the intentions of ancient Greek architecture. The approach up the hill was meant to feel like climbing from the profane world to the sacred.
Upon entering the upper central space, visitors were led to a viewpoint where the surrounding buildings were at their most dramatic. Had cinema existed at the time, the architects might have described this design as cinematic. Even in its dilapidated state, the Acropolis still tells its visitors how, where, and how much awe they were supposed to be and where they were supposed to look. And there’s nothing there — unless there’s at least a 30-foot statue of Phidias Athena Promakos — as intentionally attention-grabbing as the Parthenon.
As previously reported on Open Culture, if you take a trip to the Acropolis on your own, you’ll be able to see the Parthenon without scaffolding (or minimal scaffolding, depending on when you go) for the first time in 200 years. The lack of obstacles makes it easy to imagine the glory of this famous building when it was the temple of Athena and the treasury of Athens. But as Bravo says, if you really want to see the Parthenon as the ancients knew it, marble and all, you’ll have to make the trip to Nashville, Tennessee. There, a full-size replica was erected in 1897 for the city’s Centennial Exposition. It might seem a little strange to show up in a place known for country music and bachelorette parties in search of European architectural and perhaps spiritual underpinnings. But civilization has never followed a predictable direction.
Related content:
How the ancient Greeks built their magnificent temples: the art of ancient engineering
3D model reveals what the Parthenon and its interior looked like 2,500 years ago
Virtual Tour of Ancient Athens: Fly over the Glory of Classical Greek Civilization
The city of Nashville built a full-size replica of the Parthenon in 1897, and it still stands today.
How the world’s largest dome was built: The story of Filippo Brunelleschi and the Duomo of Florence
Take a high-definition guided tour of Pompeii
Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages and cultures. he is the author of the newsletter books about cities books as well Home page (I won’t summarize Korea) and korean newtro. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter. @Colinbemust.
Source: Open Culture – www.openculture.com
