|
by Jim Krumm
Click here to go to the Computer Science Department Home Page for Casper College at caspercomsci.com.
|
|
This map of Greece is an interactive map. As you move across the state with your mouse, links will appear to images relating to these areas. Have fun looking around!
The official name of Greece is the Hellenic Republic. The country of Greece has a population of about 11 million people, of which a third live in or near Athens. Greece is comprised of 6000 islands of which only 227 have people living on them. About 75% of Greece is covered by mountains. It is considered to be the most mountainous country in Europe. Greece borders on Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. It has been a member of the European Economic Union since 1981. Greek per capita earning is 85% of the EU average, ranking 12th out of the 13 major western European countries, followed by Portugal. Average per capita earning is $22,000 per year. Greece occupies 132,000 square kilometers (51,000 square miles) or is about half the size of Wyoming. The highest mountain in Greece is Mt. Olympus which is 2,919 meters (9,750 feet) high. Historically Greece has made a tremendous contribution on Western Civilization in art, culture, mathematics, science, philosophy, and political beliefs.
In recent times, Greece became an independent country when it declared independence from Turkey on March 25, 1821 which started the War of Independence. War has broken out repeatedly between Greece and Turkey since then, most notably in World War I when Turkey sided with Germany and Austria, and Greece with England, France, and America. Greece was occupied by the Italians and Germans during World War II and hundreds of thousands of her citizens died. Immediately following WWII the Greek Civil War lasted until 1949 in which procommunist forces were defeated. In 1967, King Constantine II was deposed and replaced by the military which began the reign of Colonels. Democracy was established in Greece in 1975.
Athens
Athens is the capital and heart of Greece. It is named after the warrior goddess Athena, though the Greeks call the city Athina. Athens is at least 3,500 years old and it has a population of around 3.2 million. The city winds around a basin bounded by low mountains and the sea. Throughout the city rooftops and balconies are filled with plants. Large solar water heaters glisten on rooftops all over the city in the sunlight. The Acropolis, and within it the Parthenon are the most well known landmarks in Athens. The high mound of the Acropolis can be seen throughout the city and is a constant reminder of Athens's past. In antiquity, Athens was the greatest of all the Greek City States. Athens is known as the birthplace of democracy and the ideals which guide western civilization. Athens also produced the great philosophers Socrates and Plato. The city is richly vibrant, with the old contrasting the new everywhere. Traffic in Athens is not for the faint hearted with motorcyclists flying between cars caught in congested traffic and a 'cross the street at your own risk' attitude directed at pedestrians. Fortunately, Athens has a modern mass transit system which includes a subway and bus system. Athens was the first city to host the Olympic games when the games resumed in 1896, and hosted them again more recently in 2004. Athens is one of the leading shipping and business centers in Europe. Athens enjoys a very warm climate most of the year and may hit temperatures as high as 113°F in the summer. In contrast, on rare occasion, Athens may see snow in the winter.
Acropolis
The word Acropolis means high city. Pericles is responsible for much of the building on the Acropolis in the 5th century B.C. The Acropolis was a place of worship to the ancient Athenians. The Propylaia served as an entrance to the Acropolis and was built between 437 to 432 B.C. by Mnesikles. The Parthenon was a temple which housed a 40 foot tall statue of the goddess Athena made by Pheidas of Ivory and gold and took nine years to finish. The name Parthenon means where the maiden dwells. The roof of the Parthenon used wooden rafters which supported marble tiles. Building of the Parthenon began in 447 B.C. The Parthenon is 30 meters wide and 70 meters long (100 feet by 230 feet.) The Erechtheion was built from 426 to 421 B.C. to celebrate victory in the war against Persia. This is the spot that ancient Athenians believed they could see where Athena grew an olive tree and Poseidon put the tip of his trident into the rocks. Today to protect the temples from damage, access in the temples is no longer allowed. The Theater of Dionysus is said to be the place where Greek tragedy began. It was enlarged by the Romans to seat 17,000 spectators. The Theater of Heodes Atticus was built by the Romans from 161 A.D. to 174 A.D. and could seat 5,000 people.
National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The National Archaeological Museum has a wonderful collection of ancient Greek art from across Greece including sculpture, relief, pottery, weaponry, and jewelry. Work on construction of the museum began in 1866. The Museum is located at 44, Patission Str. - 106 82 in Athens. Summer hours are Mondays 1:00 to 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Full admission is 7 Euros, or 3 Euros if you are a student from outside of Greece. Within the museum there are portions of the museum dedicated to Cycladic, Mycenaean, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Art. It is the finest Art Museum of Ancient Greek Art in Greece. It is also ranked as one of the top 10 museums in the world. The most remarkable thing about the museum is that many of the faces on the sculptures and the relief's are so real that they seem to look at you through time. Undoubtedly they were modeled after real people. The museum is a place that visitors who appreciate antiquities must see. Among the most memorable pieces in the museum are Agamemnon's Mask, Poseidon, Horse with a little Jockey, and Aphrodite and Pan.
Corinth
Corinth is 48 miles to the west of Athens and lays in a narrow strip of land which connects the Peloponnesian Peninsula to Mainland Greece. The city has existed since 6000 B.C. Here both the Mycenaens and then Dorian's once lived. Corinth in ancient times exported pottery to other cities through Greece. The Corinthian style of Architecture originated from here. This style is more ornate than the Doric and Ionic styles, and can be seen particularly in Corinthian columns. Corinth is also known for the Corinthian Helmets. The city had both a port on the north to the Corinthian Gulf and one on the south to the Saronic Gulf. Corinth successfully fought on the side of Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian War, only to fight against Sparta at the end of the War in the Corinthian War. By this time, all of Greece was so weak that the Macedonians under King Philip were able to invade Corinth and the rest of Greece. Corinth was destroyed and everyone in the city killed by the Romans in 146 BC. The Romans later re-established the city as a place to live for free Roman Citizens. The apostle Paul lived here for a year and Corinth was where Paul wrote both the books of Romans and Corinthians in the new Testament. The ruins of a huge medieval fortress lie on the mountain above Corinth called the Acrocorinth. A nearby canal, begun by the Romans, connects both the Corinthian Gulf and the Saronic Gulf, in a place where the distance between the two gulfs is only 4 miles wide. In 1858, a severe earthquake destroyed the ancient city of Corinth. The Corinth Archeological Museum, though small, is excellent. The pictures above are taken from this museum. Contained in the museum is Greek art, statues, armor, and pottery, including a wonderful collection of column types. The museum is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Mycenae
Mycenae, is not far from Corinth on the Peloponnesian Peninsula and dates back to at least 2100 B.C. In the ancient past, Mycenae was one of the most important cities of Greece. It's importance was so great that the period from 1600 B.C. to 1100 B.C. was called the Mycenaean Period for all of Greece. The natural fortification provided by the mountains along with the massive walls must have made the fortress of Mycenae very formidable in ancient times. People once thought that the massive blocks of rock in the walls of Mycenae could have only been put there by giants. Mycenae was in trade with ancient Egypt, and was known to have established colonies in ancient Turkey. In legend, Persius is said to have founded Mycenae. The Iliad and the Odyssey were written during the Mycenaean period. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Mycenaean King Agamemnon is described as the high King of the Greeks in the legendary Trojan War. Following the 10 year Trojan War the victorious Agamemnon returned to Mycenae only to be murdered by his wife. In the National Archeological Museum of Athens an exhibit of artifacts unearthed from Mycenae are believed to be from Agamemnon's tomb, including Agamemnon's Death Mask. Today Mycenae is surrounded by orchards of olive trees and fields where goats graze. There is a small museum at the site, and its hours are Tuesday to Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Also noteworthy, just a few kilometers away is the famous Beehive Tomb, one of several in Greece. The structure is in the shape of a beehive and stands at least 50 feet high. It is a marvel of ancient engineering with its inward sloping walls crafted from huge stones all built inside of a hill. The Beehive tomb also has a impressive exterior entrance.
Epidaurus
 Corinthian Column at Epidaurus |
 The Theater of Epidaurus |
 The Theater of Epidaurus |
 The Theater of Epidaurus |
Epidaurus was a site of the Theater of Epidaurus. In ancient times theater was extremely important to the Greeks, not just for entertainment purposes but where also a means to instruct the public. It was a responsibility for ancient citizens to attend the performances. Of course later, theater in Roman times became an entertainment tool for the masses, used generate good will. In ancient times Epidaurus was believed to be one of the most important places for healing in the World. The ancients believed the gods would tell people here what they had to do to heal themselves. The revenue gain by visitors flocking here to be healed helped raise money for the building of the Theater. The theater which is renowned for its acoustics, was built in the 5th century B.C. To this day if a person claps his hands at the center of the theater the clapping can be heard easily throughout the theater. This theater is best surviving Greek theater in the world and it is seen as an honor to stand in the center of the theater and make a presentation. Throughout the summer, visitors come for this very purpose. As with all of Greek theaters, Epidaurus is built into the side of a hill. This is as opposed to typical Roman theaters which were freestanding. The original Greek Theater of Epidaurus was expanded by the Romans to seat from 12,000 to 14,000 spectators.
Sparta
Ancient Sparta was renowned for its military prowess, the absolute sense of duty and discipline with which it's citizens served in the military, and the society's disdain for earthly comfort. Sparta's had contempt for all foreigners. Children were selected for the military at the age of 7. Children that suffered from "defects" were taken into a cave in the mountains on the road shown above by their mothers and left to die. The spot is marked. Spartans were said to have come from the north and were very blond. Surprisingly, the city of Sparta had no fortifications. Further, because elaborate buildings and temples were also not valued in this society, not much remains of Sparta. Just outside of Sparta is the beautiful Byzantine complex of Mystras built high into the cliffs of the mountains. Mystras lies just outside Sparta and was established by the Franks to replace the old city of Sparta in the 13th century. However, it soon switched from Catholic to Byzantine. In the 15th century, Mystras was the last remaining Byzantine center of culture. Within Mystras, Vronontocton was the most important place to the Byzantines. The Despot's Palace was built by the Franks about 1348. The mountains to the West of Mystras and Sparta are a wild ride on the narrow military road cut through the mountains. In a picture above, the army found it impossible to build a tunnel through the mountain, so they cut a side notch out of the granite for the road to pass through. The notch is so low that busses have to be careful passing through. The mountains here are magnificent.
Pyrgos Dirou Caves
The Pyrgos Dirou Caves are located in at the southern tip of Peloponnesian Peninsula. The cavern is very extensive and filled with sea water. The best way to see the cavern is to take a boat through it. Passage in a boat is a real adventure. In most places the cavern is so narrow that it is impossible to row, instead, the boatmen push the boat along off on the bottom, sides, and top of the cave. Inside the cave is a lake and waterfalls. The cave is incredibly deep in a few places and extreme caution must be taken in a boat. Everyone is required to wear life vests and not put their hands outside the boat. Even so, you must watch your head not to hit the sides of the cave in the boat. The caves are brightly colored and filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Almost as dramatic as the cave itself is the beautiful bay here surrounded by soaring cliffs and mountains all around. This spot is breathtaking.
Olympia
Ancient Olympia was established around 3000 B.C. and the first recorded games held here occurred in 776 B.C. Events included running, wrestling, boxing, horsemanship, and a pentathlon consisting of long jumping, sprints, the discus throw, the javelin throw, and wrestling. Theodosius I banned the games in 393 A.D. because the event was seen to be too pagan. The Temple of Zeus is done in the Doric style and dates back to 470 B.C. The statue of Zeus that once stood inside was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Today the columns of the temple of Zeus lay toppled in stacks as though they were dominos. The hole in their center of each column piece held a bronze fitting which was used to align the columns. The Archaeological Museum of Olympia is excellent, and has one of the best collections of terra cottas, bronzes, statues, and weaponry in Greece, outside of Athens. The museum is open in the summer on Mondays 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The pediment of the Temple of Zeus is done in the "austere style" and dates back to the 5th century B.C. It is one of the finest surviving ancient Greek pediments in the world. The pedestal above has an interesting story. People found guilty of cheating at the games were forced buy a statue of themselves and place it upon a pedestal engraved their names and the names of everyone in their family on it. The statue was then placed just before the arena to discourage cheating. Judging by the number of pedestals erected here, a fair number of athletes tried to cheat anyway. As can be seen from the image of the stadium above, Greek stadiums never held seats for the spectators, whereas Roman stadiums did.
Patra
The third largest city in Greece is Patra, situated near the narrows separating the Corinthian Gulf from the Ionian Sea. Several pictures above look out west across the Ionian sea showing mountains rising from the sea in the distance. Seeing mountains rising out of the Sea is a fairly common site along the coastline throughout Greece. The stunning Basilica of Agios Andreas is said to mark the spot where St. Andrew was put to death. The Basilica stores the scull and bones of St. Andrew. The Basilica of Agios Andreas is stunning in its architecture and is beautifully adorned inside in Byzantine frescos, ornaments, and icons. Particularly beautiful is the Christ portrait in the dome of the Basilica.
Delphi
Delphi was believed by the ancients to be the place where Apollo lived. In ancient mythology, Zeus took two eagles and let go of them on the other side of the world. They raced around the world in opposite directions and finally met at Delphi. This made Delphi the center of the world. Large icon marble eggs called Omphalos, representing Delphi's mystic centrality, were kept in the temple of Apollo. People used to come here from throughout the known world to with questions they wanted ask the gods. They posed their questions to a priestess acting in a trance in behalf of Apollo. Sulfurous gasses were know to have escaped from the area, which may have accounted for the trance. The actions of the priestess, were often very hard to comprehend, and required a priest to interpret. In particular, the oracle was used to predict the sex of the unborn. The Theater at Delphi was built in 500 B.C. and could handle 5,000 spectators. Above the theater, a Greek Stadium, later transformed into a Roman stadium, is one of the best preserved Roman stadiums in Greece. The sudden appearance of the stadium is a shock to the person who climbs up the hillside as it seems that nothing so massive could be built in this rugged location. After Olympia, the games held here were the second most important to be held in Greece. The Stadium held 7,000 spectators. Delphi to some is said to be magical. Lord Byron, the British Poet, claimed he had a mystical connection to Delphi and as a result chose this spot to live. The Delphi Museum here is very good. In particular, the Charioteer is magnificent. The Charioteer which dates to 470 B.C. is made of bronze and is hollow was welded together by the ancient Greeks. Another nice piece are the relief's from the Treasury of the Siphnian's, particularly the Lion Attacking the Giant . The Naxian Sphinx, dates back to 560 B.C. (refer to the images above). It once stood on a 10 meter high column. I also liked the flying sirens which were said to have lured sailors in from sea with their sweet singling only to kill and eat them. Sirens are present in almost all the ancient Greek sites. Strangely enough, given their sinister reputation, the siren's look like angels.
Meteora
The huge sandstone bluffs around Meteora began to be used by Christian monks in 985 A.D. when a hermit monk Barnabas sought solitude in a cave there. However, it is said that hermits inhabited the area even before Christ. Meteora is in central Greece in the region known as Thessaly. The area was known as the land of “the rock forests.” Other hermit monks followed, joining together only on Sundays when they would climb down the pinnacles to attend mass at Doupiani. No one knows for sure how the first monks climbed to the top of the pinnacles but current theories include that the monks drove wooden posts into holes in the cliff faces and climbed up them, or perhaps even flew kites over the tops of the rocks with string tethered to ropes far below which were then pulled up and over the rocks.
In the mid 14th century, three monks, Athanasius, Moses and Gregory left the monastery of Iviron on the West Coast of Greece and moving to Meteora and lived on top of one of the rocks there called Stylos in a small building. They probably left the previous town they lived in because of raids by Turkish Pirates. Athanasius built a small community of monks in a cave on Platys Lithos which became the monastery of Megalo Meteromonesteries, otherwise known as the Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron in about 1382. A church was constructed in this monastery to honor the transfiguration called Katholikon. Symeon Uros, a Greco-Serbian ruler donated money for Athanasius to expand the monastery. The son of Symeon Uros, John Uros later took the name Iosaph, became a monk at the monastery and ran the monastery after death of Athanasius. Iosaph, as Athanasius before him, expanded the monastery.
A total of 24 monasteries were built high atop local pinnacles. Some of the more important monasteries included the Holy Monastery of Varlaam constructed around 1541, the Holy Monastery of St Nicholas Anapausas constructed early in the 16th century, the Holy Monastery of St. Stephen built in the mid 16th century, and the Monastery of the Holy Trinity built 1475. However, the original The Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron continued to be the most influential monastery, largely because it was well supported with royal donations. In the 16th century this monastery alone housed 300 monks.
The entire area came to be known as Meteora which means refers to a rock suspended in mid air. The monks of the monasteries were self sufficient and would come down the rocks and work in the fields, or tend cattle in the fields below. To do so they were often lowered in nets or went down ladders that could be to taken back up.
The Meteora region of Thessaly fell under Turkish occupation in the late 14th century. The monasteries served as a refuge from the Ottomans. During this occupation there was a lot of lawlessness, and the monasteries served well as a refuge from the troubles below. The monks in the monasteries helped keep Greek culture, art, and the Greek Orthodox religion alive during the occupation largely through their teachings and by maintaining their libraries of manuscripts.
Greek resistance fighters, call klephts, also used this area. The Klephts helped win independence from the Turks in the 19th century. In the 20th century, the Germans and the Italians looted the monasteries, adding to the general decline. Today only 6 monasteries remain in Meteora as working monasteries, though even those abandoned are being restored and paintings are being conserved. Interestingly, because the monasteries of Meteora have become a popular tourist destination, monks seeking to join monasteries now travel to other monasteries such as at Mt. Athos and tend to avoid Meteora. In the 11th century it is estimated there were 150,000 Byzantine monks in the world. Today there are at most 3,000.
A delight here is to listen to the pilgrims chant. The songs they sing, in my case a group of Russian Pilgrams, in the setting of the monasteries high atop the the towers sounds quite literally, as though angels were singing.
Thermopylae
 The Mountains above Thermopylae |
 Spartan King Leonidas |
 Below the Mountains to The Sea |
 Mountains above Thermopylae |
In 480 B.C., King Leonidas of Sparta led a force of, at most, 7,000 Greek soldiers to fight an huge invading army from Persia led by Xerxes. The Persians were met by the Greeks at Thermopylae. For this mission, Leonidas chose soldiers who had sons that were old enough to take care of their families as it was almost certain all the Greek soldiers were going to die. The Persian invasion force approached 3 million soldiers, including foot soldiers, horsemen, and sailors. At least 60,000 Persian soldiers (and very likely many times this figure) met the Greeks at Thermopylae. Thermopylae means "Hot Gates," and is named for the hot springs which flow there. In those days the sea came much further inland and closer to the mountains. The site of the battle was carefully selected by Leonidas. The Persians were constrained by the narrow beach and the adjacent mountains. Xerxes asked the Greeks to turn over their weapons. According to the Roman historian Plutarch, Leonidas replied, "Come and get them." The Greeks held off the Persians for three days at Thermopylae. In the end, the Greeks were betrayed a shepherd who led the Persian soldiers through a mountain pass, flanking the Greek Army, and ceiling their fate. The Greeks were all killed except for 2 soldiers. The battle gave the Athenians time to organize their defending army, leading to the decisive defeat of the Persians at the battle of Salamis. The following year, in 479 B.C., the Athenians permanently stopped the Persian Invasion at the Battle of Plataiai. Today, across the road from the Greek burial mound of all soldiers that died at Thermopylae stands a statue of King Leonidas. It is inscribed with the words of Leonidas which say "Go, stranger, and tell the Spartans that we lie here in obedience to their laws."
Islands of Poros, Hydra, and Aegina
In Athens, it is possible to take a an inexpensive one day cruise of 3 islands of Poros, Hydra, and Aegina. The ship leaves from Athens's ancient Port of Piraeus. The trip is well worth the money, though it is a bit rushed. The most enjoyable part of the trip is to sit on deck and look at the dramatic mountains that rise out of the sea as islands, as well as the ruggedly beautiful Peloponnesian Coast to the southwest of Athens. The water is clear, and in and a myriad of colors, from glowing turquoise in the shoals to purple. Never in my life have I seen the sea so many beautiful colors.
The first island the ship approaches is the Island of Poros, which is about 26 miles from Athens. Like most Greek islands it is mountainous and the port of city of Poros, with its white-washed stucco houses with red tile roofs, wind almost improbably up the hillsides here in stunning contrast to the sea. In the busy harbor are many sailboats and other cruise ships, with some of the sailboats traveling here from far across the Mediterranean Sea. The stay here is not long, perhaps a half hour at most. The town has a number of tourist shops, and the main thing to do here aside from shopping is to climb to the top of the hill to the bell tower.
The next island is
