La Acrópolis de Atenas explicada con reconstrucciones

Summary

El Acrópolis de Atenas, una de las mejores fortalezas naturales del mundo antiguo, alcanza 91 metros de altura y fue el epicentro del arte y la arquitectura durante el reinado de Pericles. Edificios emblemáticos como el Templo de Atena Nike, los Propileos y el Partenón destacaron por su diseño y simbolismo. La influencia del Partenón, con su estatua de Atena Promachos y su templo canónico, ha perdurado en la arquitectura occidental, simbolizando la democracia y la cultura, y ha inspirado edificios de gran importancia hasta nuestros días.

Takeaways

• 🏰 La Acrópolis de Atenas era una de las mejores fortalezas naturales del mundo antiguo, con una altura máxima de 91 metros y lados escarpados en todas las direcciones excepto al oeste.
• 🏛️ Durante el siglo V a.C., Atenas alcanzó su apogeo bajo la regla de Pericles, lo que permitió el desarrollo en filosofía, arte y arquitectura, dando lugar a la construcción de los edificios emblemáticos de la Acrópolis.
• ⛩ El primer edificio que se encuentra al ascender es el Templo de Atena Nike, construido para conmemorar la victoria de los atenienses sobre los persas.
• 🚪 Los Propileos sirvieron como una puerta majestuosa de acceso al complejo de la Acrópolis, creando una transición del mundo secular al sagrado.
• 🏗️ La arquitectura de los Propileos y la Erechtheion muestra una adaptación al terreno y una combinación de estilos arquitectónicos Doricos e Ionicos.
• 🌳 La leyenda detrás de la Erechtheion está relacionada con la competencia entre Atena y Poseidón por ser el patrón de la ciudad, resultando en la elección de Atena y el nombre de la ciudad.
• 🗿 La Erechtheion es conocida por su diseño irregular, contrastando con la simetría típica de la arquitectura griega, y alberga diversas salas dedicadas a diferentes deidades.
• 🏛️ El Partenón es considerado el cimiento de la arquitectura griega, con un diseño peripteral y una decoración excepcional que incluía esculturas y pinturas.
• 🎨 Las esculturas y pinturas originales del Partenón se encuentran en el British Museum, mientras que una réplica a escala 1:1 se encuentra en Nashville, Tennessee.
• 📏 Los arquitectos griegos corrigían ilusiones ópticas en la construcción de templos como el Partenón, utilizando la proporción áurea y herramientas simples para establecer las relaciones geométricas.
• 🌐 El legado del Partenón influye en la arquitectura moderna, siendo un símbolo de la democracia y la cultura griega, y ha inspirado diseños en edificios de bancos, academias y gobiernos.

Q & A

¿Cuál es la importancia de la Acrópolis de Atenas en la historia de la arquitectura y la cultura griega?

La Acrópolis de Atenas es un símbolo de la grandeza de Grecia, representando la democracia, la alta cultura y el auge de la filosofía, la arquitectura y el teatro. Sus construcciones han influido en la arquitectura posterior, como se ve en edificios bancarios, académicos y gubernamentales.

¿Cómo de alta es la Acrópolis de Atenas y qué características geográficas tiene?

La Acrópolis de Atenas se eleva aproximadamente 91 metros en su punto más alto y está rodeada de laderas escarpadas en todos los lados, excepto hacia el oeste, donde hay una ladera accesible.

¿Quién fue Pericles y cómo influyó en la construcción de la Acrópolis durante el siglo V a.C.?

Pericles fue un destacado general y orador elocuente que gobernó Atenas en su apogeo en el siglo V a.C. Durante su reinado, se enfocó en la filosofía, el arte y la arquitectura, lo que llevó a la construcción de la mayoría de los edificios emblemáticos de la Acrópolis.

¿Qué edificio se encuentra en la parte más baja de la ladera sureste de la Acrópolis y cuál es su significado?

El primer edificio que se encuentra es el Templo de Atena Nike, construido para conmemorar la victoria de los atenienses sobre los persas. Tiene dos fachadas, una que mira hacia el complejo y otra hacia la ciudad.

¿Qué función tenía el Propileo en la Acrópolis y cómo se diferencia de un templo?

El Propileo sirve como una puerta majestuosa de acceso al complejo de la Acrópolis. A diferencia de un templo, no es un espacio de culto sino una transición arquitectónica que conecta el mundo secular con el sagrado.

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre el estilo arquitectónico Dórico y el Estilo Jonico mencionados en el guion y cómo se ven reflejados en la Acrópolis?

El estilo Dórico es más sencillo y masivo, mientras que el Jonico es más elegante y delicado, con columnas más finas. En la Acrópolis, el Propileo tiene columnas Dóricas y el Erechtheion muestra columnas Jonicas.

¿Qué historia mitológica está relacionada con la construcción del Erechtheion y cómo se refleja en su diseño arquitectónico?

El Erechtheion está relacionado con la historia de la competencia entre Atena y Poseidón por ser el protector de Atenas. Esto se refleja en su diseño irregular y en la presencia de santuarios dedicados a ambos dioses dentro del edificio.

¿Qué son las cariatides y cómo se relacionan con el Erechtheion?

Las cariatides son figuras femeninas escultóricas que actúan como columnas. En el Erechtheion, sostienen una parte del edificio en su lugar, simbolizando a mujeres de Carias condenadas a la esclavitud por traicionar a Atenas.

¿Qué características tiene el Parthenón en términos de diseño y proporciones?

El Parthenón es un templo Dórico octástilo, rodeado de columnas en todas sus caras, con un diseño que invita a contemplarlo desde todos los ángulos. Su interior albergaba la famosa estatua de Atena Parthenos y es considerado un ejemplo clásico de la aplicación de la Razón de Oro en la arquitectura.

¿Cómo se utilizan las correcciones ópticas en el Parthenón y cuál es su propósito?

Las correcciones ópticas en el Parthenón, como la curvatura ligeramente cóncava de los elementos horizontales y la inclinación de las columnas hacia adentro, sirven para crear una sensación de equilibrio y armonía visual, compensando las imperfecciones que la vista humana podría percibir.

¿Qué representan los metopes del Parthenón y cuál era su propósito original?

Los metopes del Parthenón son piezas de mármol con relieves que representan escenas de batalla entre griegos y diversas razas mitológicas. Originalmente, algunos de ellos sostenían escudos de bronce donados por Alejandro Magno.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 La Acrópolis de Atenas y su importancia histórica

La Acrópolis de Atenas, una de las mejores fortalezas naturales del mundo antiguo, alcanza 91 metros de altura y está rodeada por laderas escarpadas, excepto hacia el oeste. Durante el siglo V a.C., bajo la dirección de Pericles, la ciudad alcanzó su apogeo, centrándose en filosofía, arte y arquitectura. Se construyeron emblemáticas estructuras como el Templo de Atena Nike, el Propileo y el Partenón. El Propileo, con su diseño que rompe con el orden dórico tradicional, sirve como puerta de acceso majestuosa al complejo. La Erechtheion, con su diseño irregular, contrasta con la simetría típica de la arquitectura griega y guarda mitos y leyendas que la vinculan con la fundación de Atenas.

05:02

🌳 La historia y arquitectura del Partenón

El Partenón, como canon de la arquitectura griega, sigue un diseño peripteral y es rodeado por columnas en todas sus caras, invitando a contemplarlo desde todos los ángulos. Aunque es una obra maestra del orden dórico, posee ocho columnas en la fachada, lo que es inusual. Sus dimensiones y proporciones invitan a la contemplación y apreciación desde perspectivas oblicuas. La decoración del Partenón, con pinturas y esculturas, era sin precedentes en la arquitectura griega, lo que le otorga un valor histórico y estético inigualable.

10:02

🎨 Detalles arquitectónicos y escultóricos del Partenón

El Partenón está construido con mármol blanco de Pentelico y cubierto con tejas de mármol de Paros, destacando su importancia y decoración. Sus estatuas originales se encuentran en el Museo Británico, pero una réplica a escala 1:1 en Nashville, Tennessee, ofrece una idea precisa de su apariencia original. Los detalles arquitectónicos como la corrección de ilusiones ópticas, el entasis en las columnas y la relación con la Razón de Oro, demuestran la habilidad y conocimiento de los arquitectos griegos. Las esculturas, como los pedimentos que representan mitos y la frieza que muestra la procesión Panathenaica, reflejan la rica tradición y significado cultural de la estructura.

15:06

🏛 La influencia持久 del Partenón y su legado

El Partenón ha dejado una huella indeleble en la historia y la cultura, influyendo en la arquitectura posterior y sirviendo como símbolo de la democracia, la cultura y la filosofía griegas. Su diseño ha inspirado edificios como bancos, edificios académicos y estructuras gubernamentales. Además de su valor arquitectónico, el Partenón es un recordatorio de que nuestras creaciones pueden inspirar y trascender el tiempo, hablando a las generaciones futuras. La Acrópolis, siendo la parte más sagrada de la ciudad, forma parte de un legado más amplio que se puede explorar en profundidad en otros videos sobre Atenas.

Keywords

💡Acropoli de Atenas

La Acrópolis de Atenas es un antiguo fuerte natural y centro religioso situado en la cima de una colina rocosa, que se destaca por ser uno de los símbolos más importantes de la cultura griega. En el guion, se menciona que alcanza 91 metros en su punto más alto y fue el escenario de la construcción de algunos de los edificios emblemáticos de la antigüedad, como el Partenón y el Templo de Atena Nike, durante el reinado de Pericles.

💡Pericles

Pericles fue un destacado general y orador en la antigua Atenas, cuya统治 permitió que la ciudad alcanzara su apogeo en el siglo V a.C. Bajo su liderazgo, se centraron en aspectos como la filosofía, el arte y la arquitectura, lo que llevó a la construcción de muchos de los edificios icónicos de la Acrópolis.

💡Templo de Atena Nike

El Templo de Atena Nike es uno de los primeros edificios que se encuentran al ascender la colina de la Acrópolis. Se trata de un pequeño templo de estilo amfiprostilo, con fachadas tanto hacia el complejo como hacia la ciudad, y fue construido para conmemorar la victoria de los atenienses sobre los persas, simbolizando la victoria y la protección de Atena.

💡Propileos

Los Propileos son una construcción monumental que sirvió como puerta de acceso al complejo de la Acrópolis. A diferencia de un templo, es un edificio a través del cual se avanza, marcando la transición del mundo secular al sagrado. En el guion se describe cómo su diseño y escalado cambian para adaptarse a la topografía y a las necesidades funcionales y simbólicas del sitio.

💡Erecteión

La Erecteión es uno de los edificios más interesantes de la Acrópolis debido a su diseño irregular, que contrasta con la simetría típica de la arquitectura griega. En el guion se menciona cómo su diseño se relaciona con la mitología y el programa arquitectónico del sitio, incluyendo la historia de la competencia entre Atena y Poseidón por ser el protector de Atenas.

💡Cariatides

Las cariatides son figuras femeninas escultóricas que actúan como columnas soportes en la Erecteión. Su nombre proviene de 'Carias', una ciudad cercana a Esparta, y simbolizan a las mujeres que fueron condenadas a la esclavitud por traicionar a Atenas en las Guerras Médicas. En el guion, se describe cómo su diseño detallado y delicado contrasta con el muro lisiado que las rodea.

💡Partenón

El Partenón es considerado el canon de la arquitectura griega y el templo más emblemático de la Acrópolis. Se describe cómo sigue un diseño peripteral, rodeado de columnas en todas sus caras, y cómo su interior albergaba la famosa estatua de Atena Parthenos. El Partenón también es un ejemplo destacado de la aplicación de la Razón de Oro en la arquitectura.

💡Razón de Oro

La Razón de Oro, también conocida como la sección áurea, es un concepto matemático que se relaciona con la proporción y la armonía en el diseño. En el guion, se menciona cómo los arquitectos griegos, posiblemente sin tenerlo en cuenta conscientemente, aplicaron esta proporción en el diseño del Partenón, creando un edificio estético y armónico.

💡Fríso

El friso es una banda continua de relieves esculpidos que solía rodear las paredes internas del peristilo del Partenón. Representaba la procesión Panathenaica, un evento que se celebraba cada cuatro años en honor a Atena. Aunque la mayoría de los originales se encuentra en el Museo Británico, el guion describe cómo se puede apreciar una reproducción en el Museo de la Acrópolis.

💡Arquitectura Dórica

La arquitectura Dórica es uno de los órdenes arquitectónicos clásicos griegos, caracterizado por columnas con un capitel sencillo y un entablamento más pesado. El Partenón es un ejemplo maestro de esta estética, con su diseño robusto y la disposición de sus columnas que invita a contemplar el edificio desde diferentes ángulos.

Highlights

La Acrópolis de Atenas fue una de las mejores fortalezas naturales del mundo antiguo.

Durante el siglo V a.C., Atenas alcanzó su apogeo bajo la ruleta de Pericles, un general y orador elocuente.

La paz entre las Guerras Médicas y la Guerra del Peloponeso permitió a la ciudad centrarse en filosofía, arte y arquitectura.

La primera construcción que se encuentra al ascender es el Templo de Atena Nike, simboliza la victoria sobre los persas.

Los Propileos sirvieron como transición del mundo secular al sagrado y son una entrada majestuosa al complejo.

El Erechtheion es uno de los edificios más interesantes por su irregularidad, en contraste con la simetría típica de la arquitectura griega.

La mitología detrás del Erechtheion está ligada a la competencia entre Atena y Poseidón por ser el protector de Atenas.

El Partenón es el canon de la arquitectura griega, sigue un diseño peripteral y es rodeado de columnas en todas sus caras.

El Partenón es octástilo, con ocho columnas en las fachadas frontales y traseras, lo que es inusual en un templo dórico.

El Partenón está construido con mármol blanco de Pentelico y estaba cubierto con tejas de mármol de Paros.

La estatua original de Atena Parthenos, que estaba dentro del Partenón, se encuentra ahora en el Museo Británico de Londres.

En Nashville, Tennessee, hay una réplica a escala 1:1 del Partenón que muestra lo que podría haber sido su apariencia original.

Los arquitectos griegos corrigieron ilusiones ópticas, como la curvatura ligeramente cóncava de los elementos horizontales.

Las columnas del Partenón se ensanchan hacia la base y se estrecharon hacia la parte superior, un efecto llamado entasis.

La estatua de Atena Promachos, una escultura de bronce de 9 metros de altura, era visible desde lejos y simbolizaba la protección de Atena.

El Partenón ha influido enormemente en la historia, simbolizando la democracia y la cultura griega, y ha inspirado edificios modernos.

La Acrópolis fue la parte más sagrada de la ciudad, pero Atenas tenía mucho más que ofrecer, como se puede ver en otros videos sobre la ciudad.

Transcripts

The Acropolis of Athens must have been one of the best natural fortresses

of the ancient world. It rises about 91 meters at its highest point and

is surrounded by steep slopes on all sides except to the west,

where there is an accessible slope that the ancient Athenians used to ascend.

During the 5th century BC, the city of Athens reached its peak under the rule of Pericles,

a noted general and eloquent orator. This period of tranquility, located between the

Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War, allowed the city to focus on various aspects, such as

philosophy, art and architecture. As a consequence, most of the emblematic

buildings that characterize the Acropolis were built during the time of Pericles.

As you ascend the hill, the first building you come across, picturesquely

situated on the southwestern spur of the Acropolis, is the Temple of Athena Nike,

which stands on this platform, the purpose of which is to record the line

of the top of the Acropolis in the bottom of the staircase.

The temple has two facades, one facing the complex and the other facing the city.

Due to its small space, the temple was designed as an amphiprostyle, which means that it has

columns only in its front and back. Its name, Athena Nike, means “Athena the

Victorious,” and it was built to commemorate the victory of the Athenians over the Persians.

Since the Acropolis was considered a sacred place, to access the site they had to establish

a transition from the secular and profane world to the sacred space, and to achieve this, they created this

monumental building known as the Propylaea. At first glance, its façade may seem like that of

a Doric temple, but it is not a temple, you simply advance through it, it serves

as a majestic access door to the complex. The central intercolumnium is wider than the

others, to allow passage for the procession that walked through it, which is why you see

two unsupported triglyphs over the central space instead of one, since the architect

had to break with the strict Doric order. And as the Propylaea ascend the hill,

its scale begins to change, adjusting to the topography, but also adjusting to

different hierarchical commitments, so that when it reaches the top of the hill,

all this disorder and irregularity of forms becomes solidifies and becomes a single form that

is much more orderly, decorous and appropriate to the meaning of a temple complex.

There are therefore three pairs of Ionic columns flanking the passage, because the

rising ground level and scale of the space dictated a preference for a more slender order. And

at the opposite end, a second Doric style porch finished the central section.

Passing through the Propylaea has the effect of compacting the space around you,

obscuring the full view of the buildings located within, revealing them only

in glimpses, helping to make arrival a more rewarding experience.

And as you pass the structure, this impressive view is revealed,

this is what Greek architecture does, this is the oblique view of the buildings,

showing us how they rotate and how they integrate harmoniously into the site.

There are three main objects that stand out in the composition: the colossal statue of Athena

Promachos in the center, the Parthenon on the right and the Erechtheum on the left.

The statue of Athena Promachos was an enormous bronze sculpture that reached an estimated

height of 9 meters, and its location allowed the statue to be visible from a great distance,

serving as a symbol of the city's strength and Athena's protection.

The name, Athena Promachos, means “Athena who fights on the front line of battle.”

The Erechtheion on the left is one of the most interesting buildings on the Acropolis, because

it is very irregular in contrast to most Greek buildings, which tend to stand out

for their symmetry and perfectly balanced proportions. It appears to be a collection of small

buildings adjacent to each other, rather than constituting a single cohesive structure,

and this relates to its architectural program and the mythology that surrounds the site.

According to myth, when Athens was establishing itself as a city, the Athenians

were in search of a patron deity to protect and bless their city.

Two powerful Olympian gods, Athena and Poseidon, expressed interest in taking on this role, and

to decide which of them deserved such a distinction, a contest was proposed. Each god was

tasked with presenting a gift that demonstrated their worth and benefit to the city. Poseidon,

the god of the sea and earthquakes, struck the ground with his powerful trident, and a spring emerged

from the earth. However, the water was salty and did not meet the needs of the inhabitants.

Then, Athena, the goddess of wisdom,

war, and crafts, planted an olive tree, which quickly grew and prospered.

The olive tree became a symbol of peace, prosperity and wisdom. The people

found this gift most valuable, as it provided them with food, oil and wood, and therefore

they chose her as their patron goddess and named the city “Athens” in her honor.

And so, the eastern part of the Erechtheion, being the most important and with the main façade,

was dedicated to the sanctuary of Athena Polias, which means Athena, protector of the city,

and the western part to the sanctuaries of Erechtheus, the founder and first king of Athens,

and from whom the building takes its name, and Poseidon. Therefore, programmatically it is a

hybrid temple, and there is also a saltwater well inside the temple,

and a hole in the roof representing the place where Poseidon struck the earth with his trident,

as well as Athena's olive tree on the side. west of the building.

The building is also hybrid in other aspects, such as the need to adapt

to the particularities of the terrain: on one side, the building faces the elevated land while

on the other side it faces a lower area, so this façade looks From this distance,

while this facade is seen from all of Athens,

this is the facade of the sanctuary of Poseidon that is linked to the city.

It increases its scale so that it can be seen from afar, and reduces its scale because it is

seen from a short distance, but it is also reduced to emphasize the hierarchies of the site,

since the Parthenon is the main temple, so this small portico is make it

small so that you can clearly understand that the Parthenon is the most important temple.

These female figures that function as columns supporting the Erechtheion are called

caryatids, which in Greek means "women of Carias," an ancient city near Sparta,

and were condemned to slavery after betraying Athens in the Persian Wars.

Vitruvius, an ancient Roman architect,

describes Greek columns as if they were anthropomorphic, that is, with a human shape:

the capital is the head, the shaft is the body, and the base represents the feet.

And look at the folds of the tunic on the caryatid,

they look very similar to the striations on the spine, or this looseness of fabric between the scrolls.

They are truly spectacular and delicate, and it is wonderful how most

of this great wall that faces the Parthenon is a smooth masonry wall that

highlights the small portico of the caryatids that, through its scale, is placed in the

background facing the Parthenon, but through its elegant design it maintains its own presence.

The Parthenon is the canon of Greek architecture. The temple follows a peripteral design,

which implies that it is surrounded by columns on all its faces,

and this arrangement invites you to contemplate the building from all angles, not just from the front,

and the same thing happens with all Greek buildings, at the same time. Entering the Acropolis you see the buildings from

an oblique perspective. Unlike Egyptian or Roman architecture,

Greek architecture is not arranged orthogonally with parallel axes and lines; Greek architecture

is organized according to spatial points of view, that is, places from which

it can be appreciated. The buildings are arranged so that they can be seen obliquely,

as entirely three-dimensional objects that help us see and understand the landscape beyond.

Although the Parthenon is the masterpiece of Doric architecture, it is octastyle,

meaning that it has eight columns on the front and rear facades,

unusual for a Doric temple, as most used to be hexastyle, with six columns.

It had seventeen columns on each side, therefore, as in any classical Greek temple,

the sides of the Parthenon have an odd number of columns and therefore a central column,

so that your eye does not know where to rest its gaze, and thus quickly finds the front of the temple,

since it is seen from an angle. The front has a clear center line

on the doors creating a harmonious composition that clearly directs the eye.

The building stands on a three-step platform called the stylobate, the dimensions

of the top step are 69.54 meters by 30.88 meters, giving us a ratio of 4 to 9,

which means that you can perfectly fit 36 ​​squares in the space of the Parthenon. Each

of the steps is half a meter high, and as they were too steep to climb comfortably

, intermediate steps were added in the center of the east and west ends.

Also the Parthenon is so important because there was no building in ancient times,

no Greek building, that had this level of decoration,

this level of painting and sculpture like the Parthenon, and that is why it is so

important, and this is a gem that we have the opportunity to see today in Athens.

It is a building that has 8 columns in front, which makes it very large,

the Parthenon is huge compared to other Greek temples.

Being on the top of a mountain, seeing the Parthenon from afar, the marble was also whiter,

so it shone more, it had a lot of color, it was a building with sculptures, with paint, so it

must have been something impressive at that time to see this building in all its glory.

It was built using white marble brought from Pentelicus, a mountain near the city,

and was covered with marble tiles brought from the island of Paros.

The original statues of the Parthenon are in the British Museum in London,

but in Nashville, Tennessee, which is where I am right now, you can see behind

me a scale reproduction of the Parthenon with its statues and in its original colors.

This reproduction may give you a better

idea of ​​what the Parthenon would have looked like in the fifth century BC.

This 1:1 scale replica was built in 1897 for an international exhibition commemorating

the centennial of the incorporation of Tennessee into the United States.

And the best part of this building is that all the proportions,

all the measurements, all the sizes were respected, so you can really feel the quality

of the space that the Parthenon had inside in this building.

The Greeks refined every detail of the temples to correct optical illusions.

The long horizontal lines of architraves, stylobates, and cornices

would appear to fall or curve in the center if built straight,

and were therefore given a slightly convex outline towards the middle of their length. For

example, in the Parthenon, the stylobate has an upward curvature on each of its sides.

The vertical elements also lean inward to avoid the appearance of slumping;

That is why in the Parthenon, the axes of the exterior columns lean inward by 67 mm,

and if these axes were extended they would be at a distance of one mile above ground level

. Barely perceptible, but these small adjustments create a balance

and visual harmony that manage to hide all the imperfections that our eyes perceive.

The shafts of the columns widen at the bottom and then decrease at the

top, this change in diameter is called entasis, and its purpose is to achieve a

more natural and pleasant visual effect, reducing the feeling of rigidity than completely straight columns.

they could give, almost looking like a tense muscle that expresses the physical load sustained by the spine.

This drawing exaggerates all of these distortions so you can better understand how all

the straight lines on the Parthenon are not actually straight.

Of course all these optical corrections were

respected when they built the replica in Nashville.

As I mentioned, the English took most of the original sculptures from the Parthenon,

and now it is only possible to appreciate the original appearance of the Parthenon if you go to Nashville.

The eastern pediment, the one over the main entrance, represents the birth of Athena,

who emerged from the head of her father Zeus as a fully formed and

adult warrior. There is a statue of Nike, the goddess of Victory, flying to place the

laurel wreath on Athena's helmet, thus commemorating

Greece's recent defeat of the Persians and making the Parthenon an offering of thanks to its patron goddess.

And the western pediment is a representation of the contest between Athena and Poseidon to determine

who would be the patron saint of Athens. Both pediments have free-standing statues with great plasticity,

you can even see how some of them seem to protrude from the triangular frame,

creating a sense of three-dimensional depth.

Above the columns, there was a set of 96 triglyphs and 92 metopes. Metopes

were square pieces of marble with scenes in high relief, usually with two figures.

There was a different theme on each side of the building, each representing the

Greeks fighting a different civilization: the metopes on the eastern side

represent fights between gods and giants, on the western side, between Greeks and Amazons,

on the southern side, between centaurs and lapiths, and in the north, scenes from the Trojan War.

You can see a small hole under each metope on the eastern and

western facades. They used to hold bronze shields presented by Alexander the Great

in 334 BC with dedicatory inscriptions in bronze letters.

There is another frieze in the Parthenon, this is a continuous band sculpted in bas-relief that used to

surround all the internal walls of the colonnade. It shows the Panathenaic procession, a great event

that was held every four years in Athens in honor of the goddess Athena. This procession included

Athenian citizens, dignitaries, musicians, and priests carrying various offerings and

artifacts to present at the Parthenon. The entire frieze can be seen up close

in the Acropolis museum, although most of the pieces are plaster copies,

as the originals are in the British Museum in London, along with much of the Acropolis.

On the eastern side, the façade of the building had a portico known as the pronaos with

a huge bronze door leading inside, called the naos. This

19 meter long chamber was divided into a central nave and two side aisles thanks to

two rows of ten Doric columns with three columns at the western end,

this created a continuous corridor around three sides of the naos. These columns supported an

upper row of smaller Doric columns which in turn supported the roof beams.

Near the western end was the famous statue of Athena Parthenos

or “Athena the Virgin,” which depicted the goddess fully armed with spear,

helmet, aegis, and shield, holding in her right hand a winged victory, or Nike.

This statue was a “chryselephantine” work, from the Greek “chrysos” (gold) and “elephantines” (ivory).

It was about 12 meters high, including the pedestal, and was built on a

wooden core. The gold plates of which it was partially composed were removable

and could be removed in case of danger. The face, hands and feet were made of ivory,

but the clothing, armor and accessories were made of solid gold, and

precious stones were inlaid for the eyes. The original statue did not survive the Middle Ages, but the one I am

showing is the reproduction found inside the Parthenon in Nashville.

Well, this is more or less what the interior of the Parthenon would have looked like

in the fifth century BC with the enormous statue of the goddess Athena.

The smaller chamber on the opposite side is the Parthenon, from which the entire temple

took its name. The word Parthenon means “the chamber of the virgin”,

and was used as a hieratic treasure. Due to their smaller dimensions and considerable height,

the use of Doric columns would have required exaggerated proportions, occupying an amount

significant space, so instead it was supported by four Ionic columns.

This chamber was accessed from the opisthodome, the porch at the back of the building.

These chambers were enclosed by walls 1.21 meters thick, and on the outside, surrounding

the building, there was a peristyle 2.74 meters wide on the sides and 3.25 meters on the fronts.

The pronaos and opisthodomus had six columns in the front forming

a portico on an upper stylobate of two steps. Both were used as treasuries,

and to secure them, metal bars that reached the ceiling were mounted between the columns.

The Parthenon is undoubtedly one of the best examples of the application of the

Golden Ratio in architecture. The architects must have had a great knowledge of

geometry to be able to achieve this building. Just look at how many projection lines I need

to draw the facade. Each part has a geometric relationship with the others, and you can

find golden rectangles everywhere. However, Greek architects did not draw

detailed architectural plans like this, rather they used simple tools such as ropes,

measuring sticks, and plumb lines to establish the

building's dimensions, alignments, and geometric relationships. And they did all this directly on site.

We know the names of the architects of the Acropolis:

the temple of Athena Nike was built by Callicrates, the Propylaea and the Erechtheum

were the work of Mnesicles, and the Parthenon was built by Ictinos and Callicrates.

The construction of the entire Acropolis complex was coordinated and supervised by the

great sculptor Phidias, who was also responsible for the sculptural details of the Parthenon,

including the friezes and pediments, as well as the large cult statue of Athena Parthenos.

And although the official architects of the Parthenon were Ictinos and Callicrates,

Phidias was responsible for the final appearance of the Parthenon,

its proportions, its dimensions. His statue of Athena was made for the temple,

and the temple was made for the statue, as the size of the interior is perfectly

proportioned to house this 12 meter tall sculpture. Phidias built the Parthenon.

At the top of the Acropolis, there were several secondary buildings,

mainly treasuries, altars and small sanctuaries dedicated to different gods.

The arrangement of the buildings on the Acropolis was drawn in such a way as to

emphasize the sense of procession. As the visitor emerged from the eastern porch of

the Propylaea there was the great statue of Athena Promachos just left of centre,

balancing the majestic Parthenon which stood further back to the right.

The architects of the Acropolis intended for visitors to first view

the Parthenon from an angle where the west façade and north colonnade presented the essence of the

temple's volume at a single glance. The entrance to the sanctuary was reached by following an

ascending path that passed along the north side of the Parthenon, from where they could see the

exposed foundations of the ancient Temple of Athena, which was destroyed by the Persians on their left, and

turning south in the corner to climb the steps towards the eastern porch. Only after

experiencing the entirety of the temple's exterior would the magnificence of the interior be revealed.

The Parthenon has had a great influence on history; Thanks to him, the

Greek type of temple has endured to this day, because its very form symbolizes concepts

that we associate with the greatness of Greece, such as the birthplace of democracy

or the cradle of high cultural institutions, a place where architecture ,

art and theater reached their peak, where philosophy flourished. Therefore, it is no

coincidence that we see banks shaped like temples, or academic buildings with temple pediments,

or churches or government buildings inspired by classical architecture.

But the legacy of the Parthenon goes beyond its physical remains;

It also reminds us that our creations also have the power to inspire,

to transcend time and to speak to the minds of future generations.

The Acropolis was the most Holy part of the city, but there was much more to Athens than

just the Acropolis, and if you want to understand the city of Athens in its entirety, I

recommend that you go watch my video explaining Athens.

Thank you very much for joining me, I hope you have learned and enjoyed,

please hit the like button and subscribe to my channel.

Thanks again and we'll see you very soon in the next episode.

Bye bye!