The city of Athens (Greek: θήήνα) is the capital of Greece and its largest city. The name of the city dates back to Athens, the goddess of Greek wisdom. The population of the city today is about 729,137 inhabitants and with its suburbs and surrounding areas about 3,753,726 people (January 2005 statistics). [4] Athens is located in the south of Greece on the Attica plain between the rivers of Ilesos and Kivisos, surrounded by three peaks of the mountains of Hemeto (1,026 meters), Bendeli (1,109 meters) and Barnithas (1,413 meters). Overlooking the fourth part of the Saronicos Bay, which reaches the Mediterranean Sea.
There is a Greek myth about why Athens was named by that name. This legend was popular among the ancient Athenians until it was represented by a sculpture on the western façade of the Parthenon. The legend says that both the gods Athens (Methologia) and Poseidon sought to be masters of the city and call their names on the city, competing for this honor, presenting a delirium on the city of each. Poseidon took out a salty water spring by striking the earth with a triangular plume to represent the power of the sea. While other legends say he gave the city a gift of being sea foam. On the other hand, the legend says that Athens created the olive tree and presented it to the city as a symbol of peace and prosperity. Before the Athenians led by their ruler Kikropas the olive tree they named the city the name of the Athens gods.
Athens has a semi-tropical Mediterranean climate, while the southern part of the city is warm and semi-arid. Most of the rain falls from October to April with some mild rain in the summer. Athens is drier than other European destinations. Winter temperatures tend to cool. The maximum temperature in January is 13 ° C, while July and August are the warmest and the greatest temperature approaching 33 ° C.
City landmarks and culture:
- Temple in Agora
- Acropolis: An important Greek castle, one of the most famous landmarks of Athens and Greece.
- Agora: A Greek temple still maintains a large part of its construction.
- Keramikos: City wall, contains several gates.
- Phoenix: A hill located on the west of the Acropolis, was a public meeting place for consultation in antiquity.
- Dionysos Theater: Theatrical performances were presented to him.
- Ammonia Square.....
Museums :
- National Archaeological Museum in the center of Athens
- National Archaeological Museum: The largest archaeological museum in the country and one of the most important
museums internationally, it contains a wide range of antiquities and antiquities and covers a period of more than 5,000
years, from the late Neolithic to the Roman period. - Museum of Byzantine Christian Art: It is one of the most important museums of Byzantine art.
- Acropolis Museum: Opened in 2009, an alternative to the old museum "with the same name". The museum has proved to be
a major attraction, visited by nearly a million people during the summer of June-October 2009. There are a number of small,
privately owned museums that focus on Greek culture and arts. - The Benaki Museum: Founded in 1931 by the art collector Antonius Benaki after collecting a collection of precious artifacts
for 36 years and giving it to the Greek state at a grand rally attended by the then President of the Republic Alexandros
Zimmes.
Tourism [edit]
Athens has been a destination for travelers since ancient times. The city's infrastructure and services have improved over the past decade, in part because of the city's successful bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games. The Greek government, with the assistance of the European Union, has financed major infrastructure projects such as Athens International Airport, [21] ] And the new highway Atiki Udus.
For entertainment and performing arts
Athens is home to more than 148 theaters and is more than any other city in the world, one of the city's most famous festivals is the Athens Festival which runs from May to October each year. Athens has open-air cinemas as well as music halls, including the Athens Concert Hall, which attracts artists from all over the world. The Planetarium of Athens called Planetarium is one of the largest and best-equipped digital halls in the world and is located on Andrea Street...
Sports
Athens has a long history in sport and sporting events, serving the national clubs of the most important in Greek sports and has a large number of sports facilities. The city has hosted a host of sporting events of international importance.
Special poster for the 1896 Summer Olympics
Athens hosted the Summer Olympic Games twice, in 1896 and 2004. The Olympic Stadium in Athens, which has since gained reputation as one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world and is now one of the most interesting modern monuments and largest stadium in the country, has only hosted two rounds of the Champions League final in 1994 and 2007, In the Piraeus area, the stadium will be followed by the game, sports and entertainment complex, a set of UEFA 1971 Cup final cups. In 2004 Greece won the National Cup football team in the European Cup finals....
Transportation :
With an excellent public transport network, one ticket allows you to travel by metro, train, tram and bus for unlimited number of times in Athens for 90 minutes, 24 hours or 3 days depending on the type of ticket. The new metro system of Athens has been updated and is now a modern and organized means of mobility. It includes three lines that are intended for three different suburbs. The railway runs from Piraeus to the airport but Greece does not have an extended rail network. The Athens Tram is also new and links the city to the southern suburbs with links to the Metro System. Public transport systems in Athens include a mix of different buses and locomotives supervised by the Civil Transport Authority and buses reach almost anywhere. Taxis are available and are reasonably priced but beware of some fraud. Cycling is not recommended in Athens due to the traffic congestion and aggressiveness of some drivers and also because of the city's lack of facilities and facilities for bicycles.