Athens - Greece |
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Athens - Greece |
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| Athens - Greece
- The exuberant and chaotic traffic in the city center hardly touches the
people in the crowd. The drone of traffic and car horns has little effect
on the people in the countless sidewalk cafes. Even the businessmen who
hectically weave through the mass of people seem composed in spite of their
haste. The Athenian does not forget to laugh or show their disarming friendliness,
or express pride in their city, which continues to grow in this new millennium.
Athens. The city with the most glorious history in the world, a city worshipped by gods and people, a magical city. The enchanting capital of Greece has always been a birthplace for civilization. It is the city where democracy was born and most of the wise men of ancient times. The most important civilization of ancient world flourished in Athens and relives through some of the world's most formidable edifices. Little remained of Athens when it became capital of Greece in 1834. Only four thousand people lived in the small row of houses on the northern hillside of the Acropolis when King Otto was imported from Bavaria as ruler of the Greeks. Initially the eighteen-year-old son of Ludwig I had to make do with a modest two-story house while his German architects prepared plans for his palace and a new landscape for Athens. People returned as the city was rebuilt. In 1921 the Greeks and Turks exchanged their minorities and of the half million Greeks who had to leave Asia Minor half of them poured into Athens. Then those working the land increasingly sought work in the capital and with a building boom in the 1950s the city expanded beyond all previous boundaries. By the 1960s Athens had once again become one of the most interesting metropolises of Europe. With new plans this city of one million people is on its way to becoming a modern world metropolis.  From sometimes smoggy Athens to blindingly bright islands, ancient fragments abound - the navel of the cosmos at Delphi, fallen columns galore on the sacred island of Delos, frescoed Minoan palaces on Crete and even - as some might believe - the remnants of Atlantis at Santorini.
Athens is a city of different aspects. A walk around the famous historic triangle (Plaka, Thission, Psyri) the old neighborhoods, reveal the coexistence of different eras. Old mansions, well-preserved ones and other worn down by time. Luxurious department stores and small intimate shops, fancy restaurants and traditional taverns. All have their place in this city. Today they may appear as no more than another collection of ruins that scatter the city, but they still attract huge numbers of visitors, simply because of their importance and physical beauty. The heart of Athens beats in Syntagma Square. Where Parliament and most of the Ministries are. Monastiraki, Kolonaki and Lycabettus Hill attract thousands of visitors all year round. A few kilometers from the historic center in Faliro, Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni, you can enjoy the sea breeze. Or you can head up north and enjoy the fresh air at the more classy neighborhoods of Marousi, Melissia, Vrilissia and of course Kifisia.  The Athens Festival is the main cultural event during summer. The performances take place in several venues including the historic Atticus Theater built in the 2nd century AD and the Lykavitos Theater overlooking Athens. The highlight of the Festival are the performances of ancient Greek drama taking place in the splendid Epidaurus Theater near Athens, which was built in the 3rd century BC. Other summer festivals take place in the numerous open-air theaters of the Athens metropolitan area featuring concerts, theatrical plays and other performances. Each autumn starts the concert season of the Athens Concert Hall, which is host to the world's greatest performances. These and other indoor concerts cater to a wide range of musical tastes. Athens boasts a lively theater scene with dozens of theatrical companies showcasing their productions ranging from conventional to avant-garde. Thousands of visitors are also drawn to art exhibitions in the National Gallery and in other venues. In addition, Athens is host to major sporting events such as the Athens Marathon Run, which features the original Marathon-Athens route, the acclaimed Rally Acropolis and sailing regattas taking place in the Saronic Gulf.  |
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