Athens. Acropolis. Temple of Zeus. Temple of Hephaestus.

On the day of our arrival in Athens, there was heavy rain, thunder and lightning flashed. Five large lightning bolts and such thunder were noticed that cars shook with people. Lightning hit the Acropolis in a guard house. Four people were taken to the hospital. Acropolis closed. The work of the archaeological site of the Acropolis the next day was in question. The peculiarity of the situation was that the next day on April 18 was the day of museums, and a large number of visitors was expected. As you know, from history, Zeus owns lightning. What angered him the Acropolis or, conversely, he gave a sign to people, one can only guess. I am inclined to the idea that progress was taking place in the heavenly office (in those days there was a fire in Paris and Jerusalem).

    In the morning the sun was shining and the weather was completely different – friendly and welcoming. Earlier, to avoid crowding, we are going on an excursion to the treasured Acropolis. We take the metro to the Acropolis station. The sun warms, the trees turn green, the lilac smells.

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We are walking along a wide road from the metro, and suddenly around the corner a view of the mountain opens with the Acropolis on it.

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Tears poured from my eyes from this view. I did not expect this. Impressive and delightful. Undoubtedly, in the Acropolis there is greatness and a shift to the past. On this day I was destined to cry twice – an explosion of feelings and emotions occurred near the Parthenon, also unexpectedly for me. Already now I am analyzing what it was. Entry into the ancient Greek world. Feeling of pleasure, touch of something higher. There is still a part of the soul and life of ancient Greece.

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We walk past the temple of Asclepius, the god of healing in ancient Greece.

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A large coniferous tree grows next to it. The foundation and several columns have been preserved from the temple.

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Through the propylaea we go up to the Erechtheion Temple.

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This is the strongest place in the Acropolis, in my opinion.

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The temple of the goddess Athena was a spiritual place. Erechthonius is a serpent man who was raised by the goddess Athena from an egg. Many legends are associated with this place. There was a dispute between Athens and Poseidon over the right to patronize the city of Athens. It is here that the olive grows, emerging from the impact of Athena’s spear on the ground. In this place was the source of Poseidon with salt water. Olive tree planted new in the 20th century. We stand in front of the temple and work as a group. I went deep into the past and tuned in to Athena, her female energy and strength, her mind and invincibility. A rare combination of qualities.

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Then I give initiation to the canal of Athens. At first, there were a lot of people around us. A few minutes later I looked around and … taken aback. We were left alone with my student. There were no people around us, within a radius of several meters, despite the fact that a raging sea of people raged around. A high-frequency field was created, which I felt in myself for several days.

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Opposite the Erechtheion is the Parthenon. Too close for such large temples. I think that the place on which the Erechtheion was built is strong in itself. Before him, there were several ancient sanctuaries, which is a sure sign of the natural strength of the place. Therefore, the Parthenon was built so close that it also stood in a strong place.

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The Parthenon played a social role in the Acropolis. Nevertheless, greatness blows from him, despite the fact that he is dilapidated.

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Exiting the Acropolis was more difficult than entering it. Since, on this day, admission was free, there were many visitors. I had to stand in the line of many thousands to get out.

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Next to the columns at the exit, a small temple of Niki, the goddess of victory, perched.

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It was her Athenians who depicted here without wings, so that luck and victory would not fly away from them.

     The next object according to the plan was the temple of Zeus. To do this, you had to go down from the Acropolis, go left past the ancient stadium and cross the street.

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It is impossible not to notice the temple of Zeus. Now he left the foundation and columns in front and behind on a rectangular base.

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In this place also remained the spirit of ancient Greece, the greatness of Zeus and his Olympic team. After yesterday’s lightning and fire, I carefully entered the channel of Zeus.

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But Zeus, not only the lord of lightning, but also universal generosity, help and creation.

    Further our path goes through Plaka street, to the temple of Hephaestus, located in the agora.

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Agora is a market and a place of communication in ancient Greece. There were many temples from which there is little that has been preserved.

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From the temple of Ares, only the foundation remained. I stood in front of him, and thought that the god of war and destruction, which the soldiers worshiped, received a destroyed temple. Monuments to Ares are swords, shields and spilled blood on the battlefields.

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On the map of the agora, the altar of 12 ty gods is indicated. I found a sign with its designation behind the Ares Temple against the wall. Apparently, when they built a railway line, passing behind the wall, they destroyed part of the territory of the altar.

    The exception in the dilapidated temples of Athens was the temple of Hephaestus. Hephaestus – in the Olympic team of the gods is responsible for material wealth and personifies the elements of the earth and structure.

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Maybe that’s why his temple was best preserved. And also because it was remade in time for a Christian church. In the 20th century, it housed an archaeological museum. Interesting friezes at the temple tell of Heracles and his exploits, of the Odyssey, and you can also see images of centaurs there.

   The building of the agora is completely restored.

We see a marble colonnade in front of us and thank the architects and restorers for this beauty.

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Thanks to their work, we fall into the times and life of people from ancient Greece. I kept thinking: “If the market is not the most elevated place, but so beautiful, then what was in the gardens, parks and houses of the inhabitants of that era”. Marble statues and temples of unsurpassed beauty speak of their high esthetic taste.

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04/18/19