Erechtheion: Temple of Athens & Poseidon
I present to you the Erechtheion a temple dedicated to the goddess of wisdom Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon and do not take this lightly!
By Alexios Demos on November 20, 2019
Erectheion East Porch Dedicated to Athena | Athens Acropolis | Athens | © Copyright 2021 Alexios Demos
Indicative Information | Tickets Full: €20, Reduced: €10 | Visiting Times Summer: 08:00 -18:30 | Athens, Greece (At the Acropolis of Athens near the Parthenon) | More info call +302109238747 / 2109238747
The mathematical proportions in the architecture of the east porch commands the visitor’s respect you can feel even today how sacred this specific portion of the Erechtheion was.
“Often I eavesdrop on the conversations of visitors at the Erechtheion (yes I know awful me) to hear that they are still talking about the Parthenon as if this sublime temple, by far my favorite on the Acropolis is a footnote totally overshadowed by the Parthenon!”
It is in this portion of the temple that the worshipers of Athena would perform sacrifices in her honor in the procession of the Panathenaic Festival
Erechtheion: Temple of Athena & Poseidon
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I present to you the Erechtheion a temple dedicated to the goddess of wisdom Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon and do not take this lightly! The two gods had competed ferociously for control of Athens with Poseidon who was rather egotistical and a sore loser throwing a tantrum in the form of a catastrophic flood upon Athens! The temple whose purpose was essentially to reconcile the two gods was constructed from 421-406 B.C and it is considered especially sacred perhaps the most sacred on the Acropolis as its location is the actual grounds of the competition of the two gods.
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Often I eavesdrop on the conversations of visitors at the Erechtheion (yes I know awful me) to hear that they are still talking about the Parthenon as if this sublime temple, by far my favorite on the Acropolis is a footnote totally overshadowed by the Parthenon! They witness the timeless beauty of the Caryatids that function as female architectural columns with resplendent sculptural detail especially in their hair on the south porch and to some extent overlook the east porch. However, I have always felt closer to the gods and Athena on the east porch which was dedicated to her with it’s six towering Ionic columns eternally standing guard! It is in this portion of the temple that the worshipers of Athena would perform sacrifices in her honor in the procession of the Panathenaic Festival and subsequently Panathenaic Games which were held every 4 years.
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The mathematical proportions in the architecture of the east porch commands the visitor’s respect you can feel even today how sacred this specific portion of the Erechtheion was. Whether you like it or not you are humbled in a subtle, nearly gentle manner that retains the classical Greek belief and expression in architecture that man is the measure creating a unique effect (at least to me!)
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What are your thoughts?
Date of Visit: Nov 19, 2019 – Weather Conditions: Cloudy
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