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The ancient
Acropolis towers above the modern city
Athens is the capital city of Greece. It is the largest city in
the country.
According to legend, the gods of Olympus who were worshipped by
the ancient Greeks, said that the city should be named after Athena,
the goddess of wisdom.
Prehistoric people lived near the Acropolis thousands of years ago and people have lived in the area around the city ever since. In 1456 the city was captured by the Turks and the Turkish government ruled for 400 years. After a War of Independence which started in 1821, the Greeks took control of their country and established an independent country. Athens has been the capital city of modern Greece since 1834.
Athens is a modern, busy, bustling and crowded city. About 3.5 million people live there and millions of tourists visit each year. They come to enjoy the exciting life of the city and to visit the ancient monuments, museums and galleries that are found throughout the city. There are schools, universities and cinemas too. The city has two main squares called Syntagma and Omonia which are popular meeting places at either end of the cities two main streets.
Most people live in apartments
or flats. Although in suburbs around the city there are single-family
homes. People can enjoy outdoor eating at the many cafes and restaurants.
Plaka, built around
the Acropolis, is the oldest neighbourhood of Athens. In the narrow
streets and alleys there are single storey family houses, large
villas, taverns and cafeterias as well as hundreds of tourist
shops.
Parliament
House and the Presidential Guards
Parliament House overlooks
one of the city's main squares, Syntagma Square. Originally the
building was a palace for King Otto, the first King of Greece
and his Queen Amalia. It was completed in 1842. The building was
a royal palace until 1935.
The Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier in the
front of the building was built between 1929 and 1930. The tomb
is guarded day and night by two soldiers who are members of the
Evzones or Presidential Guard. They wear a traditional
pleated kilt called fustanella and pom-pom shoes like the
clothes worn by mountain fighters during Greece's War of Independence.
Changing the guard at the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier near Parliament House, Athens. The Evzones are
soldiers who have traditionally come from the village of Evzoni
in Macedonia
Visiting the National
Archaeological Museum of Athens
Visitors to this famous museum which opened in 1874 can see a
collection of thousands of items including:
Prehistoric statues, golden
masks and weapons made by people who lived in the land now known
as Greece more than 6000 years ago. The
Ancient Greeks built many temples and palaces and filled them
with fine sculptures.
Greek pottery made of
clay is decorated with scenes from battles and events in the lives
of the gods, kings and warriors.
Statues and vases made of the 
metal
bronze were popular in ancient times. There are many famous bronze
statues in the museum including this boy riding a horse.
Built of white marble in the shape of
a horseshoe this stadium was built for the first Olympic Games
held in modern times in 1896. The stadium will be used again for
Olympic events in 2004 when Athens is the Olympic host city.
This stadium is a copy of one that was built by the Romans.
Remember:
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Greece
(2003).
[Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au
Find out
about the Acropolis in Athens
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Greece Index
updated May 2003