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Things to Know About Athens

Author: Richard Monk
The namesake of a mythological goddess and revered as the mecca of modern western culture, there are more than three thousand years worth of things to know about Athens history.

Athens was named after the Greek goddess of civilization and wisdom, adeptly called Athena. Athens is the capital city of Greece. It is also the most heavily populated. In 2006, approximately six million residents called Athens home with 3.1 million living in Athens urban area, which consist of just the city, and 3.7 million inhabitants populating the entire metropolitan area. One of the interesting things about Athens is that the distinction of Greece's largest population is putting the city on the brink of a position of dominance in Eastern European business.

Athens is one of the world's senior cities. Ancient Athens history spans nearly three thousand years. The days of the ancient city provide various interesting facts about Athens' history and the society that it would become. Ancient Athens was a Greek city-state world-famous during the fourth and fifth centuries B.C. Athens was particular prideful of it's educational excellence, as demonstrated by the illustrious Plato Academy and Lyceum by another respected scholar, Aristotle. The founder of the democratic process, Ancient Athens is considered on the forefront of introducing key elements of Western civilization, including education, athletics, and culture. The first Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.

A number of epic works of art and landmarks were born during the reign of Ancient Athens. The two most famous of those paramount monuments are the Parthenon and the the Acropolis. The Parthenon is considered the finest structure of Greek architecture. Built as a temple to the goddess Athena, Parthenon, with it's descriptive sculptures, was constructed in the fifth century B.C at the insistence of Athens general, Pericles. The Acropolis, otherwise known as the "Sacred Rock," is a rock structure raising five hundred twelve feet into the air and characterized by a flat-top. The Acropolis is located on a plain of Attica, a Greek subdivision. The Ancient Athenian darling contains a sturdy layer of blue and green limestone that protects the construction from water damage. Ancient Athens is presently situated atop a rocky hill near the Acropolis.

The Plaka tops the charts of interesting Athens' attractions. The Plaka is the oldest neighborhood in Athens. It is located just under the Acropolis, with Kydatheneon and Adrianou, featuring the Monastiraki Flea Market, as the two main streets. The Plaka served as the vibrant nightlife district of Athens before the local government banned amplified music in the community in the seventies in an effort to drive traffic out of the neighborhood. The tactic worked, turning The Plaka into a community of tourism wonders. Jewelry retailers, tourist shops, and cafes are abundant here. Coral, a tourists destination located on the corner of Voulis and Apollonos, specializes in the sale of antiques, knick-knacks featuring hand paintings, and wood carvings. Gold retailers thrive in this community of Athens-cheap Greek labor makes the metal inexpensive. Various streets in The Plaka are closed to automobile traffic, making way for street vendors, flower merchants, and local musicians.

Many people immediately charge out the Islands when they visit Greece. While the islands are tremendous, spending a few days in Athens is worth the time.

About the author:
Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - get daily facts each and every day.

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