Clipmarks | Acropolis Clips

Pagans pray to Athena to protect Acropolis

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:00:32 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

In what organizers said was the first such ceremony performed amid the Acropolis ruins in Athens since the ancient Greek religion was outlawed in the fourth century, dozens of Greek pagans huddled near the Parthenon in a downpour Sunday to worship in protest of the new museum being built at the foot of the site. They gathered before the temple’s east wing and prayed to Athena, goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens, to protect the Parthenon from further destruction.

The Greek Culture Ministry forbids ceremonies of any sort at archaeological sites, but the small band of pagan revivalists entered the Acropolis’s heavily guarded grounds as tourists and then persuaded guards to allow the 15-minute rite. It was organized by Ellinais, an Athens group that recently won a court battle for state recognition of the ancient religion.

Tags: pagan, greece, history, culture, belief, religion

Oops, I did it again...

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:34:52 GMT

clipped by: bmeuppls

Clip Source: www.powerlineblog.com

As if a Rocky Mountain coronation were not lofty enough, Barack Obama will aim for Mount Olympus when he accepts his party's nomination atop an enormous, Greek-columned stage - built by the same cheesy set team that put together Britney Spears' last tour. ...
But the set is designed to evoke the White House and the Lincoln Memorial, not the Acropolis, said staging supervisor Bobby Allen, a Spears set vet.

"We've done Britney's sets and a whole bunch of rock shows, but this was far more elaborate and complicated and we had to do it in far less time," said Allen, of RDA Entertainment.

Asked who is harder to satisfy - the Democrats or Britney - Allen replied: "I better not answer that."

test

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:56:01 GMT

clipped by: meglim

Clip Source: europeportreviews.com

After being cheated by Athen's famous taxi drivers on my last trip to Athens, I decided to find out about the train service and what was available for cruise passengers as an alternative to being ripped off. I was shocked at how easy it was to get to the Plaka and Acropolis via train from Piraeus and thought I would share every detail so you can do the same thing. It is actually the best way to see the Plaka district and the Acropolis, besides being the least expensive. Here is exactly how to do it.

As you round the harbor, you will come to the area where the ferries dock (there may or may not be ferries in the port at the time. You will come to a large intersection with two roads converging on the road that you are on. Take the road to the immediate right (pictured above). The train station is about four short blocks on the right hand side.

Clip Source: clipmarks.com

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Discovery of Atlantis

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:42:46 GMT

clipped by: ChaosSyren
clipper's remarks: Here's the current situation: We have exhausted the means available to us, given the technological limitations for deep-sea research, and the results failed to either prove or disprove the Cyprus theory. If human beings did once live around the purported Acropolis Hill, currently halfway between Cyprus and Syria, and made modifications to the anomalies already there in order to make it suitable for human habitation, we would not know about it. There is no way to find that out without the ability to "x-ray" large areas of the seafloor, to see what's under all the mud, and discover whether or not man-made structures are there Narrow sonar beams that give us foot-wide glimpse of what's under the mud, in a straight line as the sonar device is towed behind the ship, are not going to provide what is needed. The technology we have today is not up to par for the task at hand. Imagine how much energy would be needed to penetrate the mud in a sizable area, and give us a picture of what's under

Clip Source: www.discoveryofatlantis.com

There is now, given our current technological means, only one way to inexpensively prove or disprove the theory. A "core sample" of the seabed from the rectangular valley could be analyzed to see when the area was last above water. To this date, not a single core sample of the deep-sea area between Cyprus and Syria has ever been taken or analyzed. When we hear scientists say that the Mediterranean was dry last about five million years ago, it should be kept in mind that these numbers come from core samples taken from completely unrelated areas, far away from the northeastern tip of the Mediterranean Sea where Atlantis/Eden was once above water. In other words, these numbers are based on guess work, not data. Until and unless the data itself comes in, the numbers are not based on scientific proof.

Tags: atlantis, discovery

Must See Landmarks of Europe

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:30:12 GMT

clipped by: nhorn

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

The Palace at Versailles:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Buckingham Palace:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Puerto del Sol, Madrid:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Hagia Sophia mosque, Istanbul, Turkey:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Notre Dame de Paris cathedral, Paris:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Red Square, Moscow:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Piccadilly Circus, London:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Colosseum, Rome:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Giants Causeway:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

The Parthenon on the Acropolis, Athens, Greece:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Alhambra, Granada, Spain:

Clip Source: travel.msn.com

Custom House, Dublin, Ireland:

Tags: europe, landmarks, travel

The New Acropolis Museum

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:27:00 GMT

clipped by: Charolastra
clipper's remarks: http://www.newacropolismuseum.gr/eng/
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=537580
http://www.uk.digiserve.com/mentor/marbles/museum.htm

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

] “No sane architect,” Nicolai Ouroussoff writes, “would want to invite comparisons between his building and the Parthenon. So it comes as little surprise that the New Acropolis Museum, which stands at the foot of one of the great achievements of human history, is a quiet work, especially by the standards of its flamboyant Swiss-born architect, Bernard Tschumi. But in mastering his ego, Mr. Tschumi pulled off an impressive accomplishment: a building that is both an enlightening meditation on the Parthenon and a mesmerizing work in its own right. I can’t remember seeing a design that is so eloquent about another work of architecture.”

Tags: athens, acropolis, parthenon, museum, art

Athens, Greece,

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:45:07 GMT

clipped by: skwirlinator

Clip Source: www.redorbit.com

Athens, Greece

Athens, Greece, enjoys both historical and current significance on the world stage. The ancient city of Athens, considered to be the birthplace of many Western traditions in philosophy, the arts, and the scientific method, is located in the Central Plains region of Attica in eastern Greece. This astronaut photograph captures the western extent of the modern urban area. The large basin in which Athens is located was formed by faulting and has accumulated thick deposits of clays and alluvium. These clay deposits were the source of Athen’s historical (and current) pottery trade. However, the same tectonic processes that lead to the formation of the basin—ongoing collision of the Eurasian and African plates—are also responsible for frequent strong and damaging earthquakes in the region. There are many remnants of ancient Athens preserved in the modern city, including the Acropolis (labeled above; also see the earlier ISS photograph, The Acropolis, Greece).

Tags: athens, greece, places

Sex lies archeology & DVD shake Greece Government

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:36:35 GMT

clipped by: syncopath
clipper's remarks: hello Aribeth, pray tell us what's going on there between the heavenly acropolis & the mortal land of the Greeks ?? .... -)))

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

It began as a tale of sex, lies and a secret video recording at the heart of the ministry charged with bringing the Elgin Marbles back to Greece.

But after two apparent suicide attempts and allegations of blackmail and endemic corruption, the affair has called into question the moral authority of the Culture Ministry as it presses its case for the return of the ancient masterpieces.

The juiciest sex scandal in modern Greek memory began when an archaeologist allegedly decided to get revenge on her married boss after he refused to give her a full-time job at the ministry.

Evi Tzekou, 35, is in custody on charges of attempted blackmail after apparently smuggling a camera into the bedroom of Christos Zachopoulos, her lover, and filming more than 100 hours of extramarital sex.

The scandal has sent the popularity of the conservative Government to record lows

there is a widespread sense of shame that the organisation claiming the moral high ground for their return should be racked by scandal.

China unveils largest snow sculpture ever created

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:35:02 GMT

clipped by: michellezm

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Rising out of the snow, this magnificent sculpture is the centrepiece of the Ice And Snow Festival, held annually in the northeastern city of Harbin, China.

Called Romantic Feelings, it is a staggering 115ft high and 656ft long - the largest snow sculpture ever created.

It was made by joining together 15ft square blocks of natural ice and snow, taken from the nearby Songhua River, which have been compressed to withstand blows from hatchets, saws and shovels.

Romantic Feelings is a staggering 115ft high and 656ft long - the largest snow sculpture ever created

600 sculptors from 40 countries have used 120,000 cubic feet of snow and ice to create the Olympic themed landscape - a vista of Russian churches, French cathedrals, Chinese palaces and, of course, an ice Acropolis.

There is even a version of Stonehenge to celebrate the London Olympics in 2012.

At night they are dazzlingly lit by coloured lasers and lanterns, creating a multicoloured translucent display.

Channel 4 on new acropolis museum

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:19:54 GMT

clipped by: mkosmides

Clip Source: www.channel4.com

A new gallery is built in Athens to display the fabled Elgin marbles, but will the British Museum agree to send them home?

Tags: greece

Architectual Interface between Modernity and Antiquity

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:15:07 GMT

clipped by: ouyangwulong
clipper's remarks: I think that the narative aspect of architecture is often overlooked. Here it is brought inescapably yet eloquently to life. There is a narrative in the reflection of the Parthenon in the glass of the new museum, the interplay between the ancient past and the approaching future. In both ancient cities and modern museums, we navigate history and culture, spatially arranged and physically enclosing us, and it is the architect who controls the course of this narrative.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

No sane architect, one can assume, would want to invite comparisons between his building and the Parthenon. So it comes as little surprise that the New Acropolis Museum, which stands at the foot of one of the great achievements of human history, is a quiet work, especially by the standards of its flamboyant Swiss-born architect, Bernard Tschumi.

But in mastering his ego, Tschumi pulled off an impressive accomplishment: a building that is both an enlightening meditation on the Parthenon and a mesmerizing work in its own right. I can't remember seeing a design that is so eloquent about another work of architecture.

But by fusing sculpture, architecture and the ancient landscape into a forceful visual narrative, the New Acropolis Museum delivers a revelation that trumps the tired arguments and incessant flag waving by both sides. It's impossible to stand in the top-floor galleries, in full view of the Parthenon's ravaged, sun-bleached frame, without craving the marbles' return.

Tags: athens, acropolis museum, parthenon, modernity, antiquity, architecture

New Museum for the Acropolis

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:31:59 GMT

clipped by: penandspindle
clipper's remarks: The caption reads: Greek officials hope the new site will boost the country's long campaign for the return of the Elgin Marbles.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Tags: greek history

Cranes move Acropolis Sculptures

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:27:15 GMT

clipped by: LisbethJ

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Cranes move Acropolis sculptures

Crowds of bystanders watched the first of the monuments gingerly lifted by cranes at the 2,500-year-old Parthenon.

Thousands of antiquities will be moved, mostly marble sculptures from the fifth and sixth centuries BC.

Greek officials hope the new site will boost the country's long campaign for the return of the Elgin Marbles.

The Elgin Marbles are a collection of sculptures that were removed from the Parthenon 200 years ago and are now part of a collection at the British Museum in London.

Michael Liapis, the Greek culture minister, told Reuters news agency: "It is the first time in 2,500 years the Parthenon marbles are moved.

"It's a historic event not just for Greece but the international community."

The antiquities - which are insured for 400m euros (£280m) - are being removed from the old museum next to the Parthenon.

Tags: acropolis, sculpture, move

Greece fires

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 04:09:12 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

In this image released by NASA on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007, fires in Greece are seen from space. Fires pushed by gale-force winds tore through more parched forests, swallowed villages and scorched the edges of Athens on Saturday with ashes raining onto the Acropolis. The death toll rose to at least 49 as the government declared a nationwide state of emergency. (AP Photo/NASA)

Tags: fire, greece, news

Save Money With These Alternatives to Popular European Cities

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:41:01 GMT

clipped by: breathenormally

Clip Source: travel.yahoo.com

Athens may be the more obvious destination of choice for history buffs, but Istanbul — just across the Aegean — has an equally storied past, and buildings to rival the Acropolis (the breathtaking Hagia Sophia was a finalist in the recent New Seven Wonders of the World contest). For a bit more background, try Elizabeth Kostova's bestselling novel, The Historian, which provides beautiful descriptions of the ancient city.

Since the fall of the Wall, Berlin has established itself as perhaps the premiere city for modern architecture in Europe. However, this renewed prosperity has also made Germany one of the most expensive destinations in Europe. Penny pinchers should head instead for Prague, where modern masterpieces such as Frank Gehry's famous Dancing House mingle with excellent Baroque, Rococo, and Art Nouveau buildings spanning the past 600 years of architecture.

Save Money With These Alternatives to Popular European Cities

Tags: europe, money, vacation, athens, instanbul, berlin, prague, travel