Athens

Old Parliament Building/Παλιά Βουλή

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Last Saturday I ventured downtown to get a few art supplies at an art and hobby store. As I was walking down Stadiou St. I noticed the old parliament building. In  the  past I  have stood in front of it to take pictures of the statue of Greek General Theodoros Kolokotronis who is depicted riding a horse . I had never been inside the building, but that day something came over me and I decided to follow the group of people that were heading into the building. There was no entrance fee or anything and I was free to wander everywhere.  The building was built in 1875 with plans by French architect Francois Boulanger and with foundations that were layed by Queen Amalia of Bavarian origin. After the Greek war of independence Greece had a monarchy for a short time that began in the late 19th century.The building has ceased to be used as a parliament building in 1932. The current parliament building is located at Syntagma square.

The parliament building is now the National Historical Museum. When I walked in I was awe-struck by the amount of historical artifacts that are displayed in the old building, from the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 to the Second World War.  Also, there are costumes and works of art from drawings to paintings and statues from different time periods and many weapons that were used during the many wars that Greece participated in.

 

National Park of Athens/Εθνικός Κήπος

One of the most beautiful places to visit in Athens is the National Garden of Athens (Ethnikos Kipos). After visiting the park recently I decided to do some research and I found out some interesting facts about this enchanting place. The parks’ original name was ‘The Royal Garden’ . It was designed by Queen Amalia (Greece had a monarchy at the time) and constructed in 1836 by the  architect to the royals Friedrich von Gaertner .  There is a small zoo containing different species of birds and a duck pond.  Also, there is a closed off section with Roman baths and pieces of Adrians’ wall.  Another remnant of antiquity is the canal that dates back to the time of the Greek tyrant Peisistratos.  It surprised me when I discovered that American writer and painter Henry Miller  visited the park in the 1930’s and wrote that “It remains in my memory like no other park I have known. It is the quintessence of a park, the thing one feels sometimes in looking at a canvas or dreaming of a place one would like to be in and never finds.”

The bust of the first president of Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias

Crossing the Bridge

Roman Letters

50 shades of Green

I’m not your stepping stone..

Business Meeting..

He loves me he loves me not..

Birds lining up..

No balloon buyers today..

Street Angels/Αγγελοι Στο Δρομο

My Guardian Angel-Ο Φυλακας Αγγελος Μου

My Second Guardian Angel- Ο Δευτερος Φυλακας Αγγελος Μου

Twisted Street Tree-Στριμμενο Δεντρο Του Δρομου By: Angela Zafiris

These were some of my Athens street photos. I want to take more this week, but, according to the weatherman, the weather will not be in my favour this week… 😦

Suburban Excursion

Yesterday, the weather was great, it was about 25 degrees celsius, so I decided to take a stroll up to the North of Athens.

This is the affluent part of Athens where the Pizza Hut looks like this:

Gourmet Restaurant? No, it's Pizza Hut!

Where the houses look like this:

Greek Architecture?

Weird.

And where the shops look like this:

A church? No!

(more…)

1000 Year Old Byzantine Church
The entry of King Otto of Greece in Athens and...

Image via Wikipedia

Για πολλα χρονια ψωνιζα στα μαγαζια στην Οδο Ερμου στο κεντρο της Αθηνας και περνουςα την μικρη εκκλησια, αλλα δεν ηξερα την ιστορια της. Λογο της περιεργιας μου εμαθα για το μικρο εκκλησακι.   Η εκκλησια ονομαζεται ‘Παναγια Καπνικαρεα’ και ειναι ενα απο της πιο σημαντικες Βυζαντινες εκκλησιες στην Αθηνα.

Το Βυζαντινο εκκλησακι χτιστηκε το 1050 μ.χ (!)  πανω απο τα συντηριμμια ενος αρχαιου ναου αφιερομενο ειτε στη Θεα Αθηνα η στην Θεα Δημητρα. Παραλιγο να γρεμιστει η εκκλησια μετα την επανασταση του 1821, ομως παρενεβει Ο Αρχιεπισκοπος της Αθηνας και ο Ludwig of Bavaria o πατερας του Βασιλια Οττο.  Το μωσαικο στην εισοδο τηn εφτιαξε Ο Elli Voila το 1936, και ειναι πολυ εντυπωσιακο.

For many years, I have walked passed the tiny old church pictured above. It is located in the middle of  the downtown Ermou shopping district  of Athens.   The church is always surrounded by people who like to sit on the ledge.  I have sat there many times and one day I decided to go in to light a candle.  I knew that it was an old church is but I did not know exactly how old.  Recently I decided to take photographs of the church and to do some research on it.  What I discovered surprised me the church named: ‘Panagia Kapnikarea‘ is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and it is one of the most important Byzantine churches in Athens.  The church dates back to 1050 (11th century)! It was built on the ruins of an ancient temple either dedicated to the Goddess Athena or Demeter.   Panagia Kapnikarea was almost destroyed after the Greek war of Independence of 1821, but the Bishop of Athens and Ludwig of Bavaria father of King Otto intervened and the church was saved.  The mosaic at the entrance was made by Elli Voila in 1936, and it is quite beautiful up close. In addition, the Northern side of the church is dedicated to Saint Varvara.

For more info:
http://www.athensinfoguide.com/gr/wtschurches/panagiakapnikarea.htm

http://www.focusmm.com/greece/gr_byza.htm

A View From The Top/Η θέα Aπό Ψηλά

Πριν απο δυο ημερες κατεβηκα στο κεντρο της Αθηνας και καθησα στη ταρατσα ενος καφε στο Συνταγμα. Η θεα ηταν πολυ ωραια. Δεν εχω δει ποτε την πολη απο τοσο ψηλα. Μου εκανε εντυπωση ποσο πρασινη και καθαρη φαινοτανε η Αθηνα.

A couple of days ago I went downtown and I sat at a roof top café at Syntagma square. The view was beautiful I had never seen the city from above. I was surprised by how green and clean the city looked.