Walk with the Gods: Athens' Acropolis and Temple of Zeus

Words cannot adequately express the magnitude and scale of the ancient temples around Athens.  While pictures convey something that was grand at one time, it's not until you are standing before these structures, looking up the length of parian marble columns that seem to stretch to the sky, that you can appreciate the genius of early architecture. 

No trip to Athens would be complete without a visit to the Acropolis, where you will walk in the footsteps of the gods.  Situated high on one of the seven hills of Athens, the view to the city below and the sea beyond is incredible.  Athens is a low, rambling city, spreading in all directions for miles.  None of the buildings seems to be more than 10 stories high, and most are white or pale cream. 




Lower in the center of the city near Syntagma Square and the Parliament, you'll find the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Arch.  One column sits where it fell and divided into perfect discs of marble.

The mechanics of ancient construction and the physics it relied upon just boggles the mind.  Of course, Ed was trying to teach me about specific principles, but I was concentrating on the sheer beauty of the space and wishing everyone could see it.