Greece trip, Jun 2007 - Some Greek buildings

In Greece, there are a lot of Greek buildings (hehehe)

Hadrian's arch - a Greek version of the triumphal arch. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave, one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus"; the second, on the other side, facing the new city reads "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus". Hadrian was definitely marking his territory.

Temple of Olympian Zeus (Ναός του Ολυμπίου Διός), dedicated to the king of the gods, was completed in 2nd AD. There isn't much of the original building left.

The Panathinaiko (Panathenaic) Stadium is the only major stadium in the world built fully of white marble. In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the Panathinaiko Stadium hosted the archery competition, and the finish of the Marathon.

The Library of Hadrian was not just a library, it was a multi-purpose public square and cultural center that contained a garden, works of art, a library, and lecture halls.

SP was told off because he shouldn't be touching the marbles! Shame on him!

The Tower of the Wind was built in the 2nd BC. It served as a weather vane and a water clock. Its eight external frieze depicts faces of the eight winds.

The "Propylaea" of the University of Athens. The bases of the columns and the capitals of the entrance are perfect replicas of the Propylaea of Acropolis. This building now serves as the ceremony hall and rectory.

The Zappeion in the National Gardens. It was purpose-built for the revival of the Olympic Games in modern times. It was used as the main Fencing Hall in the 1896 Olympic Games. In the 1906 Games, it was used as the Olympic Village.

The Zappeion was also the place where the Greece representatives formally signed the country's accession to the EU in 1981. These days, the building is mainly used for events and conferences. When we visited, there was an Italian private function on and there were a few girls dressed in ancient Greece-style robes.