Lycabettus Hill- - Athens

I like hills. They were the main attraction in my childhood town in Roumania. I liked the excitement of climbing up to the top, the panoramic view of the town bellow, the feeling of being close to the sky and God.

In ancient Greece there's the concept of "sacred hill" - the acropolis, with its superbly designed temples and stone air-open amphitheaters. I like that too.

Lycabettus Hill is the highest point in Athens and offers a good view of this densely populated city. It is cone shaped , and pine trees cover its base. One can walk via stairs ot take the funicular to the top.

Telescope deck on the Lycabettus

Lycabetus Hill in the middle of the capital

Offering a city sight which is spectacular

All of Athens as viewed from the top

Is like a huge, giant workshop.

The Hill is also place of worship

With small church and chapel of Ai Georgis

It has a restaurant/cafe on the top

And a theater which is a concerts host.

View of Athens from the Lycabettus

ATHENS - The Acropolis..and more

Athina - the greek word for Athens - reminds me of the famous greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassiss. His first wife and his only grandaughter were both named Athina.

I have a little theory (supposedly, not original) : I think everyone is born with a certain Luck which goes with him/her from the cradle to the grave. In-between there are ups and downs, but a person's life usually ends more or less within the same kind of Luck it started with.

The "Rise and Fall" of Aristotle (Ari) Onassiss seems to be a fairly good example. Son of greek refugees, he worked as a liftboy, as telephone operator, and then his Luck gradually changed. He became rich, successful and famous through commerce with tobacco and ships. He married Athina (Tina), the daughter of a greek shipping magnate, whom he later divorced, had a long love affair with the world's greatest opera singer, Maria Callas, married late USA president John Kennedy's widow ,Jacky Kennedy, bought an island, had connections with Heads of States, Kings, etc.. and then, when in the third phase of his life, his Luck changed again.

His decline (personal , not financial), reached its bottom with the death of his son Alexander (25) in a plane crash. Onassiss never recovered from the tragedy of his son's death. He didn't live long enough (died three years later) to face another tragedy, that of his daughter Christina's death (37) .

And what became of the two Athina-s ? Athina (Tina), Onassis' divorcee ,died a year after her son's death.

Athina ,the grandaughter, is the sole survivor of the shipping tycoon 's immediate family, and she doesn't live in Greece.

The Acropolis (upper city)

In the center of Athens there are two hills : the Acropolis and the Lycabetus , both offering a splendid view of the city capital Athens.

The Acropolis is viewed as the highlight of ancient Greek civilization. It is believed that this is where democracy was born and where art and life became almost inseparable.

On the top of the acropolis is the Parthenon erected in honour of Athena , goddess protective of Athens. It is considered a marvel of architecture.

The Parthenon

The Acropolis, the upper city

Watching over Athen's beauty

Symbol of ancient civilization

The Greek's pride as a nation

A place of major temples

In honor of Athena Goddess

The most famous on the site

Is Parthenon standing upright

From the Acropolis one can get a superb view of the city with its outstanding landmarks: the Olympic Stadium, the Zappion , the National Gardens , etc.. Below the Acropolis is the ancient theater of Dionysos and the well-preserved temple of Thissio.

The ancient theater of Dionysos

On a stone chair in the theater of Dionysos

Behind, is the temple of Thissio


Monument in front of the Olympic Stadium


The Zappion Exhibition Hall

In the city square, pigeons everywhere


Guard- the Presidential Residence