Athens Introduction

Athens (Greek: Αθήνα) is the capital and largest city in Greece. Athens is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning back 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state that emerged in conjunction with the seagoing development of the Port of Piraeus. A centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, it is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely because of its cultural and political impact on the European continent, and in particular the Romans.

In modern times, Athens is a large cosmopolitan metropolis and central to economic, financial, industrial, maritime, political, and cultural life in Greece. Athens is recognized as a global city because of its geo-strategic location and its importance in shipping, finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, culture, education, and tourism. It is one of the biggest economic centers in southeastern Europe, with a large financial sector, and its port Piraeus is the largest passenger port in Europe, and the second largest in the world. Athens is also the southernmost capital on the European mainland.

Athens is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Acropolis of Athens and the medieval Daphni Monastery. Athens was the host city of the first modern-day Olympic Games in 1896, and 108 years later it welcomed home the 2004 Summer Olympics. Athens is home to the National Archeological Museum, featuring the world's largest collection of ancient Greek antiquities, as well as the new Acropolis Museum.

(Image source: www.thisisathens.org) 

History

The oldest known human presence in Athens is the Cave of Schist, which has been dated to between the 11th and 7th centuries BC. Gradually, the settlement became an important center of the Mycenaean civilization and the Acropolis was the site of a major Mycenaean fortress. By the 6th century BC, widespread social unrest led to the reforms of Solon. It paved the way for the eventual introduction of democracy by Cleisthenes in 508 BC.

In the Greco-Persian Wars, Athens defeated the Persians at Marathon in 490 BC. However, this did not prevent Athens from being captured by the Persians within one year, after a heroic resistance by Spartans led by King Leonidas. The decades that followed became known as the Golden Age of Athenian democracy, during which time Athens became the leading city of Ancient Greece, with its cultural achievements laying the foundations of Western civilization. During Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), Athens was defeated by its rival Sparta.

By the end of Late Antiquity, the city experienced decline followed by recovery in the second half of the Middle Byzantine Period, in the 9th to 10th centuries AD, and was relatively prosperous during the Crusades, benefiting from Italian trade. In 1458 it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and entered a long period of decline.

Following the Greek War of Independence and the establishment of the Greek Kingdom, Athens was chosen as the capital of the newly independent Greek state in 1834. In 1896 Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games. A democratic and republican constitution was promulgated in June 1975 following a referendum which chose to not restore the monarchy. In 2004 Athens hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Natural environment

Athens sprawls across the central plain of Attica that is often referred to as the Athens or Attica Basin. The basin is bounded by four large mountains: Mount Aegaleo to the west, Mount Parnitha to the north, Mount Penteli to the northeast and Mount Hymettus to the east. Beyond Mount Aegaleo lies the Thriasian plain, which forms an extension of the central plain to the west. The Saronic Gulf lies to the southwest.

Athens is built around a number of hills. Lycabettus is one of the tallest hills of the city proper and provides a view of the entire Attica Basin.

Climate

Athens has a subtropical Mediterranean climate and receives just enough annual precipitation to avoid semi-arid climate classification. The dominant feature of Athens's climate is alternation between prolonged hot and dry summers and mild winters with moderate rainfall. Rainfall occurs largely between the months of October and April. July and August are the driest months, where thunderstorms occur sparsely once or twice a month. Winters are mild and rainy.

The annual precipitation of Athens is typically lower than in other parts of Greece. Athens is affected by the urban heat island effect in some areas which is caused by human activity, altering its temperatures compared to the surrounding rural areas.

Holidays

New Years Day: 1st of January

Epiphany: 6th of January

Clean Monday: 41 days before Easter

Independence Day: 25th of March

Easter: From Good Friday until Easter Monday.

Labor Day: 1st of May

Pentecost: It is celebrated 50 days after Easter

Assumption Day: 15th of August

Ochi Day: 28th of October

Christmas: 25th of December