Within this article I will describe the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis of Athens.
I will tell you about its origin, who oversaw their design, how the building is structured, the motivation for its construction, and the various modifications that have taken place over the centuries.
Are you ready? Let’s get started!
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Table of content
History of the Propylaea
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The project, dating from the years between 437 and 432 B.C., was part of the Aedilean renewal program that came into being under the rule of Pericles, which envisioned a monumental access to the Acropolis, concluding the winding path of the Via Sacra. the name Propylaea, indicates the very function of the building, and is composed of the union of two words: πρό meaning “in front” and πύλαιος meaning ”gate.”
The Propylaea rose at the site of the initial entrance to the Mycenaean fortifications, and later those of Pisistratus (mid-6th century BCE).
After planning, work came to a halt due to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War.
The original plan was then simplified and construction was left unfinished.
Between the years 510-480 B.C.E., a new propylaeum was built, but it was razed shortly thereafter by the Persians around 480 B.C.E. Following the Persian attack, the building was rebuilt over a period of no less than five years during the construction of the Acropolis wall project by Themistocles and Cimon, and can still be seen today by visiting the Acropolis.
The Propylaea underwent minor alterations in Roman and Byzantine times, which did not substantially change their appearance.
In 1640 during clashes between Turks and Venetians, the building was used as an ammunition depot by the Ottomans,and was involved and compromised in an explosion after an attack by Captain Francesco Morosini.
With the rediscovery of classical art and architecture during the1800s linked to discoveries during the Grand Tours of European nobles, massive excavation and restoration campaigns were undertaken in the early 1900s, which today we would call questionable.
In 1990, a new restoration campaign began that lasted until 2015 and restored the monument’s splendor.
Architecture of the Propylaea
It was the architect Mnesicles who oversaw the project, employing the same Pentelic marble used in the construction of the Parthenon and the gray stone of Eleusis, the project, however, was even more expensive due to the occurrence of numerous design difficultiesthat arose from the particular conformation of the site.
They were in fact located in an area of the fortress that was steeply sloping and overhanging thepre-existing retaining wall, and with a very irregular profile, the project wanted the construction to be symmetrical, and these characteristics caused quite a few problems.
You will notice that bothDoric and ‘ Ionic orders are used in the building. In fact, Mnesiche made use of the different proportions of the two styles as an ingenious remedy for the imbalances given by the inherent height differences of the site.
The propylaea constitute a large colonnaded entrance that connects in a single building all the terraces that originally formed the entrance to the site.
The plan consists of a central portal,placed between two vestibules, with five passages (the central one wider for the passage of Panathenaean processions).
Through the central aisle passed the way leading to the sacred buildings. The passageway had, in addition to Ionic columns, a rich marble coffered ceiling painted with golden stars on a blue background. The roof connection between the entrance portico and the colonnade, placed at different levels, was solved by forming a single roof, as if the portico were a forepart of the main atrium.
The two vestibules are composed of six columns of Doric order. The western vestibule, facing the lower city, is wider. In fact, it is divided into three aisles separated by a double row of Ionic-order columns.
From the aisles one enters thePinacoteca hall to the north. The hall was dedicated to ritual dining, and was adorned with paintings hanging on the walls. The facade was unified with the rest of the complex, but fictitious, to allow access to the planned temple of Athena Nike (so there is nothing behind the last pillar of the north-facing portico).
The opposite side leads to the south portico, which is the entrance, never completed, to the Temple of Athena Nike.
Finally from the plan we can see two more rooms adjacent to the eastern vestibule. These two porticos were never finished, but recent excavations have unearthed their bases, which are still visible today. The central staircase, on the other hand, is an addition from the Roman period.
Beyond the five-door wall, six Doric columns led up to the sanctuary, showing the grandeur of the Pormachos statue and the majestic view of the Parthenon.
On the outside, the building appears as a hexastyle Doric portico (with six columns on the base side), leading to an imposing colonnaded atrium.
Two columned side wings, lower than the portico, were built on the western front, and the two entablatures, at different heights, were connected with a continuous continuation of those of the side wings toward the main body.
Frequently asked questions
The Propylaea juxtapose the Doric style of the outer columns with the Ionic style of the inner columns.
The first design of the Propylaea is attributed to Mnesicles in the period of Pericles.
Work on the project began in 437 BC and ended in 431 BC.
The site is located in the heart of downtown Athens near the Plaka district. The nearest metro stops are Akropolis, Red Line 2, (5 minutes and walk) and Syntagma Square, Red Line 2 and Blue Line 3. You will then find a map of the Acropolis of Athens at the entrance or online.
The Propylaea constitute the main entrance to the hill of the Acropolis of Athens. They are located on the western side of the fortress, and to reach them one must enter the archaeological park and take the footpath to the top.
The Propylaea are made of white Pentelic marble blocks and gray stone from Eleusis. These are the materials we find in the three realized bodies, the central one, the picture gallery and the portico on the south side. In addition, in the portico of the south wing, a number of marble blocks were found in workmanship. This incredible discovery has dissolved many questions regarding the construction methods used by the ancient Greeks, as they present grafts and reliefs for the setting up.
Conclusions
Here we come to the end of this article, in which I told you about the Propylaea, the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens, whose monumentality was taken as a model in the neoclassical age for major public works including the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
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