Research Paper On Propylaea

The Propylaea is another sacred temple on the Acropolis and is known as the ‘gateway’ to the Acropolis hence its significant location at the front of the hill. This particular temple, made from the same materials as the Parthenon, was designed by Mnesikles and was built from 437BC to 432BC however the building was never completed. Every Acropolis needed a gateway; the previous gateway before the Persian wars was smaller and had a more defensive purpose because the Acropolis was the most fortified place of the city (due to being on a hill) and therefore needed a safe entrance in case of an emergency and people took refuge there. This is the first way in which the Propylaea related to its location; it had to be the fortified gateway to the safest place in the city which was on a hill. The new Propylaea had wings added and was more welcoming as a temple as well as being a gateway. In the Great Panatheniaea procession of the
From being the leading port town in Ancient Greece, to a modern city with a growing population and constant traffic, the surroundings of the Propylaea have changed a lot since it was first installed. The fumes and pollution created by the traffic, factories and large tourist industry (who want to see the Acropolis) have worn down the surface of the rock and marble of the Propylaea. It was even damaged by the landing and taking off of aircraft (now forbidden to fly over the Acropolis). The marble has suffered chemical change at an alarming pace. Ways to solve this are being devised. Before the 2004 Olympic games in Athens (which would have affected the external surroundings), the Propylaea was shrouded in scaffolding as restoration work was undertaken. All scaffolding was removed in the end of 2009 and the building can now be fully viewed. The famous ceilings have been partly