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My favourite ancient ruin ....
This 3,000 year old bridge can be walked over but I imagine locals and the Antiquity people were not too pleased when this photo showed up on social media.
A modern car is a few tons heavier than a chariot and horse that the bridge was built for.
Built in the Cyclopean style around 1,200 BC
22 metres long
2.50 metres wide
The Arkadiko bridge was part of a military highway between the 2 ancient cities of Tiryns and Epidavros and part of a greater highway network.
The road has stone curbs to keep fast moving chariot wheels away from the sides of the bridge
There are 4 other similar bridges in this area
Sam and Katy
2 of our many visitors who have posed on the bridge
It was a popular, with me, place to take visitors on our way to the ancient theatre of Epidavros. Only an hour from Poros. Nowadays there is a bypass and slow old secondary roads are no longer in favour with modern chauffeurs.
Epidavros Theatre - an hour down the road from us. Just round the corner from that ancient bridge
Father
And son
Testing the acoustics
I've visited these places many times and love reading about their history and construction.
This temple, one of many, dedicated to the Sea God Poseidon, is about an hour south of Athens. Lord Byron has scratched his name on one of the pillars. I couldn't find it but all the tour guides know where it is and point it out. IF you can still get that close to the ruins.
The Temple to Apollo . Described as 'A monumental marble gateway that has stood proudly at the entrance to Naxos harbour for over 2,500 years'.
The temple is a popular place to watch a glorious Greek sunset
This photo showing an irreverent tourist holding up a piece of ancient marble recently went viral. Locals described his actions as a 'profound act of disrespect'. They were not impressed by the 'half naked modern Hercules'.
As a result there is now a wire fence around the whole area.
Locals aren't happy about the fence either. It 'aesthetically degrades the monument'
That's what happens when brainless tourists want to make a show.
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Brainless indeed.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's getting worse everywhere.
Shoot the tourists!! (only joking ... or am I?)
Many islands here are trying to limit tourism. Spaniards were having protests. Even we are over run during August. We need the money...... But there's a limit. Quality not quantity
DeleteHistory everywhere.
ReplyDeleteEvery step is a step over some sort of ancient story
DeleteIt is a shame when people cannot respect the past and feel the need to impose themselves on it or take bits of it.. That's why Stonehenge is fenced off,
ReplyDeleteSome people just have to spoil it for everyone. I was lucky to visit Stonehenge many years ago when we could still wander in amongst the stones. You get a whole different feeling of these places when you can get up close.
DeleteTourism comes bearing money and disadvantages - cultural watering down being one. There are always idiots. Quality tourism seems to be a rising vogue but that is just selling to the highest bidder and the bloke with the most money isn't always the most educated or most respectful, or culturally or environmentally sensitive either. I love Epidavros and was fortunate enough to go to a theatre production there. Fabulous. When I took visitors we arrived just before someone convinced an opera trained singer in their group to stand 'on the spot' and sing. Free performance and absolutely magnificent.
ReplyDeleteOnce at Epidavros we were lucky enough to hear an Italian choir sing an impromptu Ave Maria. Magical. Everytime I visit I sit on those marble seats waiting for a repeat performance while the visitors climb and take photos. It's damn expensive now.
DeleteNaxos should charge for the sunset views amongst the ruins. That would keep out the riffraff. Though sunsets can be viewed anywhere......
I love that old bridge! I remember in Rome the Ponte Fabricio which dates back to 62 BC and is still in use. Of course, you are literally surrounded by history which would fascinate me.
ReplyDeleteI love visiting these ancient ruins. Unfortunately K is not interested...... At all!!!
DeleteSo sad to see tourists disrespecting places they visit.
ReplyDeleteYoung people act first and think later.
DeleteWhat a wonderful 'theatre' that is; just imagine the work involved! Yes, your final photo reached us here in France, some people just don't think.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few theatres like this around Greece. And Turkey. It's marvellous to attend a performance there, as Tiggers Mum did
DeleteIt is both infuriating and sad that people give no respect to the accomplishments of antiquity. Writing on the marble, chipping it with their name, and the example above are just part of it. This is why there are barriers, preventing all of us from getting close.
ReplyDeleteI love how Greece has so much history of the ancient kind. I've read newspaper articles over the last few years and apparently tourists are getting more and more disrespectful over historical objects. it's sad.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to happen more and more that disrespectful (or just plain stupid!) people spoil things for the rest of us. Like at Stonehenge where it's practically impossible to get anywhere near the monument. I wonder why people feel the need to do these things.
ReplyDeleteFascinating history, sadly there are those who disrespect antiquities as with most everything else.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what the answer is, maybe some kind of barrier that will stop a car passing ?
Jo
Unfortunately there are so many brainless tourists on the loose these days. I envy your proximity to so much history.
ReplyDelete