Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Athens

Greek guards or “Evzones” - also known as “Tsoliades” - are members of the Presidential Guard found outside the Hellenic Parliament. They have become synonymous with the city of Athens and were originally founded in 1868 as a regiment of the Greek army. It is a high honour for a soldier to be selected to join the “Evzones”. They guard the grave of the Unknown Soldier that represents the common memory of all unknown soldiers killed at war. The changing of the Greek guards occurs every day at the top of the hour. The “Evzones” are required to stand guard mute and expressionless for 60 minutes at a time, and are harshly punished if they succumb to the tantalizing efforts of tourists from all over the world to break their concentration.

The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea (Εκκλησία της Παναγίας Καπνικαρέας) is one of the oldest churches in Athens. It is located on the heart of the cty along an important shopping street. In 1834, after Greece had regained its independence and Athens, as the new capital, was in the midst of rebuilding, town planners had resolved to either demolish or relocate the church to ensure a thoroughfare for horse and carriages. The church had caught the eye of King Louis of Bavaria (father of the newly appointed King Otto of Greece) as an important landmark and together with the Metropolitan Bishop of Athens, ensured the street was designed with the church in place. The church of Panagia Kapnikarea is a small Byzantine church dating from the 11th century. It was erected on an old church of the 5th century, itself built on a Greek temple. The church now belongs to the University of Athens and is also d "Church of the Sacred University". The church’s name is linked with the family name “Kapnikares” and refers to the official charged with collecting tax on tobacco during the Byzantine period. It was formerly known as “Kamoucharea” from the word “kamoucha”, which means fabrics that are interwoven with gold, referencing the many textile workshops in the area.

The history of the charming neighbourhood of Anafiotika goes back to the mid-1800s. Greece needed workers to transform the new capital. Carpenters and masons from the island of Anafi (and other areas) came and took over this rocky terrain. They took advantage of the Ottoman law that stated a property belonged to you if you could build it between sunset and sunrise. Anafiotika is a gem island-like oasis. Perched on the back of the Acropolis, the Anafiotika neighbourhood offers narrow, winding, shady streets with flowers and cats and views of the city. The narrow streets are lines streets with small white-washed osland-style houses. It looks like a village lost in time, filled with bougainvillaea, jasmine and other plants.

The Little Metropolis (Μικρή Μητρόπολη), formally the Church of St. Eleutherios (Άγιος Ελευθέριος) is a Byzantine church located next to the large Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens ("Great Metropolis") . The Little Metropolis Church - measuring just seven by eleven meters - is one of the smallest churches in Athens, but is also considered one of the oldest and most beautiful. It was built on an old temple - most probably in the early 13th century - and was mainly used for intercessions by pregnant women. Before the Great Metropolis Church was built, it was even a bishop's church.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation (Καθεδρικός Ναός Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου), popularly known as the Great Metropolis is the cathedral church of the Archbishopric of Athens and all of Greece. On Christmas Day, 1842 Greek King Otto and Queen Amalia laid the the first cornerstone of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens and thus commenced its construction. Workers used marble from 72 demolished churches to build the cathedral's immense walls. Three architects and 20 years later, it was completed. On May 21, 1862, the cathedral was dedicated to the Annunciation of the Mother of God. The cathedral is a three-aisled, domed basilica that measures 40 meters long, 20 meters wide and 24 meters high. It features two bell towers and an impressive dome. The interior of the church is decorated with numerous frescoes; the impressive iconostase dates from 1825.Inside are the tombs of two saints killed by the Ottoman Turks during the Ottoman period: Saint Philothei and Patriarch Gregory V. The Cathedral is a significant landmark in the Greek Orthodox Church and remains the largest church in Athens. Today it is the main church in Athens and also serves as the archbishop's seat.

The Acropolis of Athens, or the “Sacred Rock” as it is called, is considered the ultimate symbol of ancient Greek civilization and culture. The Acropolis rock -156 meters above sea level - is considered a landmark for Athens, with its history linked to religious festivals, myths and struggles throughout the centuries. Since 1987 it has been a monument protected by UNESCO as a cultural site. The Parthenon is the most characteristic and famous monument of the Acropolis. It was built on the ruins of a former temple in 447 BC, as part of a plan to rebuild the temples of the Acropolis after their destruction by the Persians in 480 BC. The construction of the building was completed in 438 BC, while the last decorative statues were added in 432 BC. The Parthenon, built in honor of the goddess Athena, is 70 meters long (17 columns), 31 meters wide (8 columns) and 19 meters high. Its style is Doric, but also shows elements of Ionic style.as shown in the frieze. The material used for its construction is marble from Mount Pentelikon.

The Acropolis of Athens, or the “Sacred Rock” as it is called, is considered the ultimate symbol of ancient Greek civilization and culture. The Acropolis rock -156 meters above sea level - is considered a landmark for Athens, with its history linked to religious festivals, myths and struggles throughout the centuries. Since 1987 it has been a monument protected by UNESCO as a cultural site. The Erechtheion (or Temple of Athena Polias), located on the northern side of the Acropolis, was built between 421 and 406 B.C., but was actually completed in 395 B.C., due to interruptions caused by the Peloponnese Wars. It is a replacement of an earlier temple dedicated to Athena Polias. The name derives from Erechtheus, the mytical king of Athens, who was worshipped there. The Erechtheion consists of several sacred sites, all under one roof. These include a church, a palace and a harem. This structure has a rather complicated layout when compared to others on the Acropolis. There are shrines inside dedicated to Athena and Poseidon, who fought for the city, as well as to the two legendary Kings of Athens, Erechtheos and Kekrops. The Erechtheion is known mainly through its porch, its colums instead of pillars had six maidens - two meters in height - known as the “Caryatids”, that support the roof. In 1811 one of them was brought to England (now in the British Museum); the remaining five were replaced by replicas to prevent further damage from the smog (nowadays the originals are in the Acropolis Museum).