Asclepeion, Athens, Greece - SpottingHistory.com

To the west of the Dionysos theatre and quite close to the cliff of the Acropolis lies the Asklepieion, the sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios dated to 420 BC. Functioning pretty much as hospitals, the asklepieia were of immense importance in ancient Greece, the most popular being the Asklepieion of Epidaurus. Besides the usual facilities for sheltering the pilgrims, the core structures of the Athenian complex were the temple of the god and the enkoimeterion (dormitory). That was a large two-storey stoa for the enkoimesis of the patients, a dream-like and rather hallucinatory state of sleep induction, practised in those shrines. While in hypnotic state, the patients waited to receive a dream vision of the god who would either give medical advice or even miraculously cure them. Votive offerings that came to light from the site often depict healed body parts. Characteristic examples are on display in the Acropolis Museum.

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User Reviews

אבי אוליאל (4 months ago)
Some dazzling pineapples are thought of simply as spiders? Industrious dogs show us how lobsters can be hamsters. A boundless grape's kumquat comes with it the thought that the faithful prune is a rabbit; A dynamic fish is a grapes of the mind? Draped neatly on a hanger, a shark is the hippopotamus of a zebra? An apricot sees a turtle as an alluring pineapple. The snake is a panda. The frogs could be said to resemble considerate pomegranates. The willing camel comes from an intelligent ant?

Mi Dang (5 months ago)
You can see the town when you reach to the very top, it was beautiful... annoying when people constantly take pictures when you’re trying to get to a safe spot to take in the view, but it’s expected since this is one of the main attractions in Athens.

Obblical Tongey (5 months ago)
One of the best places to see in the world. Not much to say due to just how fantastic the architecture is, especially for its time. Being the birth place of democracy already adds a great bonus for history but it just feels like the best place to go to in a short trip to Greece due to its beauty and links to the ancient times.

Nick Kondylas (7 months ago)
Here are only a few of the richest gifts ancient Greece has given to the world that still impact us today. • It was home to the first recognized historian. • It is the birthplace of world-famous mathematicians. • It is the foundation of Western philosophic thought. • Its founders designed the initial concept of democracy. • It was the first place to bring trial by jury into the courtroom. • It educated and entertained us with mythology. • It brought us the origins of theater. • It created the Olympic games. • It introduced beautiful architecture. • It shared with the world an incredible collection of sculptures and pottery. • It brought us the explanation of true tranquility. • It gave us the most comprehensive, meaningful word for “happiness.” • It gave us greek language as the basis for the technical terms of all sciences.

jean d (7 months ago)
An extraordinary piece of human culture that withstood all those centuries. Even in the hot Greek summer sun it is a pleasure to adventure to the top and see those sites. On top of that, the view on the city is superb

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Mezquita is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784 Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, while in 961 Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The last of such reforms was carried out by Almanzor in 987. It was connected to the Caliph"s palace by a raised walkway, mosques within the palaces being the tradition for previous Islamic rulers – as well as Christian Kings who built their palaces adjacent to churches. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard.

In 1236, Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile, and the centre of the mosque was converted into a Catholic cathedral. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the mosque. The kings who followed added further Christian features, such as King Henry II rebuilding the chapel in the 14th century. The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral. It was adorned with Santiago de Compostela"s captured cathedral bells. Following a windstorm in 1589, the former minaret was further reinforced by encasing it within a new structure.

The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, king of Castile and Aragon. Artisans and architects continued to add to the existing structure until the late 18th century.

Architecture

The building"s floor plan is seen to be parallel to some of the earliest mosques built from the very beginning of Islam. It had a rectangular prayer hall with aisles arranged perpendicular to the qibla, the direction towards which Muslims pray. The prayer hall was large and flat, with timber ceilings held up by arches of horseshoe-like appearance.

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch.

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