This summer vacation, there is a lot of places in Europe which can satisfy one’s cravings especially in history. This paper will explore, compare, and contrast three of the highly recommended sites for history lovers out there.
KNOSSOS- was also known as Konoso based from the old 14th century B.C. Mycenean script tablets; it was already a thriving city way back in the New Stone Age approximately inhabited from 7000-3000 B.C. Minoan civilizations flourished in these far island of Greece with their lavishly decorated temples and castles featuring paintings that depict the old Mycenaean way of life doing hunting activities and dance ceremonies for ritual rites. Although the city was destroyed in 1450B.C, Knossos civilization began to reach its zenith during the Hellenistic period due to the intermingling of cultures. In 67 B.C., the city was ransacked by the invading Romans under the leadership of Quintus Caecilius Metelus Creticus (Visit Greece.gr, Knossos).
ACROPOLIS- also an ancient city situated within the heart of the Greek capital of Athens, Acropolis represents the fine art of Greek visual culture. The Acropolis is famous because of the Parthenon, a handsome and proportioned Greek marble temple designed by Iktinos and Kallikrates in the 5th century B.C. under King Pericles. The monument was used in rituals and became symbolic for the Athenians democratic freedom. Phidias, one of the great Greek sculptors of the ancient times created an ivory and gold statue of Athena, the goddess and [patron of the city of Athens. The statue was presumed lost due to numerous invasions from different countries. Acropolis in Athens was one of the most visited historic sites in the world simply because the architecture of Parthenon is breathtaking and well-built (Visit Greece.gr, The Acropolis; UNESCO, Acropolis, Athens).
POMPEII- located in Campania, Italy was one of the oldest cities ever built during the Roman period and were full artifacts including the city itself dotted with stone roads, ancient buildings, and cemeteries. Oscans founded the city in 6th and 7th centuries before becoming one of the territories of the Romans in the 80 B.C. The city thrived under the Roman colonial rule until the city organized a campaign to oust the Roman power from the city. Unfortunately, the city of Pompeii fell into ruins when the dangerous eruption of Mt. Vesuvius (Pompeiiisites.org Soprintendenza Pompeii History).
Out of the three, Knossos is the most ideal place to have fun and explore at the same time because the temples, palaces, and other historic sites located in this ancient city are still existent and much of the old paintings painted during the reign of the Mycenaean civilization remains intact and free from clutter. Bright red temple columns can be seen from a far and this is the place where children and other people interested in the Greek culture can learn some tidbits about how the people lived and their culture. Acropolis and Pompeii are good sites to explore and have fun but Acropolis has been visited constantly by visitors and much of the Parthenon relics have been destroyed and due to aging, some of the sculptures on the temple’s façade are fading away. On the other hand, the most dramatic places of the three would be the ancient village of Pompeii, in Italy. The place in fact had a tragic history of ruins due to the violent eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in the past. As a result many residents within the area had been buried alive in the ashes spewed by the volcano and one of the most tragic relics of this disaster was the preserved skeletal remains of two lovers buried together. Second most dramatic place is the Acropolis in Athens because it was once a thriving city full of people and historical relics; and yet, much of the temple now are ruined because of the modifications made by the Christians in the past as well as the wars. However, the Knossos in Crete is probably the most mysterious of all these historical sites because the paintings illustrate the lives of the people. Clay tablets with ancient Mycenaean texts still lingered throughout the place. Unlike the previous two, the isolated island of Crete made the structures of Knossos remained intact for thousands of years. Tourists visit this isolated part of Greece to reminisce the age-old history through its arts and sculptures. If I had the choice to live near one of the sites, I would choose to live in Knossos. Again, I prefer Knossos because the temples and other structures are still preserved and unlike Pompeii and Acropolis, this place is rather quiet and close to nature; in other words, Acropolis have been destroyed by the modernization of Athens and Pompeii’s historic places some of them already have vandalisms and garbage thrown by visiting tourists. Hence, Knossos is the least polluted among the three and its isolation from the Greek mainland makes it the ideal place to enjoy ancient Greek living. If I get the opportunity to show one of these historic sites to my close friend, my top place is Knossos because of the reasons stated previously. I will invite them to experience a visit to Knossos because of its ancient atmosphere and somehow medieval setting. The scenery has been preserved because only few buildings are erected from the site and most of them are far from the ruins. Second, would be Pompeii for the same reasons as well and examining the potteries of the ancient residents of the Roman city would give us an idea of how hard people’s lives during the ancient times; and lastly, I want them to show Acropolis. Although the majestic marble temple of Athena still stands, the noise of the modern Athens interrupts a peaceful solitude of learning the history visually.
WORKS CITED
“Acropolis, Athens.” 2016. Web. UNESCO.org. 18 Mar. 2016.
“Knossos.” 2014. Web. Visit Greece.gr. 18 Mar. 2016.
“The Acropolis.” 2014. Web. Visit Greece.gr. 18 Mar. 2016.
“Soprintendenza Pompeii History.” N.d. Web. Pompeiisites.org. 18 Mar. 2016.
