XpatAthens
Ancient Olympia - The Birthplace Of The Olympic Games
Olympia was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, which were celebrated every four years by the Greeks. Olympia is situated in a valley in Elis, which is in western Peloponnisos. It was not a town, but a sanctuary with buildings associated with games and the worship of the gods. The site of the sanctuary of Olympia is in a lush region irrigated by two rivers, the Alpheus and the Cladeus. The riverbed remains dry for most of the year now, but in ancient times it was one of Olympiads vital rivers.
Olympia was a national shrine of the Greeks and contained many treasures of Greek art, such as temples, monuments, altars, theaters, statues, and votive offerings of brass and marble. Many valuable objects were discovered, the most important of which was a statue of Hermes, the messenger of the gods by Praxiteles.
The most celebrated temple in Olympia was the Temple of Zeus, dedicated to the father of the gods. In this temple, probably the oldest Doric building known, stood the table of which the garlands were prepared for the victors in the games.
The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, one of the most important museums in Greece, presents the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, the sanctuary of Zeus, father of both gods and men, where the Olympic Games were born. Among the many precious exhibits of the sculpture collection, for which the museum is most famous, the bronze collection, the richest collection of its type in the world, and the large terracottas collection, are especially noteworthy.
In addition to the Archaeological Museum, visitors can go to the Museum of the Ancient Olympic Games, The Folk Museum of Andritsaina, and the actual Archaeological site of Olympia. These museums are well-renowned and great for a family outing.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter
Change To ENFIA Dues For Owners
The ENFIA property tax that 565,000 owners have to pay will be reduced compared to the original amount, following the processing of modified property statements (E9) on the Finance Ministry’s Taxisnet online platform. There are 65,000 property owners whose payments will be reduced by at least 300 euros, but they will have to produce documents to justify that.
There also are some 400,000 owners who will see a small rise in their ENFIA dues as a result of the corrections they have made to their official property status.
More than 3.1 million modifications to the E9 forms had been submitted by December 30, with 1.4 million changes concerning taxpayers’ 2014 property status. The other modifications concerned previous years. Owners will be allowed to make more changes to their E9 for previous years, but that will incur a 100-euro fine per form changed.
To read more, please visit ekathimerini.com
By Prokopis Hatzinikolaou
Greek Crisis Prompts A Rethink On Food Waste
To read more, please visit: ekathimerini
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center - Arts & More
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is no doubt an imposing addition to the capital. From a certain angle on the busy Sygrou avenue, the center appears like a massive gleaming silver and glass paneled box was dropped onto the southern Athens skyline.
Such a project could only be possible with a sizeable investment, exactly €596 million. The grant was offered by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the largest donation in recent Greek history. It was also one the most generous single donations worldwide in the art and culture realm.
We first walked through the grounds, a man made 170,000 m2 lush, green park complete with performance fields, playgrounds, impressive gardens and an outdoor café. As part of the project, a public athletic park was also built with a track and swimming pool. It is open to the public for use.
The playground also hit the senses. An unsuspecting piece of art made sounds to represent the Greek sea, for example. I stomped on some wooden planks set in the ground that chimed gleefully, so did some unsuspecting metal squares nearby.
The park is now one of the city’s largest green public spaces.
No matter where we stood, there was a view of either the city, including Lycabettus Hill and the Acropolis, or out to the sea.
Thanks to the design of the complex, built on the artificial hill, Kallithea (a quiet residential neighborhood) has bragging rights to one of nicest views in town. Kallithea actually means good view, in Greek. However, a view like this certainly didn’t exist before.
Tips for Visiting the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
- You can’t buy opera tickets just yet. Both the opera and the library are in moving stages and those buildings of the arts complex are set to officially open in 2017.
- You can visit the rest. The beautiful park is great for a stroll and is quite close to the Flisvos Marina, another very scenic and walkable area of southern Athens.
- While at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, also visit the Agora, an outdoor space that connects the opera and the library. In the Agora lobby, there is an impressive gallery featuring notable Greek artists (most recently Panagiotis Tetsis).
- The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Visitors Center also hosts programming for adults and children.
- Opening hours are from Monday to Sunday from 09:00 till 22:00.
- Admission is free
To read this article in full, please visit: My Greece My Travels
For more information about the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, visit: SNFCC website
Record-Breaking 'Extra Supermoon' On November 14th, 2016
If you missed some of the amazing astronomical phenomena this year, then you could make up for it in one outing. On November 14th, 2016, the Moon will come the closest it has been to earth since January 1948. The supermoon, as the phenomenon is called, will appear up to 14 percent bigger than an average full moon. This is the closest the Moon will get to Earth until 25 November 2034, so you really don’t want to miss this one!
To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News
Greece In The Winter
Mid-Season Sales In Greece Begin May 1, 2018
Discovering The Ancient Secrets Of The Olive: An Adventure Full Of Activities
About The Book
The ancient Greeks adored the olive from the twilight of history, and even in prehistoric times they used olives in medicine, cooking, religion and many other aspects of everyday life. Until today, scientists, botanologists, archaeologists and geologists have been trying to peel away the secrets of the olive and its uses in Ancient Greece. In this book you will find out how the ancient Greeks used the olive, through paintings, activities and amusing texts... Let yourself be surprised by the facts, as the olive is still used today in multiple ways and in many cases in the same ways that it was used back then!
About The Author
Vasiliki Markaki studied International Relations and History of Art in Athens and holds two Masters Degrees, in Art Management and Museum and Gallery Management, from City University London.
She has collaborated with natural history museums in Greece and the UK, for the development of learning activities and has also worked for the London-based British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures. In 2015, she joined the team that planned and managed the development of the House of European History, the new museum of the European Parliament, designing the learning strategy and all related material for physical and online visitors. Since 2017 she has been working at the Μuseum of Cycladic Art as the coordinator of the museum’s e-learning program.
Her children’s book “Discovering the Ancient Secrets of the Olive” was published in Greek and English in 2013.
To purchase Vassiliki's book, please visit: Amazon.com
Ready, Steady, Lights: The Illumination Of The Christmas Tree At Syntagma Square
Originally posted on Christmas in Athens, translated by Xpat Athens
The Municipality Of Athens Transforms The City's Fountains
In recent weeks, a major project is underway to restore the city's fountains and turn them into stunning decorative elements that will enhance and improve the city's urban landscape.
The first step was made with the construction of the fountain in Omonia Square, which regained its former glory and gave life to Athen's center. Now, dozens of fountains located in the capital's historic neighborhoods are being renovated, repaired, and maintained in order to significantly improve the residents' quality of life.
The municipality's specialized crews, under the coordination of Deputy Mayor of Green and Electricity, Sakis Kollatos, carry out cleaning and restoration work for the city's 34 fountains, such as repairing the sewerage and lighting systems, construction works, waterproofing, and marble restorations. The first 15 fountains have already been put into operation and in the next few days, five more are expected to be completed.
XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing news and inspiring stories about how Athens aspires to be a clean, friendly, and welcoming city to live in