
Greece – Land of Islands
Greece is surrounded on three sides by seas: to the south is the Mediterranean Sea, to the west is the Ionian Sea, and to the east is the Aegean Sea. More than 2,000 islands in the Ionian and Aegean seas belong to Greece. The islands are divided into the Ionian Islands and the Aegean Islands. The Greek mainland shares borders with Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Its area is 131,940 square kilometers. Its official name is Hellenic Republic.
In ancient times Greece was a center of science, philosophy, and art. In the late 300s Greece became part of the Byzantine Empire. In 1453 the Turkish Ottoman Empire conquered Greece. In 1821 the Greeks began a war of independence. Supported by Great Britain, France, and Russia, Greece declared its independence in 1829.
In the 1900s the country experienced wars and changes of government. Today Greece has become an important member of the European Union.
Ethnic Greeks make up more than 90 percent of the population. There are small numbers of Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, and others. Nearly all people speak modern Greek.
Greece is known for making wine and olive oil from its grapes and olives.
Athens is the capital and the largest city of the country. The city was named for Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of war and wisdom.

Achillion Palace
The Acropolis is more than 500 feet high. At the top are buildings that were built very long ago. One of them, the famous Parthenon, was built in honor of the goddess Athena. Not too far away is the Theater of Dionysus. Nearby is the Odeum theater, which is now used for the Athens summer festival of music and drama.
Today Constitution Square is the center of the city.
Mount Olympus is the highest peak. It is 2,917 meters high. Zeus, Ares, Athena, and all the other Greek gods and goddesses were said to live on Mount Olympus.
The Olympic Games began 3,500 years ago in Greece and the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. In 2004 Athens hosted the Summer Olympics.
Greece – Land of Islands

Acropolis of Lindos

Acropolis

Ancient city of Mystras

Ancient Greek city of Delphi

Attractive Greece

Awesome Greece

Beautiful Greece

Blue Caves in Zakynthos

Coat of arms of Greece

Crete

Delhi Theater

Delos

Flag of Greece

Gorgeous Greece

Gulf of Corinth

Holy Mount Athos

Lake Plastiras

Medieval city of Rhodes

Melissani Cave Lake

Meteora Monasteries

Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Anapafsas

Mykonos Island

Myrtos Beach

Navagio Beach

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Olympus is the highest mountain

Palace of the Grand Masters, Rhodes

Panathenaic Stadium

Parthenon

Rhodes Island

Samaria Gorge

Santorini Island

The cave of Diros

Vikos Gorge
Art of Ancient Greece

Amphora with an image of an octopus

Ancient amphora

Chariot. Fragment of the crater

Cipher player. Figurine from the island of Keros, Cyclades. Marble

Circle of Phidias. Water-carriers

Cora 674. Marble

Cora 675, Marble

Dancer. Fragment of the fresco of the Palace of Knossos

Delphic charioteer

Early Georgian capital from the island of Lesbos

Flute player. Figurine from the island of Keros, Cyclades. Marble

Giant pithos

Head of the statue of Hera from the temple of Hera in Olympia

Headstone

King-priest. Painted relief from the Palace of Knossos

Mask. Athens, National Museum

Medusa – a monster, a Gorgon

Musician. Fragment of the fresco

Perseus killing Medusa

Pitcher, Crete

Platter

Riton in the form of a lion’s head. Gold

Sphinx. Athens. Marble. 570 BC

Stamnos Farewell to a Warrior

Statue of a young man

Statue of Athena

Temple of Apollo in Corinth

Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion

Temple of Poseidon in Paestum

Temple of Poseidon

The Acropolis of Athens

The Brig Vass painter. Consequences of symposia

The grave stele

The head of a girl. Terracotta

The head of the idol, from the island of Amorgos, the Cyclades. Marble

The head of the statue of Cleobis (or of Benton)

The so-called Warrior Crater, from Mycenae. Terracotta

Tombstone. Detail of the amphora painting

Treasures of Priam

Vase with an octopus

Vase with sea decor, from Egypt. Terracotta

Vase with tulips

Vases of Ancient Greece