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