Academy of Athens | Athens, Greece

[zafiris]

The Academy of Athens forms part of the so-called "Neoclassical Trilogy" of the City of Athens: Academy - University - Library. It consists of aesthetically distinct parts that form a harmonic ensemble of built mass. A corridor connects the two lateral wings to the main body of the building, which -in its proportions of line and mass- is set-off by its Ionian-style entrance and its big pediment. The entrance has elements originating from the eastern side of Erechtheion, on Acropolis. The predominant material on the facets is marble. Overall, the building is a characteristic example of mature Neoclassicism.

http://www.greece-athens.com/pages_images/289.jpg

It was built in two phases, in 1859-1863 and 1868-1885, based on studies of the Danish architect Theophile Hansen and it is believed to be his most exquisite work in Greece. Hansen himself was also supervising the construction up to 1861 when E. Ziller took over. The embossed compositions on the central pediment and the statues outside are works of the sculptor L. Drosis. The embossed compositions on the eight small pediments are worked by Fr. Melnizki (1875) and the wall-paintings in the interior were made by K. Grupenckel.

http://www.greece-athens.com/pages_images/290.jpg

The main donator to finance the construction was the family of the Baron Simon Sinas, Ambassador of Greece in Vienna, Berlin and Munich. In 1887, the architect Hernest Ziller, acting as proxy of Sinas' heirs, delivered the building complete to the then Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupis.

From time to time, preservation and restoration works take place. The facets, the statues and other decorating elements were cleaned in 1980 and the wooden roofs were restored between 1990 and 1992.

By a ministerial decree of 1952, the building, together with eleven other most distinguished edifices of Athens, was identified as preserved monument "in need of special protection" according to the relevant 1950 Law.

Exterior
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/132_704x512.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/136_489x684.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/137_697x489.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/146_684x483.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/144_492x700.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/151_694x505.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/133_492x694.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/134_492x681.jpg
Plato
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/153_490x685.jpg

Socrates
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/152_506x694.jpg


Interior
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/086_684x496.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/091_508x700.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/084_507x697.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/076_694x515.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/001_709x512.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/009_702x510.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/024_684x512.jpg
http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/029_697x512.jpg

http://www.academyofathens.gr/photos/003_500x312.jpg

http://www.greece-athens.com/gallery_images/48.jpg http://www.greece-athens.com/gallery_images/49.jpg

[Phobos]

The ornamentation is very uncommon for a classical building.
8.0/10

[zafiris]

Some history for the Ancient Academy of Athens

In 387BC Plato founded the Academy in Athens, the institution often described as the first European university. It provided a comprehensive curriculum, including such subjects as astronomy, biology, mathematics, political theory, and philosophy. Aristotle was the Academy's most prominent student. Plato's Academy flourished until 529 AD when it was closed down by the Christian Byzantine Emperor Justinian who claimed it was a pagan establishment. Having survived for 900 years it is the longest surviving university known.

Pursuing an opportunity to combine philosophy and practical politics, Plato went to Sicily in 367 to tutor the new ruler of Syracuse, Dionysius the Younger, in the art of philosophical rule. The experiment failed. Plato made another trip to Syracuse in 361, but again his engagement in Sicilian affairs met with little success. The concluding years of his life were spent lecturing at the Academy and writing. He died at about the age of 80 in Athens in 348 or 347 BC.

During the Renaissance, the primary focus of Platonic influence was the Florentine Academy, founded in the 15th century near Florence. Under the leadership of Marsilio Ficino, members of the Academy studied Plato in the original Greek. In England, Platonism was revived in the 17th century by Ralph Cudworth and others who became known as the Cambridge Platonists. Plato's influence has been extended into the 20th century by such thinkers as Alfred North Whitehead, who once paid him tribute by describing the history of philosophy as simply a series of footnotes to Plato.

Major Works:

- The Apology
- The Phaedo
- The Crito
- The Meno
- The Symposium
- The Republic
- Gorgias
- Phaedrus
- Philebus
- Theaetetus
- Protagoras
- The Sophist
- Timaeus


Raphael. The School of Athens. 1509. Fresco. Vaticano, Stanza della Segnatura, Rome
http://cedar.barnard.columbia.edu/~polisci/faculty/images/rafael_sch_athens.jpg
A painting that depicts the philosophic life-style of Ficino's academy is Rafael's School of Athens. Although the city of Florence was the center of the Platonic revival, the view taken was eclectic, or perhaps ecumenical, because the new Italian teachers (especially Pico) believed that they could synthesize truth by including many different points of view. In center of the painting, for example, Plato points upward to the Heavens and Aristotle is focused on the Earth, other scholars are engaged in the specialties to which they have contributed.

[Christos7]

Masterpiece! :)

[DamienK]

9.5/10

[Matthieu]

That's probably the most beautyfull academy I've seen.

[Raine]

9,5 ;]

[Christos7]

I bet you that Paulo guy voted under 3. lol

[Istanbullu]

Amazing! 9.5/10

[Fabio]

9/10


looks pretty nice

[marpa]

OT Greek beauty

10/10

[Bitxofo]

I love "Akadimia"!!
10/10
:okay:

[Arpels]

beautiful structure :drool: 10/10

[Ellatur]

9.5/10
can u fix the broken images?

[Sideshow_Bob]

Specty! 9/10!

[Giorgio]

A Beautiful Neo Classical Structure:

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/6351/academy8003sz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/967/sdrgf0wr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It is beautifully detailed very carefully as you can see in this picture.
http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/20636/athens_academy2.jpg

[forvine]

9/10

[Siopao]

10/10! Architechture is WAY out of this world

[Giorgio]

Is the last image not showing for everyone or just me?

[Fabio]

10/10

amazing

Is the last image not showing for everyone or just me?

no, I can not see either.

[forvine]

Wow, 9.5/10

[Giorgio]

http://tinypic.com/igg7dh.jpg

Theres a full view.

[PotatoGuy]

i like the greek look to it.. then again it is greek, haha cool

[bnmaddict]

I can't prefer Neo-Classical architecture in a country where classical architecture is the best. 8.5/10

[bnmaddict]

I can't prefer Neo-Classical architecture in a country where classical architecture is the best. 8.5/10

[Giorgio]

But it looks exactly the same hehe.

[Phobos]

edit.

[Phobos]

There is already a thread for this building here:http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=292578

[Tazmaniadevil]

9.5 The group of buildings with the Academy give the whole area a 9.5

[SUNNY]

10/10 Stunning, I really like how they paid attention to really little details.

[SUNNY]

7/10

[Sinjin P.]

Very amusing! 9.5/10

[Sinjin P.]

9.5/10 Very wonderful indeed! ;)

[Giorgio]

Heres another few pics:

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1788/29lm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4795/0087athensacademylucrata4oz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7461/academy1wv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

How can you rate less than a 10? Its brillaint!

[Marcanadian]

:eek:

Not that big, but my god look at that architecture!

10

[LordMarshall]

10/10

[marpa]

10/10

[crossbowman]

Amazing!
:applause:

[Bluesence]

I can't prefer Neo-Classical architecture in a country where classical architecture is the best. 8.5/10
same opinion :)

[Mosaic]

9/10

[Mali]

Beautiful! 10/10

[El_Greco]

thats beautiful 9/10

[Stiggen]

9/10

[Mosaic]

10/10

[Giorgio]

AMAZING...The more I see the more I am amazed

http://thumb5.webshots.com/t/16/17/6/9/23/276060923UHxPuh_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/1276060923063024465UHxPuh)
http://thumb10.webshots.com/t/59/159/9/28/94/2515928940035593170REihrk_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/2515928940035593170REihrk)
http://thumb17.webshots.com/s/thumb1/9/37/89/24193789MCNKOuxgAA_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/1024193789013571637MCNKOuxgAA)
http://thumb10.webshots.com/s/thumb3/9/63/81/158196381Btalww_th.jpg (http://community.webshots.com/photo/1158196381053529710Btalww)

[LMCA1990]

9/10- love neo clasical and greek arquitecture.

[delmaule]

9.5/10

[gutooo]

9.5/10

[delmaule]

9.5/10

[gutooo]

10

[delmaule]

10/10

[Kelsen]

9.5/10

[SouthernEuropean]

9.5/10

[W!CKED]

10!! :drool:

[neorion]

One of my favourite neoclassical buildings in the world. 10/10

[billyandmandy]

10/10

[Dreamlıneя]

love it! 10/10

[Nikkodemo]

8/10

[baracuda79]

10:)

[systema magicum]

10/10
http://pic40.picturetrail.com:80/VOL384/9870812/20480791/337719462.jpg
The building of the Academy is a masterpiece at the center of Athens, one of the best paradigms of neoclassical architecture in Europe. The interior is also fantastic and the building is under an extended renovation during this period.
:)
http://pic40.picturetrail.com:80/VOL384/9870812/20480791/337006969.jpg

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL384/9870812/20480791/339645994.jpg