The odeon of herodes atticus
Background:
A stone theatre structure located on the southwestern slope of the Acropolis of Athens. Construction was sponsored by Tiberius Claudius Herod Atticus who acted in remembrance of his wife Aspasia Regilla, who died in 160 AD. The theatre served mainly musical festivals. This was the third odeon on the southern slope of the Acropolis, following Pericles' (5 B.C.) and Agrippa's (15 B.C.). The Odeon was destroyed in 267 BC at the incursion of the Heruli, who burnt and flattened many buildings in ancient Athens; it was never reconstructed contrary to other edifices that suffered damages. It was from the Odeon that the French Philhellene General K. Favieros and his soldiers entered Acropolis in 1826 during the siege of Acropolis by the Turks, supplying the beleaguered Greeks with provisions and gunpowder.
Construction:
The construction of the monument was sponsored by Tiberius Claudius Herod Atticus.There is not much information on the construction of the odeon. The exact date of construction unknown but is estimated to be between 160-174 AD. |
Design:
A typical Roman odeon, large and exceptionally well-appointed, it was primarily used as a music venue. This semi-circular amphitheater has a wide 1,250 feet radius with a seating capacity of 5,000 people. The entrance hall was floored with mosaics of mixed geometric and curvilinear designs. There is no trace of interior support to the odeon, which must be a great architectural achievement in Roman architecture. The original wall of the stage stood three stories high and was decorated with white and black marbles and ceramic pieces while today it stands in ruins. The stage wall that rose 85 feet in the air to the roof was decorated with many statues and columns. The stage and seating area was laid with marble while it has been renovated today. A cedar-wooden roof originally covered the theatre in the ancient times. Down below is a video of what the Odeon of Herodes Atticus looks like today. Take notice on how the architecture
Today, the audience stands and the stage (orchestra) was restored in the 1950s using pentelic marble. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances. Here is a performance the Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi in concert at Athens Herod Atticus Odeon.
Visting Opportunities:
Mrs. Keti Vavalea
Τ.: +30 - 210 32 41 807
F: +30 - 210 32 48 581
Mrs. Keti Vavalea
Τ.: +30 - 210 32 41 807
F: +30 - 210 32 48 581
Works cited:
McCullagh, Declan. (2006). Part of the wall of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://www.mccullagh.org/photo/1ds-12/odeon-of-herodes-atticus-wall. All rights reserved.
Nikthestoned. (2012). The Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the Acropolis of Athens. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodes_Atticus#/media/File:Herodes_Atticus_Louvre_Ma1164_n2.jpg. Used under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Nguyen,Marie-Lan. (2010). Portrait of Herodes Atticus. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodes_Atticus#/media/File:Herodes_Atticus_Louvre_Ma1164_n2.jpg. CC BY 3.0.
Patton, Jeremy. (2013). Odeon of Herodes Atticus. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SI7fNdadb0.
Santacoloma, Emilio. (2009). Odeon of Herodes Atticus in the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ejs76/3935691549/. All rights reserved.
Tuckermann, W. P. (1868). Blueprints of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://www.my-favourite-planet.de/english/europe/greece/attica/athens/acropolis/acropolis-photos-01-033.html.
Unknown. (2014). Ludovico Einaudi - Finale - ( Athens , Odeon of Herodes Atticus , 26-9-2014 ). [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQtTSTcFi18.