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Languages
The official language is modern Greek. English is spoken in
tourist areas.
Religion
97 % of Greeks are Orthodox, 1,2 % are Muslim and there
is a small Christian and Jewish community.
Currency
The currency in Greece and its islands is the Euro.
Symbols
Animal: Dolphin
•
Bird: Phoenix
Coat of Arms: The national emblem features a blue escutcheon
with a white cross totally surrounded by two laurel branches.
Flag of Greece
Flower: Laurel branch, Violet
Owl
In Greek mythology the owl was sacred to Athena, the
goddess of wisdom. Therefore it was considered a
protector of the Greek armies; if an owl flew over the
army before battle, this was believed to be a sign of
victory. The owl was commonly depicted on ancient
coins, and on the modern One Euro coin of Greece.
Tree: Olive Tree
Symbol of
the Muses
The Acropolis of Athens
Saint George is the Patron Saint of Greece, England,
Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Georgia and Serbia.
The name George comes from Greek and means “farmer;
one who works the earth.” The famous legend about
Saint George presents him as the heroic soldier and
knight who fought the dragon that lived in a lake and
had a whole city in Libya terrified. The animal
demanded two lambs to eat every day, in order to not
approach the city. Eventually, the farmers began to run
out of sheep, and decided to feed the beast a person
instead, to be chosen through a daily lottery. One day,
the King’s daughter “won” the lottery, but just as the
beast was about to eat her, Saint George intervened
and saved her. Because of this act, Saint George is the
Patron Saint of Chivalry. The Legend of Saint George
was written in the 18th century by Jacopo della
Voragine in his celebrated work, “The Golden Legend.”
Greek Orthodox Christianity,
altar with mural of Mary, Jesus
and saints,
Moni Ipsilou monastery, Lesbos Island,
Aegean Sea, Greece, Europe
The god of heaven and ruler of the Olympian gods.
He displaced his father and became chief of the gods of Olympus.
He was father in the sense of being the protector and ruler both of the
Olympic family and the human race. His weapon was a thunderbolt.
His breastplate was the aegis, his bird the eagle, his tree the oak.
He was married to Hera. Athena was his favorite child.
One of the biggest festivals of Zeus was the Olympics,
held in Olympia every four years.
When Zeus was gathering allies at
the start of the Titan War, Styx brought her four children, Nike
(Victory), Zelos (Rivalry), Kratos (Strength) and Bia (Force) into
the service of the god. Nike was appointed his charioteer,
and all four were appointed as sentinels standing beside the
throne of the god.
Nike was depicted in ancient Greek vase painting with a variety of
attributes including a wreath or sash to crown a victor, an incense
burner, an altar, and a lyre for the celebration of victory in song.
In scenes of the Gigantomachia (War of the Giants) she often
appears driving the chariot of Zeus. In mosaic art and coins Nike
is often shown holding a palm branch as a symbol of victory.
Nike was closely identified with the goddess Athena
Ancient Olympic Games
The Olympic Games began at Olympia in Greece in 776 BC.
The Greek calendar was based on the Olympiad,
the four-year period between games. The games were
staged in the wooded valley of Olympia in Elis.
Here the Greeks erected statues and built temples in
a grove dedicated to Zeus, supreme among the gods.
The greatest shrine was an ivory and gold statue of Zeus. Created by the
sculptor Phidias, it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Scholars have speculated that the games in 776 BC were not the first games,
but rather the first games held after they were organized into festivals held
every four years as a result of a peace agreement between the city-states of
Elis and Pisa..
The victors of these early games were crowned with wreaths from a sacred
olive tree that grew behind the temple of Zeus. According to tradition this
tree was planted by Hercules (Heracles), founder of the games. The winners
marched around the grove to the accompaniment of a flute while admirers
chanted songs written by a prominent poet.
The Olympic Games were held without interruptions in ancient Greece. The
games were held every four years from 776 BC to 393 AD, when they were
abolished by the Christian Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I. The ancient
Olympic Games lasted for 1170 years.
The successful campaign to revive the Olympics was started in France by Baron
Pierre de Coubertin late in the 19th century. The first of the modern Summer
Games opened on Sunday, March 24, 1896, in Athens, Greece. The first race
was won by an American college student named James Connolly.
Athens is the capital of Greece.
It is a city with a recorded 3000 years history, making it
one of the oldest cities in the world. The picture shows
the Parthenon, an ancient temple, which is the
"trademark sign" of the city of Athens.
ATHENS
Academy
Theatre
Tomb of the unknown soldier
Calatrava’s Olympic Agora
Park Athens hotel
Samos
Mykonos
Hydra