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"Winds" of the Acropolis


Photo Information
Copyright: Hercules Milas (Cretense) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3577 W: 65 N: 9400] (32565)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-03
Categories: Architecture
Camera: Canon 1Ds Mark III, Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR
Exposure: f/8, 5 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Greek nights, The Acropolis of Athens, Acropolis, Mosques Around The World (IV) (Europe) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-05-07 2:27
Viewed: 694
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Walking from Monastiraki on the way to Acropolis, in the heart of the beautiful neighborhood of Plaka, you will find at the edge of the Roman Agora this Octagonal Tower , called "Aerides" (it means the "Winds"), probably the best preserved monument of the Roman Era of Athens. In the background you can see part of the Holy Rock of Acropolis, and to be more specific the Erectheium.

Some info I found in two diferent webpages. First from "www.fodors.com":
"The city's commercial center from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD, Roman market was a large rectangular courtyard with a peristyle that provided shade for the arcades of shops. Its most notable feature is the west entrance's Bazaar Gate, or Gate of Athena Archegetis, completed around AD 2; the inscription records that it was erected with funds from Julius Caesar and Augustus. Halfway up one solitary square pillar behind the gate's north side, an edict inscribed by Hadrian regulates the sale of oil, a reminder that this was the site of the annual bazaar where wheat, salt, and oil were sold. On the north side of the Roman Agora stands one of the few remains of the Turkish occupation, the Fethiye (Victory) Mosque. The eerily beautiful mosque was built in the late 15th century on the site of a Christian church to celebrate the Turkish conquest of Athens and to honor Mehmet II (the Conqueror). During the few months of Venetian rule in the 17th century, the mosque was converted to a Roman Catholic church; now used as a storehouse, it is closed to the public. Three steps in the right-hand corner of the porch lead to the base of the minaret, the rest of which no longer exists. The octagonal Tower of the Winds (Aerides) is the most appealing and well preserved of the Roman monuments of Athens, keeping time since the 1st century BC. It was originally a sundial, water clock, and weather vane topped by a bronze Triton with a metal rod in his hand, which followed the direction of the wind. Expressive reliefs around the octagonal tower personify the eight winds, called I Aerides (the Windy Ones) by Athenians. Note the north wind, Boreas, blowing on a conch, and the beneficent west wind, Zephyros, scattering blossoms."

Some more info from the webpage of "The New York Times":
"One of the nicest things about the Roman Agora is that if you don't want to inspect it closely, you can take it in from one of the Plaka cafes and restaurants on its periphery.

In addition to building a number of monuments on the Acropolis and in the Ancient Agora, Roman leaders, beginning with Julius Caesar, built their own agora, or forum, an extension of the Greek agora. Archaeologists want to explore the area between the Greek and Roman agoras; Plaka merchants and fans of the district do not want more digging. At present, the Roman Agora is a pleasant mélange of monuments from different eras, including a mosque built here after the Byzantine Empire was conquered by Mehmet II in 1453.

The Roman Agora's most endearing monument is the octagonal Tower of the Winds (Aerides), with its relief sculptures of eight gods of the winds, including Boreas blowing on a shell. Like so many monuments in Athens -- the Parthenon itself had a church inside it for centuries -- the Tower of the Winds has had a varied history. Built by a 1st-century-B.C. astronomer as a combination sundial and water-powered clock, it became a home for whirling dervishes in the 18th century. When Lord Byron visited Athens, he lodged near the tower, spending much of his time writing lovesick poetry to the beautiful "Maid of Athens."

You can usually find the remains of the Roman latrine near Tower of the Winds by following the sound of giggles to people taking pictures of each other in the seated position. The less-well-preserved remains of the enormous and once-famous library of Emperor Hadrian go largely unnoticed. Draw your own conclusions."

*DRI (Dynamic Range Increase) Method applied here, a method I learned from a great photographer and friend (remember "Athapan"?), who is also a specialist in reincarnations. Unfortunately, he's no longer a member of TE.
mikolaj_kawa, azaf1, aimiliospet, jusninasirun, dareco, coco, ifanik, Truja, kaptan, stelli, meltemi, delkoo, dbar, Dyerco, Vames, giorgimer, Emile has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To coco: Syros!Cretense 1 05-08 13:13
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Hercules! Very interetsing architecture. Interesting place. Good POV. Very good capture. Nice colors. Original picture. Well done!

Hi Hercules,
very nice picture with beautiful colors, light and sharpness.
Regards.
Francesco.

Great place and ruins Hercules , beautiful composition and blue light , exposure is well balenced between light/shadows , compliments.
Stefano.

  • Great 
  • crckt Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1341 W: 68 N: 1268] (6435)
  • [2008-05-07 6:26]

Hi Hercules,
I like the saturated colors here, looks like a scene from a movie. Very well captured and good lights too.
Thanks for sharing,
Shaeri

Hi Hercules ;

renkler harika bakış açınızda bir başka güzel elinize sağlık

Önder Kahraman

Hello Hercules. Beautiful texture and clarity of this architecture and just stunning against that saturated blue sky. The light and shadow is just superb and thanks for sharing. Best regards. Jusni

Merhaba dear Hercules, my friend
Quite unusual capture od this nice antique building "Aerides" . Very good pov and wonderfull light management. Again great graphical effect and very good notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

WOW! Just amazing lighting and colors and fabulous architecture. A really great picture!!! TFS

  • Great 
  • coco Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4115 W: 140 N: 4843] (22941)
  • [2008-05-07 12:16]
  • [+]

Kalispera Hercules.

Creo que tengo más fotos de la torre de los vientos... pero como que ahora no tengo tiempo de mirar estas cosas.
En cualquier caso, ésta le da mil vueltas a cualquiera que yo pudiera tener.

Una gran composición, un gran lugar y una fantástica foto nocturna... hale, me voy a estudiar.

Kalinixta.

(¿será fácil verte los próximos días?)

Mia apo tis dyo kalyteres foto poy exw dei apo ayo to yperoxo meros
An den kanw lathos kai h allh dikia soy htan
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Xairetw
Nikos

Yperoxo meros, exoha anadeiknyomeno apo ton fako sou..!
Take care,m

  • Great 
  • emilbo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 767 W: 309 N: 523] (6009)
  • [2008-05-07 15:42]

Bonsoir Hercules!
Très intéressante cette photo et la note historique qui l'accompagne. La tour exagonale est magnifique avec les personnages sculptés dans le haut. Excellent éclairage et belle harmonie de couleurs.
Salutations du Canada,
Emilius

Hola Hercules.

Como suponía, a mi querido vecino le ha encantado...y no es para menos. Además, ha sacado la acrópolis genialmente bien y yo fui incapaz, a esas horas de hacerlo.

Un fotón!!!

  • Great 
  • azaf1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1449 W: 118 N: 1901] (8925)
  • [2008-05-08 1:25]

Agapite Irakli kalimera
Poli omorfi gonia lipsis kai eksairetiki leptomereia. To sigkekrimeno simeio dinei oles tis leptomereies ton Anemon kai tis Akropolis apo piso kai dimiourgei ena panemorfo kadro. O ouranos an kai ligo entonos dimiourgei se sindiasmo kai me ta ipoloipa xromata ena plousio kai entono sinaisthima
filika
Argiris

  • Great 
  • Truja Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 676 W: 94 N: 1456] (4928)
  • [2008-05-08 2:59]

Hola Hércules,
espectacular vista de la Acrópolis y de la Torre de los Vientos, es fenomenal con una calidad excelente de la imagen. La toma realizada en la hora azul imprime más expresividad y brillo a la fantástica composición!
Felicidades amigos....una belleza!

Un abrazo,

Jordi

It is a beautiful picture of this area in Athens and of Acropolis from not an ordinary angle! Great sharpness and clarity! Thank you for sharing! ΦΙΛΙΚΑ Στέλλα

Irakli kalispera,
outstanding image, with the perfect blue hour in the sky to frame those spectacular monuments all together in the same place, you point of view lends a tremendous dynamism to the scene. I like the fine light and clarity of detail on the face of the monuments. A first rate capture and a very explanative note.
All the best.
Stella

  • Great 
  • delkoo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3688 W: 235 N: 4736] (23371)
  • [2008-05-08 11:10]

hi hercules
A fine composition making good use of the 5 secons exposure to get a very sharp photo with a very good light .

ta leme
didier

salut hercules
un endroit plein de charme et d'histoire, beau boulot sur les couleurs et le contraste, un ciel même un peu trop bleu
amitiés
gilbert

  • Great 
  • dbar Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 50 W: 4 N: 60] (476)
  • [2008-05-08 14:14]

Γεια σου Ηρακλή!

Εξαιρετική φωτογραφία, διάλεξες και την κατάλληλη ώρα οπότε τα χρώματα και ο φωτισμός είναι εξαιρετικά. Έχει ανέβει σχεδόν η ίδια φωτογραφία από άλλο μέλος τραβηγμένη κατά τη διάρκεια της ημέρας. Εκεί φαίνεται ακριβώς η σημασία της σωστής επιλογής της ώρας.

Μπράβο,
Καλό βράδυ
Δημήτρης

  • Great 
  • Dyerco Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1166 W: 10 N: 1144] (4969)
  • [2008-05-08 19:02]

Hi Hercules
Beautifully shot with that rich saturated sky and the buildings tack sharp. Good detail in the tower.
Phil

Olá Hercules,

Pretty photograph, well is framed. A excellent architecture picture, lovely construction of these tower, the sharpness and clarity are superb! Very well subject! TFS.

  • Great 
  • Vames Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 517 W: 0 N: 331] (2713)
  • [2008-05-09 5:08]

γεια σου Ηρακλή,ωραίος φωτισμός απαλά νυχτερινά χρώματα σε μια λήψη με μεγάλη ευκρίνεια !

Hi Hercules,

very beautiful image, interesting subject and perfect note. Great light managing.

TFS

Gio

  • Great 
  • Emile Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3967 W: 137 N: 4242] (15553)
  • [2008-05-12 7:28]

Hola Hercules.
Una excelente composición con la torre en primer plano y una magnifica iluminacion, tu trabajo en DRI (no lo conozco) ha dado un buen resultado. Estupendo POV y definición.
Abrazos.

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