The Acropolis of Lindos, Rhodes

The acropolis is surrounded by a wall of contemporary Hellenistic staircase leading to the entrance of the archaeological site. It is a building carefully made with vertical and horizontal joints. A wall protected the acropolis after the war Persian. A Roman inscription mentions that repairs have been made ​​at the expense of P. Aelius Hagetor, the priest of Athena (second century BC).

Dating from the second century BC, it probably is, according to an inscription on its base, a sculpture by the Rhodian Pythékritos (Pythacritos), which is also attributed to the famous "Winged Victory", exposed to Louvre Museum in Paris, which occupied a site similar to this one.

According to mythology, in the fifteenth century BC, Danaos (the father of Danaides), leaving Egypt with 50 girls, took refuge in Lindos, erected a temple and, following the death of three of his daughters , a wooden statue dedicated to Athena. But according to Blinkenberg, originally, there was no temple, but only a sacred enclosure in which Pindar would refer.

However, it is certain that the ancient place of worship, as evidenced objects dating from the Neolithic and Mycenaean and caves dug in the temple worship.

The new temple was equipped Propylaea and a staircase. It was a building with two portals alike and with four Doric columns on the front and back. The new temple was about 22 meters to 8, and typically included three pieces in rows "pronaos" (vestibule), "naos" (cella housing the statue of the goddess) and "opisthodomos" (back room for treasure). It was built of stone and covered with plaster. The upper part, architrave and cornice was painted.

In the third century BC, the cult of Zeus was established Polieus well the goddess Athena remained the main sanctuary.

Lindos remained the religious center of the island much longer after the founding of the city of Rhodes.

The Propylaea were built U-shaped on the model of Propylaea of the Acropolis in Athens and had the same orientation as the gantry. The main body was pierced with five doors and preceded by a Doric portico. A portal opened a grand double perspective on the one hand the sacrifices on the altar and the temple, the other on the port (Megalos Ialos) and current Charaki and cap Archangelos . He was flanked by two wings with asymmetric banquet decorated with works of art, whose facades with four Doric columns that reproduced the temple. The Propylaea were built of stone and painted on the top.

It remains almost nothing: only the foundations are still visible Propylaea.

The large stoa was shaped Π Greek and opened to the north, and it included a central body decorated with 26 columns flanking the front staircase and two symmetrical wings in advanced. The stoa measured 87 meters long and 9 wide and had a total of 42 columns of which 21 were identified in the years 1936-1938.

The wall of the stoa was not continuous but left a space of ten columns to give a better view of the stairs leading to the Propylaea.

The architects had therefore played on both passages alternating areas of light and shadow, the deployment of horizontal columns, double reduplication of the facade of the temple (2 times the Propylaea, 2 times the stoa), the climb to the sanctuary and full of emotion expectation of contact with divinity.

Later, around 200 BC, the fourth side of the court was closed by an Ionic portico.

At a later period the place was occupied successively by three Christian churches.

During the excavation of the stoa in 1914, sections of the walls and the bottom of seven columns were uncovered. From 1936 to 1938, 21 of the 42 existing columns were re-erected. Walls were partially built and the terrace was recreated.

The round trip takes about 1 hour.