Greek gardening art in its development received a powerful impetus thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great. All of Asia, with its highly developed gardening art, was immediately included in Greek culture. Even earlier, some Greeks spoke with admiration of the beautiful parks of the Eastern rulers.

In Alexandria, public and royal gardens occupied 1/4 of the city territory. All intra-city and suburban gardens were interconnected. Even more than Alexandria, Antioch was famous for its gardens. The city was laid out as follows: the main street was a continuous portico, on one side of which houses adjoined, and on the other gardens stretched up to the very foot of the mountain. They were decorated with gazebos and fountains.

The Greeks had extensive knowledge of the plant world. So, Hippocrates (460-377 BC) lists in his writings about 250 names of plants, Aristotle (384-322 BC) gives a description of about 500 plants. Greek mythology contains many legends about flowers, especially about the rose, the favorite flower of antiquity. In the works of Aristotle, for the first time, instruction is given on the cultivation of roses.

The landscape gardening art of Ancient Greece is characterized by the following types of landscaped areas. Sacred groves - heroons. They were dedicated to heroes and had a memorial character. These are forested areas with springs, sculptures and architectural structures. Later, commemorative sports competitions began to be held in the heroons, and later, equipped with paths, playgrounds, hippodromes, they turned into sports parks. Roads and grounds were planted with rows of plane trees, poplars, etc. Philosophical gardens were intended for scholarly conversations and classes. The green design of the agoras (city squares, streets) consisted of ordinary plantings along roads and near buildings. Privately owned gardens were purely utilitarian in nature. They made extensive use of flowering plants. In general, the green areas of Greece had a certain function, the placement of plantations in them was subordinate to this function, and the idea of ​​its beauty was formed from the usefulness and quality of the device itself.

In ancient Greece, a system of proportions was developed - the principles of the golden section and the module as the ratio of parts and the whole, as well as the principles of balance, rhythm and symmetry. These provisions are reflected not only in the structures themselves, but also in their placement - the planning decision of the ensembles. A classic example is the ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis, located on a rocky hill and representing a complex of temples. Various sizes of temples and other architectural forms, their free placement determined the picturesque beginning in the spatial composition. In such an arrangement lies a certain sequence of perception of architectural volumes, their angle and plasticity, oriented towards the line of movement of the solemn procession. The ensemble is dominated by points of perception from the corner, and the entire Acropolis is perceived gradually, as the paintings are revealed, each of which includes only one dominant building. The whole ensemble is consistent with the landscape by subordinating the axes of the temples to the relief or the coast. The use of all these principles has not lost its importance in modern landscape art.

New in the gardens of Greece in comparison with Egypt is their terrace-like, ledge solution, freer composition, decorativeness, heaps of green masses, an abundance of decorations, twisted stairs. On the terraces there are plantations of large trees, flowers and fountains powered by complex hydraulic machines.

Acropolis in Athens Plan of the Acropolis in Athens

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national park(former Royal Park) is 154,000 sq. meters of green spaces in the center of Athens, which are located in a triangle between the parliament, the presidential palace and the Zappeion.

During Antiquity, the area now occupied by the National Park was behind the Themistocles Wall (478 BC). It was the eastern suburb of Athens, where one of the three large gymnasiums(Greek Λύκειον), which was led by the philosopher Theophrastus, who together with Aristotle founded the "doctrine of nature" (botany). The gymnasium was a small garden, which also had a sanctuary and a library. This land was donated to Theophrastus by his disciple Demetrius of Phaler. Also from ancient times there was cemetery and workshops were running. The presence of an official cemetery here can be traced back to the Sub-Mycenaean Proto-Geometric period (1100 - 900 BC), while the found unorganized burials date back to an even earlier period. The cemetery on the site of the park and palace of Otto I (today's parliament) existed until the Roman period (146 BC - 330 AD). On the north side, a road ran through this piece of land, connecting the city with the rich demes of the Mesogean plain (Μεσόγεια).

In the late Archaic period (the end of the 6th century BC), the so-called “ aqueduct of Peisistratus”, through which drinking water was delivered to Athens from a source at the foot of Mount Gimet (Imitos). During the construction of the Syntagma and Evangelismos stations, many pipes were discovered, some of which belonged to the original aqueduct, and some to its later additions.

In 124/125 Emperor Hadrian expanded the boundaries of Athens to the east, including the territory of modern, and the National Park. Gradually, private houses, baths, a gymnasium and fountain houses appeared in this area. At the same time, infrastructure was built here - an aqueduct, a drainage system and bridges (two rivers flowed here - Ilissos from the south and one of the tributaries of Eridanus in the northwest). As a result, large luxurious villas with painted walls and mosaic floors were built on the territory of the future park. polychrome floor one of these houses of the 4th-5th century was discovered in 1840-1850. By order of Queen Amalia, a roof was built over it, and it became known as the "Park Salon".

Mosaic floor of the villa at the northern entrance to the park

The ruins of a Greek bath of the III-IV century, located on Amalia Street and partly in the park

In late Antiquity, when barbarian raids became more frequent, around 260, the so-called " Valerian wall". Parts of this wall were found during the expansion of the park and can now be seen running parallel to the streets of Herodes Atticus (Ηρώδου Αττικού) and Reina Sofia (Βασιλίσσης Σοφίας).

By order Queen Amalia in 1836, Friedrich von Gaertner, who was one of the architects of the royal palace, created a plan for the Royal Park. Work began in 1838 and was fully completed. in 1840. 15,000 plants brought from Milan were planted here, as well as local varieties brought from Cape Sounion and other parts of Greece. The Queen is believed to have worked in the park for three hours a day, as gardening was a tradition in her family. The first master gardeners were Francois Louis Baro(1845 - 1854) and Friedrich Schmidt, who brought over 500 species of plants and some animals here, including peacocks, ducks and turtles. Part of the garden behind the palace was fenced off so that the king and queen could rest there, but in the evenings ordinary citizens were also allowed here, since the park also had an educational purpose.

In 1923 the park was renamed " National and is open to everyone. In honor of Queen Amalia, the main entrance was moved to twelve palm trees, which she planted here with her own hands in 1842 (there is also a sundial here). The road opposite it was also renamed after her. In addition to the main one, the park has five more entrances - two each from the south and east and one from the north.

In 2004, the Greek government handed over the park to Athens for 90 years and since then it has been managed by a voluntary non-profit organization.

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Attractions nearby:, Parliament,

The second wonder of the world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, is a luxurious and unusual gift from the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to his beloved wife. This is where he died. The Hanging Gardens delighted ancient travelers and to this day do not cease to excite the minds of modern people.

- the largest city of ancient Mesopotamia, the capital of the Babylonian kingdom in the XIX-VI centuries. BC e., the cultural and commercial center of antiquity, which amazed contemporaries with its splendor. Here was located the second wonder of the world - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

In Search of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Time has destroyed the hanging gardens, and now it is even impossible to say exactly where they were. Although archaeologists have repeatedly attempted to find traces of the wonder of the world famous in antiquity.

As early as the end of the 19th century, the German historian Robert Koldewey took up this task. Excavations lasted 18 years. As a result, the scientist stated that he had discovered traces of Ancient Babylon - part of the city wall, the ruins of the Tower of Babel and the remains of columns and vaults, which, in his opinion, once surrounded the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The excavations he carried out made it possible to get a fairly clear idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat Babylon looked like in the 6th century BC. e. The city was built up according to a clearly drawn up plan, it was surrounded by a triple ring of walls, the length of which reached 18 km. The number of its inhabitants was not less than 200,000.

In the old part of the city was the main palace of Nebuchadnezzar, divided into two parts - eastern and western. On the plan, it is depicted as a quadrangle. The entrance was located in the east, and the garrison was also located there. The western part, apparently, was intended for the courtiers; on the north side, according to archaeologists, were the hanging gardens of Babylon. Not all scholars support this view. But after many centuries, it is rather difficult to establish the exact location of the hanging gardens.

Description of Herodotus

A detailed and enthusiastic description of Babylon is available from the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. He visited Babylon in the 5th century BC. e. he was struck by the breadth and regularity of its streets, the beauty and richness of its palaces and temples. Reading the enthusiastic descriptions of Herodotus, it is almost impossible to believe that two centuries before him this city was destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth by the cruel Assyrian king Sennacherib, and the place itself was flooded by the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates.

The death of Babylon

For a long time, rich and flourishing Babylonia was the object of raids by the kings of the militant Assyrian state. In an effort to destroy a recalcitrant rival, the Assyrian king Sennacherib threw countless hordes against Babylonia. The decisive battle took place near the city of Halul, on the Tigris River. The rebellious Babylonians and their allies were defeated. Here is how the chronicler describes these events on behalf of the Assyrian king: “Like a lion, I became furious, put on a shell, and put a battle helmet on my head. In the wrath of my heart, I quickly rushed in a high war chariot, striking enemies ...

Thundering furiously, I raised a war cry against all the evil enemy troops ... I pierced the enemy warriors with a dart and arrows, I pierced their corpses like a sieve ... I quickly killed the enemies, like fat bulls bound together, along with princes girded with golden daggers and with hands, studded with red gold rings. I cut their throats like lambs. I cut off their precious life, like a thread ... Chariots, along with horses, the riders of which were killed during the offensive, left to their own devices (of fate), rushed back and forth ...

I stopped beating only after two hours (after the onset) of the night. The king of Elam himself, together with the king of Babylon and the princes of the Chaldeans, who were on his side, were crushed by the horror of the battle ... They left their tents and fled. For the sake of saving their lives, they trampled on the corpses of their own warriors ... Their hearts beat like those of a captured dove, they clanged their teeth. I sent my chariots with horses to pursue them, and the fugitives who fled for their lives were stabbed with weapons wherever they were overtaken.

Then the Assyrian king Sennacherib moved to Babylon and, despite the fierce resistance of its inhabitants, took the city. Babylon was given to the soldiers for plunder. Those defenders of the city that were not killed were enslaved and resettled in different regions of the Assyrian state. And he planned to wipe out the recalcitrant city of Sennacherib from the face of the earth: walls and towers, temples and palaces, houses and craft workshops were destroyed. After Babylon was completely destroyed, the king ordered the floodgates to be opened and all that was left of the great city to be flooded.

This happened in the 7th century BC. e. And two centuries later, Herodotus visited Babylon and was amazed by its wealth and magnificence. The ancient city again delighted travelers with the power and impregnability of its walls, the splendor of palaces and temples.

City rebuilding

How could the ruined city be reborn from the ashes and reach unprecedented prosperity? By order of King Esarhaddon, the son of Sennacherib, thousands of slaves were driven to a wasteland flooded with water, on the site of which a majestic city had previously stood. They began to work on the restoration of canals, clearing debris and building a new city on the site of the former. The best craftsmen and architects were sent to build Babylon. In the restored city, its inhabitants, who had previously been resettled in remote areas of Assyria, were returned.

Reborn Babylon

The revived Babylon reached its peak under King Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled from 605-562 BC. e. He led an active aggressive policy, extended his influence to Phoenicia, Syria, conquered the capital of the Kingdom of Judah - Jerusalem. The city was destroyed, and almost all of its population was moved to Babylon (this event in Hebrew history is called the Babylonian captivity).

Extensive campaigns of conquest made it possible for Nebuchadnezzar to seize vast territories and a large number of prisoners, who were turned into slaves and used in the construction of grandiose structures in the capital. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to surpass all his predecessors with the splendor and splendor of the palaces and temples of the capital.

Babylon represented in terms of a regular rectangle, which was divided by the Euphrates into the Old and New cities, and was surrounded (as already mentioned) by three rows of powerful fortress walls made of mud bricks. In a number of ancient sources, the walls of Babylon are also named among the wonders of the world, since they were distinguished by their unusual width (several chariots could freely pass on them) and a large number of battlements. The space between the inner and outer ring of walls was deliberately not built up, since in the event of an attack it was supposed to become a refuge for the population of nearby villages.

There have always been many travelers in Babylon who want to see with their own eyes its luxury and beauty, majestic palaces and temples. But of greatest interest were the delightful Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were not found anywhere else in the world.

Description of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The first and most complete description of the Hanging Gardens is found in the History of Herodotus. In those days, the construction of gardens was attributed to the legendary Assyrian queen Shamurmat (in Greek, Semiramis). In fact, they were built by order of Nebuchadnezzar II for his beloved wife, the Median princess Amitis (according to other sources - Amanis). In treeless and dry Babylonia, she yearned for the coolness of the forests of her native Media. And, in order to console her, the king ordered to build a garden in which the plants would remind the queen of her homeland.

The gardens were laid out on a four-tiered tower. Platforms were built from massive blocks of stone, they were supported by strong vaults, which in turn rested on columns. The top of the platform was covered with reeds and filled with asphalt. They made a lining of two rows of bricks fastened with gypsum, and lead plates were already laid on them, which protected the lower tiers from water penetration.

Only after that a thick layer of fertile land was laid, which made it possible to grow the largest trees. The tiers of gardens were interconnected by wide staircases lined with white and pink slabs. The gardens were planted with magnificent plants, palm trees and flowers, brought by order of the king from distant Media.

In the desert and arid Babylonia, these gardens with their aroma, greenery and coolness seemed like a real miracle and amazed with their magnificence. In order for plants to grow in hot Babylonia, hundreds of slaves turned the water wheel every day, pumping water from the Euphrates. Water was supplied upward, into numerous channels, through which it flowed down to the lower tiers.

It was in the lower tier of this garden that the legendary commander of antiquity Alexander the Great died. Having defeated the Persian king Darius, he moved to Babylon, preparing for a decisive rebuff from its inhabitants. But the population of the city, tired of Persian rule, met the Macedonians as liberators and opened the gates to Alexander without resistance. The Persians, who were behind the fortress wall, did not dare to resist.

Alexander was greeted with flowers and joyful cries. Priests, representatives of the nobility and many ordinary citizens came out to meet him. Alexander, having heard about the beauty and luxury of Babylon, was amazed at what he saw.

Delighted, Alexander decided to make Babylon the capital of his state. But he appeared in the city only 10 years later, preparing for a campaign against Egypt, from which he intended to move further to Carthage, Italy and Spain. Preparations for the campaign had already been completed when the commander fell ill. The king was put to bed, but he continued to give orders. And although the doctors gave him healing infusions, his health deteriorated. Tormented by fever, he ordered his bed to be lowered into the lower tier of the gardens.

When it became clear that he was dying, he was transferred to the throne room of the builder of the hanging gardens, Nebuchadnezzar II. There, on a dais, the royal bed was placed, past which his soldiers passed in deep silence. This was the last farewell of the king to the army.

And a few centuries later, the once lush and rich city began to decline. New cities grew, trade routes stretched away from Babylon. The flood destroyed the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II. Clay, which served as the main building material for the Babylonians, proved to be short-lived.

Washed out by water, the vaults and ceilings collapsed, the columns supporting the terraces on which the hanging gardens grew collapsed. Everything turned to dust And only the descriptions of ancient authors and archaeological finds help to imagine what the greatest wonder of the world was, inspired by the love of the Babylonian king and created by the labor and art of the Babylonian masters.

The Athens National Garden is a green oasis in the heart of the city. No one is in a hurry here and this is the best place to relax in silence. I didn’t have as much time as this turtle to have a good time in the same way as she did, but I managed to relax from the bustle of the city.

Hundreds of different plants are planted in the park and dozens of animal species live.

The arrangement of the garden lasted several years in the middle of the 19th century under the guidance of the German gardener Schmidt. More than 500 species of plants, birds and animals were brought here. Some plants did not survive the Athenian climate, but those that remain are doing great. About 140 species of plants over 100 years old have been preserved in the park.

At the entrance to the park, visitors are greeted by a sundial set in the middle of a large flower bed.

I don't know what these palm trees are called, but the park's palm alley is impressive!

In the middle of the park there is a fairly large flock of Indian bell parrots. The flock has several dozen of these green birds.

Birds fly freely in the park. Their nest is impressive, suspended from a branch of an old pine tree.

The nest is very large.

The park has an aviary with a dozen species of animals.

Parrots and pigeons are constantly competing.

Several types of parrots live in a spacious cage. They, of course, envy those greens that fly freely from tree to tree.

Fountain.

In the center of another small lake, dozens of turtles rest on the rocks.

Where without toads and frogs.

Old tree.

It is pleasant to walk in the shade of this pergola on a hot summer day. Or on a warm winter day in mid-February, as in my case.

Busts of the great Greeks are installed in different parts of the garden and near its fence.

There are also ancient ruins in the park. For example, close to the park, partially entering its territory from Amalia Street, under a large canopy, there are the ruins of a bathhouse of the 3rd - 4th centuries AD.

The National Garden smoothly passes into the park of the Zappeion Palace. It is named after Evangelis Zappas, a Greek millionaire and philanthropist. Zappeion was opened in 1888 and was intended for sports competitions at the Olympic Games. Nowadays, the building hosts exhibitions, conferences, meetings and symposiums. The palace is surrounded by a garden in an English landscape style with a large fountain.

And I cross the road and get to the temple of Olympian Zeus. Next time I will tell you how to watch it completely free.

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The National Garden is one of the favorite places for the Athenians to relax. Several thousand species of rare trees and plants grow in the park.

Just a few meters from the Syntagma metro station, right behind the building of the Greek Parliament, the National Garden of Athens stretches - a natural oasis in the very center of the Greek capital. The National Garden occupies about 15 hectares, where exotic trees, shrubs and rare plant species grow.

Initially, the garden was called not national, but “royal”, or “Amalia's Garden”, in honor of Queen Amalia, who, in fact, initiated its creation. Interestingly, Amalia (the wife of King Otto) was so passionate about her brainchild that she personally took care of the garden for at least 3 hours a day. She personally planted the famous palm trees, which today reach 25 m in height. They are located directly opposite the entrance to the garden from Amalia Avenue and are one of the most recognizable locations on its territory.

The National Garden in Athens is a favorite vacation spot for adults and children!

The garden was founded in two years (from 1838 to 1840). Impressive figures testify to the scale of the project: today, about 7,000 trees and 40,000 shrubs and other plants grow here, and these are more than 500 different types of vegetation from different parts of the globe. There are only a little over 100 Greek plant species here, and the rest are imported from Australia, the Canary Islands, etc.

There are six lakes on the territory of the National Garden, where friendly and well-fed ducks live. And among the historical artifacts, one can note several ancient columns and an amazing mosaic floor of a Roman period villa, found during excavations in the 19th century.

The National Garden of Athens also houses a café, a library and a greenhouse where young seedlings are grown to a certain size before planting them outdoors. One of the garden's favorite pastimes is trying to guess the time shown by the sundial near the main entrance.

The National Garden is loved not only by tourists who study, but also by residents of the city. On the benches in the shade of eucalyptus trees, you can read a newspaper or a book, take a jog along one of the picturesque paths, make new friends or just relax and breathe fresh air on a sweltering summer day.

How to get to the National Garden

Tourists who want to diversify their excursions in Athens and take a break from museums and ancient ruins are highly recommended to visit the National Garden.

As many as 7 entrances lead to the garden! The main entrance is located on Queen Amalia Avenue, one more - on avenue Reina Sofia, three entrances are from the side streets of Herod Atticus and two more from the side Zappeion buildings.

The nearest metro station to the National Garden: ΣΤ.ΣΥΝΤΑΓΜΑΤΟΣ (Constitution Square and Parliament building). Remember exactly the Greek version, so it will be easier to navigate "on the ground." Bus routes: No. 2, 4, 11, 12, 209, 040.

Opening hours and ticket prices

Entrance to the National Garden of Athens is free for everyone. Opening hours: daily from 6-00 to 19-30. Unfortunately, you will not be able to walk under the moon in your favorite Athenian park.