the Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon - Marbles Reunited - the Reunification of the Acropolis Parthenon Marbles - BRINGTHEMBACK.ORG - Campaign - Facts - Museum - Activities

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Our Idea

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1. Valia Papadimitriou - Interactive Marketing Strategist, 7indigo.

Just like any other Greek on his first trip in London, I visited the hall of the Parthenon Sculptures at the British Museum. During the guided tour, to my surprise, I heard the following:“Lord Elgin brought the Parthenon Sculptures in England so that they could be protected – therefore they remained at the British Museum, because in Athens they wouldn’t be offered the same attention”. This occurred 8 years before the inauguration of the New Acropolis Museum.

When I returned in Greece, I discussed this –such as so many other things that had impressed me during my trip- with Aspa. The thought “What if we could do something?” was born inside us. The Return of the Parthenon Marbles was a vision that we had, since we were very young, just like any Greek after all! Without being able to find a way to help the current situation, the matter was forgotten…until my next trip to London two years ago at the moment when the New Acropolis Museum was preparing to host the Parthenon Sculptures.

My impressions for the hall were exactly the same. What had changed though, was the way we were seeing things. We had been working more and more with the Internet and its potentials. We were beginning to understand better the social media power, so when the matter was laid on the table once again, the root was revealed to us: If we could make all world citizens feel like the Greek people, to see how it feels when the half piece of something that belongs to you is away, if we could set the matter under public discussion in Greece, Europe, maybe on an international level as well, then we would have a solution! We had the idea, the means –what could be better than the Internet? –the only thing missing were the sculptures from the halls of our New Museum! Let’s BRING THEM BACK!

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2. Aspa Papadimitriou - Marketing Manager, 7indigo.

As soon as Valia and I discussed about her thoughts after the trip in London and specifically after her visit at the British Museum, the first thing I thought was that it was time we took action! There was a way: Internet and Social Media! We would try as well to approach the world citizens, following the most successful recipe: Humor + Social Media= World Spread! All people must learn the truth of the Greek civilization! Everyone must come to our place!

I feel very proud that from a few simple thoughts, we have achieved to see our idea realized- but nothing has ended so far! Our goal is to unite all Greeks around the world but all the world citizens as well, no matter what their country or nationality is. Our vision is the Return of The Parthenon Marbles!

Besides, we live in the proper times. In an era that whatever you feel, whatever you experience or you want to see is just a click away!

I say my own "BRING THEM BACK!"

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3. Elli Kousi - ActClick President

When Phedias and his crew were creating the Sculptures in order to decorate the Acropolis, they gave to them part of their soul, they set on them all their love, their care, the anxiety to make them as fast they could, their daily moments and..then…those slipped out of their hands. But their work was completed. They proudly placed the Sculptures, their Sculptures but which now belonged to everyone.

The Sculptures, just like the whole Parthenon stood there, on the sacred rock of the Acropolis. They stood there, where many people could set their own soul, caressing them with their gaze, looking at them with love and filled with awe for their beauty! Since their creation and within the course of time, sometimes they received love and attention and others disinterest and depreciation by the people who were at times near them.

But they always stood there, into aggravating circumstances, until the desire of one single person to obtain them became stronger than them.

They were cut and separated…Therefore, for most of them, their journey began 209 years ago…

Separated, they had to continue their course through time…to end up at a hall of the British Museum.

Since the moment when Valia and Aspa suggested that we should hold a campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles and the Reunification of the Monument through ActClick, I felt that we ourselves, had to give our own love and care for this campaign and for the Sculptures! In this way, two years ago, a huge fight began in order to hold the BRING THEM BACK campaign as best as possible!

Therefore, we decided that apart from the video of the campaign, we would create the www.bringthemback.org , where all the information and actions, taking place all over the world will be gathered and broadcasted. Starting by the official positions of the Greek Ministry of Culture, the British Museum, the International Committees and other organized entities ending with the individual citizens, who rarely receive a permanent exposal of their efforts.

Our attempt wasn’t easy but it was and keeps being very beautiful! Just like when you set out on a journey, knowing the destination and therefore desiring to arrive there, experiencing at the same time the expectation, the preparations, the anxiety, the joy and sometimes the tiredness. For me, since the very first moment that our journey started, it has been so beautiful and exciting that it has become my own personal “Ithaca”! And as Constantinos Cavafy says:

“When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,

pray that the road is long,

full of adventure, full of knowledge.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the angry Poseidon - do not fear them:

You will never find such as these on your path,

if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine

emotion touches your spirit and your body”.

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duration 04:23 minutes

( please using the right click of your mouse, and Open Link in Next Private Window, )

Ithaca C. P. Cavafy - Recitation by Sean Connery - Music by Vangelis

Readout :

Ithaca C. P. Cavafy | Recitation by Sir Sean Connery - Music by Vangelis

Published on Jan 12, 2015

Music composed, arranged, produced and performed by Vangelis

Poem recited by Sean Connery

Poem by C.P. Cavafy (1863-1933).

Lyrics transcribed from book.

Ithaca lyrics:

As you set out for Ithaca

hope that your journey is a long one,

full of adventure, full of discovery.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops,

angry Poseidon - do not be afraid of them:

you'll never find things like that on your way

as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,

as long as a rare sensation

touches your spirit and your body.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops,

wild Poseidon - you won't encounter them

unless you bring them along inside your soul,

unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope that your journey is a long one.

May there be many summer mornings when,

with what pleasure, what joy,

you come into harbors seen for the first time;

may you stop at Phoenician trading stations

to buy fine things,

mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind -

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities

to learn and learn again from those who know.

Keep Ithaca always in your mind.

Arriving there is what you're destined for.

But do not hurry the journey at all.

Better if it lasts for years,

so that you're old by the time you reach the island,

wealthy with all you have gained on the way,

not expecting Ithaca to make you rich.

Ithaca gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you would not have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca won't have fooled you.

Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,

you will have understood by then what these Ithacas mean.

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for more information, please visit the C. P. Cavafy web page

( please using the right click of your mouse, and Open Link in Next Private Window, )

C. P. Cavafy

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On the way, I came across people who embraced the idea of the holding of the campaign and others who kept their distance. Not because they don’t believe in this goal but maybe because they have stopped believing in human beings!

However, I am very happy because we have already created a huge human chain. All of us who form part of this chain, go together in this journey, each one contributing the best he can!

Starting with Valia and Aspa, Natalia, Dimitris Giorgos, Christos, Dimitra, Rania, Marianthie, Krikor, Panagiotis, Chryssa, Thanos, Giorgos, Vaggelis, my friend Stavros, Katerina and Mr Michalis as well as everyone who are embracing ActClick and "BRING THEM BACK!"

I would like to give special thanks to Giannis Kaspiris, who believed this idea and helped us by directing so beautifully the video of our campaign. I would also like to thank Elena Katritsi, who offered us her time as well as her sweet presence, Mr Spyros Fokas, who was the firmest supporter and participated in the campaign with the passion and the liveliness of a child, since the moment we made him the proposal and Nikos Aliagas, who provokes quivers of excitement to everyone who watches the video because of his enthusiasm.

A big thanks to our Proud Sponsor METAXA and to all the people who have embraced the campaign, since the very first moment that it was presented to them. We would like to give special thanks to our sponsor METAXA who believed in us through each vital contribution and helped the “BRING THEM BACK!” campaign be realized.

It was only one man’s wish that the Sculptures were gone….

It is so many people’s wish that the Sculptures came back to their birth land, the Attic Land!

Let the perfection of the Monument be reformed and the power of the Divine Analogies rise!

Therefore,

I say my own BRING THEM BACK!

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History

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The history of the Sculptures

“…you need to understand what the Parthenon Marbles mean to us. They are our pride. They are our sacrifices. They are the absolute noble symbol to us. They are a tribute to the democratic philosophy. They are the ambition and our identity. They are the essence of Hellenism…”, Melina Merkouri

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Lord Elgin

It was in 1806, when the “journey” of the sculptures began.

Their destination was Britain and their bearer, the passionate antiquities collector, Count of Elgin. At the Acropolis of Athens, only the half of the decorating part of the Frieze had remained and tens of sculptures were removed- among them some of the Ancient Greek Civilization’s finest works of art. In Britain, the sculptures were named after Elgin, the Elgin Marbles.

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The monument’s catholicity

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre included the Parthenon as part of the wider monument complex, recorded in the world heritage monuments since 11th September 1987. However, the Parthenon is beyond the numbers of a World Monument Record. As a construction achievement, it consists the most credible witness of a former civilization in technological and aesthetic context, which has significantly influenced the development of the modern “Western” world.

[ Pathenon - DSC04182 ]

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The Parthenon

The Parthenon is the greatest monument of the Athenian State and the apex of the Doric order. Its construction began in 448/7 B.C., whereas the opening was held in 438 B.C. at the Panathenaic Games and the sculpture decorations were finished in 433/2 B.C. According to the sources of antiquity, the architects who worked for the construction of the Parthenon were Iktinos, Calicrates and possibly Phidias, who was also responsible for the sculpture decoration. It is one of the Greek temples that is entirely built of marble as well as the only Doric temple with anastatic metopes. Many parts of the sculpture decoration, the architrave and the coffers of the ceiling were drawn with red, blue and gold colour. Penteli marble was used, except from the stylobate, which was built of limestone.

The pteron had 8 columns breadthwise and 17 columns lengthwise. The placement of the columns was unusually close, with the analogy between the column’s circle and the column distance, being 1:2, 25 (compared to the analogy 1:2, 32 at the temple of Zeus in Olympia and 1:2, 65 at the temple of Aphea in Aegina) there was also a second row of 6 columns. This row created a delusion of a double-pteron temple. Another extraordinary feature was the existence of frieze, which ran through the cella and probably consists one of the most obvious Ionic influences. The metopes of the east side represent the Fight of the Titans. On the right side, we can see the Amazons fighting, on the south side the Fight of the Centauromachy and on the north side, scenes from the Trojan War.

The frieze represents the Panathenaic procession, the biggest religious celebration of Ancient Athens and includes figures of gods, animals and about 360 human figures. The two frontispieces represent scenes inspired by mythology. Above the central entrance of the temple, on the east side, they represent the birth of Athena and on the west side, the dispute between Athena and Poseidon about the possession of the Athenean land. Although this temple was different from other Doric temples, as far as its decoration length is concerned, the decoration did not affect the unity of the whole temple.

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[ Akropolis_by_Leo_von_Klenze ]

Throughout history…

The Parthenon had remained untouched, until the Macedonian times. On the contrary, after the Macedonian times and the the battle in the river Granicos, golden shields- the loot of Alexander’s victory- were placed at the Parthenon, as trophies. The first damaging actions took place during the tyrant Lacharis times. Lacharis was appointed tyrant of Athens by Cassandros, according to Pausania’s narration. He took the shields from the Parthenon as well as the gold and the jewellery from the golden and ivory statue of Athena. Damages were also caused in the opisthodomos of the temple, when Demetrius the Conqueror used it as his personal bedroom.

During the Roman times, no changes were registered in the Parthenon temple, preserving its physiognomy and its prestige even during the post-Christian centuries. However, at the emperor Justinian’s era, the Panathenaic procession did not proceed up to the Parthenon and every kind of worship- public or private- had been lost, according to the Latin Orator Claudius Mamertine (4th century).

During the Byzantine times, although the Parthenon was not destroyed,

- as the edicts of of Theodosius 2nd dictated, the temple changed and became the Christian Church of St Sophia. The inauguration of this church was celebrated during the times of the emperor Justinian. In the antetemple, the arch of the sanctuary was added. According to Burnouf, because of these transformations, in 1877, only relics of murals and a few inscriptive engravements on the walls and columns remained.

During the times of Frangokratia, (Greek: Φραγκοκρατία, lit. "Francocracy", "rule of the Franks),the space around the Parthenon became the dwelling place for the first Frank ruler of Athens, Othonas Delaros, whereas the Acropolis became the head of the Frankish baronage and the centre of the historic life of the city, up to such a point that Athens was at the time known as “Castellym Athenarum”. The Parthenon was given to the Roman Church and changed into a Latin temple that was worshiped in the name of the Virgin Mary. On the west side, a bell tower was added, that during the Turkish occupation, it became a minaret.

During the Venetian rule, no changes were observed or registered about the monument.

[ Pathenon - DSC04185 ]

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According to the narrations of posterior sight-seers, like the Italian Nikolaos Martonis -who visited the Acropolis in 1395- and Kuriakos Agkonitis , who traveled in Athens in 1436, we have two descriptions of the Christian Parthenon. The first representative of the medieval ideology is wondering how the construction of such a huge building could have been possible, whereas the second representative of the Italian Renaissance focused his attention on the beauty of the ancient monuments.

During the Turkish occupation, the Acropolis fell into the hands of the Turks in 1458, when Mehmet II the Conqueror visited it. The Holy rock was then known as the “Atina Kalesi”, that meant the fortress of Athens. During the 17th century, the Parthenon was a mosque and had a minaret, which was destroyed in 1687. This mosque did not meet the standards of the Islamic religion and that’s the reason why it never became a Muslim worship temple.

During Fragiskos Morozini’s crusade against Athens in1687, serious damage was caused in the Parthenon, on the night of September 16th , when a bombshell blew up the powder magazine that the Ali Aga had installed, as the governor of the temple’s fortress. The biggest part of the temple towards the east side collapsed. Since that moment and till the monument it was given to the hands of archaeology, it was highly looted, mostly by Lord Elgin, while serious damage was caused during the Greek Revolution in 1821 and the Acropolis’s invasion by Kioutahi Bey

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The “firman” and… Elgin

The sculptures of the Parthenon, also known as the Elgin Marbles consist a big collection of marble sculpture, which was transported in Britain in 1806 by Thomas Bruce, ‘Z Count of Elgin, ambassador in the Ottoman Empire from 1799 till 1803. Taking advantage of the Ottoman reign of the Greek territory, Elgin managed to obtain permission (the firman) by the Ottoman Sultan to remove the marbles in order to enumerate and register them in schemes, but later he moved on to their abstraction and their exportation out of the country.

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More about the firman

Cariatide_dall'eretteo,_415_ac._02

According to the British Commission for the Return of the Marbles, the first permission was officially obtained in May 1801 and it seems that it had been sent directly to Athens by the Sultan’s clerks. The content of the permission is not known but we assume that it allowed to the Elgin’s team access to the Acropolis so that they placed scaffolds and formers.

The specific permission though was soon considered inadequate by the team. The Team asked permission for the second time and they would get it. Since they got it, they were allowed to “dig” and remove tures sculp or inscriptions. The second firman was given to them on the 6th July 1801 and allowed Elgin to take rocks with inscriptions and numbers on them. A month later, in August 1801, Elgin asks Hunt Voivode to let him take the metopes of the Parthenon, a request which would even be disapproved by the Greek Vice-president, Ambassador of Britain in Athens.

According to the writings of the British intellect Edward Daniel Clarke (1769-1822) in his work “Journeys”, Part II, P. 483, “One of the workers came to notify Don Batista that the metopes were going to be cut. Then, we saw that extraordinary piece of sculpture being destroyed , huge masses of white penteli marble fell down making a huge noise among the ruins. When Disdar saw this, he couldn’t control his feelings anymore. He shed a tear and stated in the most emphatic way: “This is the end!”, “Never again”, stating firmly that he would never give his consent again to any further dilapidation of this construction.”

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After a year

Always according to the historic evidence, set out by the British Committee, in the spring of 1802, Elgin came to Athens and congratulated his team, personally supervising the removal of pieces from the eastern frontispiece.

The sculpture’s exportation to London came across several problems. In September, “Mentor”, Elgin’s ship was sunk close to the island of Kithira, bearing some of the most delightful sculpture of the Parthenon. On the Christmas Eve of the year 1802, Hunt managed to ask captain Clarke (who governed the HMS “Braakel” for help, so that the sculptures would be saved.

Lord Elgin left with his family from Constantinople on the 16th January 1803, while he was arrested by the French authorities and was under detention for the next three years. At the same period of time, one of his men, back in Athens, removed one of the Caryatids of the Erechtheion and replaced her with a pylon, so that the construction wouldn’t collapse.

In 1806, when Elgin was set free from captivity, the second big antiquities collection was still in Athens, supervised by his “loyal” guard Lusieri. In 1809, the new British Ambassador Robert Adair asked for the marbles’ exportation, while the Ottomans answered that Lord Elgin was never given permission to remove the marbles from the Parthenon. Elgin’s team arrived in Athens on the 20th March. Lusieri didn’t lose time and all the marbles were boated on a ship, that set sail to London on the 26th March.

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[ 181813334 ]

Piece by piece

The famous collection of these contentious sculptures includes some of the sculptures of the frontispieces and the metopes, representing battles between the Lapiths and the Centaurs as well as some of the frieze of the Parthenon, which decorated the upper part of the cella’s walls of the temple lengthwise. As a result, they represent more than the half of the remaining sculpture decoration of the Parthenon that has survived through time. 75 metres out of the initial 160 metres, 15 out of the 92 metopes, 17 partial figures, taken from the frontispieces, as well as more pieces of the architecture.

More precisely, from a total of 97 surviving stones of the frontispiece of the Parthenon, 56 are in London and 40 in Athens. From a total of 64 surviving metopes, 48 are in Athens and 15 in London. From a total of 28 surviving figures of the frontispieces, 19 are in London and 9 in Athens.

The Parthenon’s frieze is considered to represent the Panathenaic Procession. The metopes on the east side represent the Fight of the Titans, on the west side the Fight of the Amazons, on the north side the Trojan War and on the south side the fight of Centaurs and Lapiths. On the east frontispiece, the birth of Athena is represented, whereas on the west frontispiece, the dispute of Athena and Poseidon over Athena’s custody.

Elgin’s collections even include objects from other constructions of the Acropolis of Athens, such as the Erechtheum- which had been in ruins during the Greek struggle for independence (1821-33)- the Propylaea and the Temple of Athena Niki. Lord Elgin took in fact half of the Pathenon’s sculpture, while from the rest of it, plaster impressions were made. The collection was given lord Elgin’s name.

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[ DSC04191 ]

In a few years, Elgin managed to collect 33 shipments of antiquities, taken from the Parthenon, by cutting the frontispieces so that they could be easily carried

and by removing sculptures, often scarved on the construction itself. Although Elgin destined his collection for his private residence, he finally sold the so-called “Elgin Marbles” to the British Government in 1816. The sculptures were appreciated by the House of Commons Committee, which discussed the matter and regarded the method of their corruption, their value and the importance of this purchase as “public property”.

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The accusations

Since Lord Elgin first removed parts of the Parthenon, many people characterized his attitude as an act of vandalism, which would garble the temple forever. Elgin was accused of looting an archaeological site, of corruption and deceit of the Turks in order to take the marbles away. As soon as the Greeks gained their independence in 1832, they started to ask for the return of the marbles, removed from their most important national symbol. After Lord Byron, there were many more firm supporters of the return, who were British or Greek and who appreciated the importance and value of the Parthenon, for the Greek and world culture too. There were serious arguments on whether Lord Elgin had legally obtained these treasures, while university professors were fighting, questioning his right to remove them. These disputes continued with accusations from both sides and were finally led to no conclusions.

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No conclusions

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No conclusions

According to the historic turnout, the British Museum does not seem willing to lose any of its famous exhibits, whereas it officially supports that it doesn’t wish to start a talk around the return of many of its treasures. On the other hand, the supporters of the return argue that the marbles’ case is unique, since they consist an inextricable piece of a national monument.

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[ DSC04193 ]

Cooperation and the suggestion

In its official diplomatic moves, Greece intends to cooperate with Great Britain for the sake of the monument itself and the world heritage. This goal can be achieved through a dipolar policy and educational cooperation. More specifically, the suggestion concerns the Sculpture Exhibition of the monuments at the special hall of the New Acropolis Museum. The rectification of the unity of the sculptures will give us the opportunity to enrich our knowledge on this unique monument, to upgrade our studies and reveal to the next generations the masterpieces of humanity.

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Today…

On an announcement given by the British Museum in April 2007, it is reported that the Museum isn’t planning to return the Parthenon Marbles to any Greek museum. A more recent announcement (2009) reported that apropos of the New Acropolis Museum opening, it would return the Elgin Marbles, as long as the Greek government recognized their rights of owners to the British Museum. The Greek Government declined this proposal.

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Acropolis Μuseum

[ museum1 ]

“ The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on its feet, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. It also lies on the archaeological site of Makrygianni and the ruins of a part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens.

The museum was founded in 2003 while the Organisation of the Museum was established in 2008. It opened to the public on June 21, 2009. Nearly 4,000 objects are exhibited over an area of 14,000 square metres.The Organisation for the Construction of the new museum is chaired by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Professor Emeritus of Archaeology, Dimitrios Pandermalis.

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History

The archaeological site over which the new museum is built - the pink Weiler Building is seen top right, the two buildings scheduled for demolition are seen top left, with the Acropolis Rock barely visible behind them Εarthworks in the archaeological site in Makrygianni, during the construction of the museum.

The first museum was on the Acropolis, (see Old Acropolis Museum); it was completed in 1874 and underwent a moderate expansion in the 1950s. However, successive excavations on the Acropolis uncovered many new artifacts which significantly exceeded its original capacity.

An additional motivation for the construction of a new museum was that in the past, when Greece made requests for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the United Kingdom, to which they had been carried away, it was suggested by some British officials that Greece had no suitable location where they could be displayed. Creation of a gallery for the display of the Parthenon Marbles has been key to all recent proposals for the design of a new museum.

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Location

The museum is located by the southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill, on the ancient road that led up to the "sacred rock" in classical times. Set only 280 meters (310 yd), as the crow flies, away from the Parthenon, and a mere 400 meters (440 yd) walking distance from it, the museum will be the largest modern building erected so close to the ancient site, although many other buildings from the last 150 years are located closer to the Acropolis. The entrance to the building is on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street and directly adjacent to the Akropoli station, line 2 of the Athens Metro.

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Competitions for the new museum

The first architectural competition to design a new museum was held in 1976 and was limited to participants from Greece. Both the 1976 competition and one that followed it in 1979 failed to produce any results mainly because the plots of land selected for the proposed constructions were deemed unsuitable.

In 1989, a third competition for the design of the new Acropolis Museum was announced that would be international. A choice of three possible sites was provided. This competition was won by the Italian architects, <ι>Nicoletti and Passarelli. After delays throughout the 1990s, work on the construction of the museum based on this third design progressed to the stage of excavations for the foundations, but these were stopped due to apparently sensitive archaeological remains on the site, leading to annulment of the competition in 1999. In retrospect, the location of the new museum was rather straightforward: the large lot of the unused "Camp Makrygianni" gendarmerie barracks, opposite the Theater of Dionysus. The barracks were built on public land and a limited number of expropriations of surrounding private houses were needed to free up the necessary space. The main building of the old barracks, the neoclassical "Weiler Building", has been renovated and houses the Museum of the Center for the Acropolis Studies.

The fourth competition had made no provision for the preservation of the ancient site. These were met to a degree only after local and international (ICOMOS) campaigners exposed this oversight and it became the final competition. The new plans were adjusted so that the building was elevated above ground, on pillars. Competition was open only to architectural practices by invitation and it was won by New York–based architect, Bernard Tschumi, in collaboration with the Greek architect Michael Photiadis. Excavation has revealed two layers of modest, private roadside houses and workshops, one from the early Byzantine era and another from the classical era. Once the layout and stratigraphy of the findings were established, suitable locations for the foundation pillars were identified. These traverse the soil to the underlying bedrock and float on roller bearings able to withstand a Richter scale magnitude 10 earthquake.

As construction work neared completion, the operation to move the historic artifacts the 280-meter (310 yd) distance from the Acropolis rock to the new museum started in October 2007, took four months, and required the use of three tower cranes to move the sculptures across the distance without mishap. Greek officials expressed their hope that the new museum will help in the campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

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The Building

The design by Bernard Tschumi was selected as the winning project in the fourth competition. Tschumi's design revolves around three concepts: light, movement, and a tectonic and programmatic element. Together these characteristics "turn the constraints of the site into an architectural opportunity, offering a simple and precise museum" with the mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient Greek buildings.

The collections of the museum are exhibited on three levels while a fourth middle level houses the auxiliary spaces such as the museum shop, the café and the offices. On the first level of the museum there are the findings of the slopes of the Acropolis. The long and rectangular hall whose floor is sloping, resembles the ascension to the rock. Then, the visitor is found at the large trapezoidal hall which accommodates the archaic findings. On the same floor there are also the artifacts and sculptures from the other Acropolis buildings such as the Erechtheum, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaea and findings from Roman and early Christian Athens. However the visitor is intended to see the latter during descent so as to keep the chronological order because he will first be directed to the last level of Parthenon marbles. The Parthenon hall has the same orientation with the temple on the Acropolis and the use of glass allows the natural light to enter.

As the museum is built over an extensive archaeological site, the floor, outside and inside, is often transparent using glass and thus the visitor can see the excavations below. The museum also provides an amphitheatre, a virtual theatre and a hall for temporary exhibitions.

sourse: wikipedia

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Did you know that…

Antonis Samaras, the ex Minister of Culture stated that he wrote his speech for the inauguration of the Museum within one night -the night before the inauguration.

Those who did not attend the inauguration were Francois Fillon , Prime Minister of France because of affairs and the Turk Prime Minister Tayip Erdoyan, because of illness. However, the Balcan Presidents were present. The prime ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovakia and also the prime ministers of Finland, Vietnam as well as the distinguished guests from China.

During the of the New Acropolis Museum inauguration period, Google modified its logo. If you clicked on it, you could visit web pages, including information on the museum, its exhibits and the history of them.

Evangelos Venizelos has suggested in his web page the creation of a British Museum department inside the New Acropolis Museum, so that the marbles could return.

The Heads of State, the Prime ministers and the Ministers of Culture, who attended the inauguration had the chance to admire part of the beauties of our country, taking a cruise in Argosaronikos, one day after the inauguration.

The week of the New Museum’s inauguration, the attention of the international public opinion was focused on the Iran facts, where the march of events was dramatic. Bloody protests of civil character as well as confrontations between the rivals and the political parties were taking place.

The Minister of the Government of Kostas Karamanlis, S. Xatzigakis, at his statements on the creation of the New Museum, underlined only the historic contribution of Konstantinos Karamanlis to the efforts made for the construction of the Monument. He made no reference to the role and the contribution of Melina Merkouri. After a while, Kostas Karamanlis came and compensated for this omission.

The day of the New Museum’s inauguration, all residents of the near houses were kindly requested by the administration to keep the lights turned off, since a projection would be presented on the buildings! However, one of the neighbors insisted on keeping the lights turned on! The channels talked about funny Greek behaviors.

The Greek Communist Party, on an announcement for the New Acropolis Museum claimed: “The luxurious events for the opening of the New Acropolis Museum mark an inauguration of the business function even of the archaeological museums, aiming to the total commercialization of our heritage”.

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Before and after the 19th June, 2009

One day before the inauguration of the Museum, the International Committee for the Reunification of the Marbles met on Greek ground and its members stated (taken from an interview, published in the Sunday edition of the newspaper Vima):

David Hill - President of the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.

“The three-month lending of the Sculptures, suggested to the Acropolis Museum by the British Museum consists a great insult for Greece, therefore the fact that the Greeks turned down this proposal was very good. It’s like asking a mother to compromise with the fact that her children have been kidnapped”, David Hill, Australian President of the Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

Antony Snodgrass - Professor of Cambridge University, Britain.

“The biggest obstacle we have to face is the pride and prejudice of the British Museum. It finds extremely difficult to move to any action that could harm its image, like for example to start a discussion with Greek representatives on equal terms. I believe that the year 2002 is too soon for the different kind of obstacles to be surpassed. This doesn’t mean of course that we can’t make important progress until then. Besides, the British public opinion is in favor of the Greek side. Almost half of the population is aware of the situation and 65% - 75% among them states in favor of the return”.

Selina Figueiredo Laz - Vice president of the Brazilian Committee

“The reunification is not only a matter of Greece but a matter of all the world. This action creates a positive ambience throughout the planet and each committee is responsible to expand the campaign so that it gets to its aim. The biggest obstacle is the old-fashioned mentality, a mentality of the 18th century that consists the spiritual basis of the British Museum. These ideas are imperialistic, outdated, creating rage to many countries. The Acropolis has at last the museum that it deserved and all five members of the Brazilian Committee (professors of different universities), we voluntarily devote our lives for this aim. When we see the head of a statue being separated from its body or other marbles being cut in a violent way, ours souls hurt”.

Μika Rissanen - Member of the Finnish Committee

“The fact that the British Museum “legally” bought stolen works of art does not necessarily involve its right of property. The assertion of the Greek Marbles could lead the way for the repatriation of many works of art, grabbed by the British, within the framework of its imperialistic policy. We have to find a way to persuade the British, to make them regard the reunification as a move that will improve their public image and not as a defeat after the negotiations of many decades. I have studied History and I made my first walk in the Acropolis as a student in September 1999, the day after the big earthquake that shook up Greece. It was then that I was filled with awe, realizing that whatever happens, the Parthenon will always stand there”.

Dusan Sidjanski - Vice President of the International Association

<ι>“For so many years, the British Museum’s argument was that Greece does not obtain the suitable construction to place these works of art and that if these sculptures remain in London, a larger number of visitors will have the chance to see them. Since Saturday, the day of the museum’s inauguration, this argument is not valid anymore. My relation with Greece is a relation of life. I fell in love with my wife, who’s Greek and she made me fall in love with your country too. My aim is to ask for the intervention of important personalities from the art and literature ground . For example, it would be nice if Nana Mouschouri agreed to become an honored member of the Swiss Commission”.

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The numbers of visitors

The two winged Victories welcome us from a distance and they promise optimism and welfare for the future. A high-record of visitors has been registered at the New Acropolis Museum, despite the world recession, noted in the museums all over the world.

The inauguration of the New Acropolis Museum cost 1.860.090 euros, while the event was covered by 440 journalists from 36 countries, 72 newspapers , 27 TV channels, 27 magazines, 25 news agencies and 12 radio stations.

The visitors of the New Acropolis Museum run up to 11.000 per day, while many of them choose to tour the museum through the Internet. Indeed, these particular visitors come from 169 different countries of the world. Until the end of 2009, and especially from 20th June until 31st December, 1,4 million people visited the Museum. Some days, the visitors made daily records and passed the number of 13.000 entrance tickets.

During its first two months of operation, the Museum hosted 523.450 guests. Among them, about 60% were tourists coming from abroad. At the same time, 409.000 Internet visits were noted as well.

On the 1st January 2010, the price of the Museum ticket will come up to 5 euros, contrary to its former 1euro price, which was applied until the 31st December. It must be noted that the 5euro ticket is the cheapest of all the National Museums’ tickets in the world. More specifically, in the Louvre Museum, the ticket costs 14euros, while in the New York Museum, it costs 20 euros! However, if someone wishes to visit the Acropolis Museum now, the ticket’s price is rising to 12 euros.

The best hour for a visit is…the afternoon.

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[ New_Acropolis_Museum_5 ]

The best hour for a visit is…the afternoon.

Further in Europe, another Museum has been hosting about 6 million visitors per year for the last 250 years. We are talking of course about the British Museum.

In 2009, the Louvre Museum in Paris distinguished as the museum with the largest number of visits worldwide, hosting 8, 5 million guests. The daily visits in Louvre ran up to 27.000, while these data hasn’t changed for the last 4 years. To the above evidence, it is worth mentioning that the Museum lost almost 50.000 visitors, because of the last December strikes. The web page of the Museum recorded 10,6 million visits, only during 2009.

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“Acropolis metro station”

A replica of the Parthenon frontispiece welcomes us to the Acropolis metro station.

On the 16th November 2000, the inauguration of the Line 2 metro station of “Acropolis” is going to take place. It is an underground station, which has two opposite platforms. Inside the station spaces, archaeological findings are exhibited, discovered during the construction of the metro station, as well as replicas of works of art of the Acropolis.

On the left side of the platform, we can see a mural with a replica of the Elgin Marbles, whereas on the right side the wall is covered with a photo of Melina Merkouri. The replica of the frieze of the Parthenon, exhibited in the platforms stands out as well as the replicas of the frontispieces’ compositions of the Parthenon at the metro entrances. The placement of the frieze’s replica on such a visible spot consists an indirect but unambiguous message of the Greek petition for the return of the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum to Greece.

The nearness of the metro station with the New Acropolis Museum, as well as the fact that the services of the specific platform are offered to the Museum visitors enforce the specific petition even more.

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Carriers

The Historic Resolution of 1986

In July 1986, the intellectual and artistic societies of the country gave resolution to the Minister of Culture, Melina Merkouri for the exploitation and the international promotion of the declaration of all Greeks in favor of the return of the “Elgin Marbles”.

The resolution was signed by the representatives of the societies, among which are: the Greek Literary Writers Society, the House of Fine Arts and Literature, the Greek Chamber of Arts, the Greek Actors Society, the Greek Music Society, the Theatrical Writers Society, the Architects Society, the National Research Centre, the National Greek Gallery, the Greek Composers Union, the Sculptors Union, the Editors Union etc.

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We read…

“The Parthenon Marbles are found in London at the British Museum “so that they receive attention” as it is officially stated. Today, we believe that the time has come for their return in our country, their birth-place, since it is internationally recognized that Athens can keep its artistic treasures. Besides, this kind of works of art, that belong to humanity shouldn’t be cut into pieces and scattered around. Its is much more than obvious that they should complete the monument and the place that inspired their construction.

“The Attic scenery and its light, the Parthenon and the Erechteum, the rock itself, imposed the order, the harmony, the sculptural perfection of these forms. Therefore, how can these marbles have the same functions, even in the best museum in the world?”

“Expressing the desire and the right of all Greeks, we, the intellectual and artistic entities give this resolution to all Nations and heritors of the Ancient Greek Culture, being convinced that they will become firm supporters of our petition and that the problem of the Return of the Parthenon Marbles will finally get to its final solution”.

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Before us

All together, we support a cause. The Return of the Elgin Marbles is a petition beyond time or place.

In 2004, the Belgian campaign “Parthenon 2004” started in Brussels. The campaign’s aim was the return of the Marbles in Greece, on the occasion of the 2004 Olympic Games. On the 13th March 2002, a big press conference took place under the following subject: “The Return of the Parthenon Marbles in Greece. An act of culture and justice”, set forward by the Belgian senators Francois Roland du Vivié and Paul Will.

The above initiative of the two senators supported the campaign, that had started a few weeks before by the British member of the Parliament, Richard Allan, whose work was already being supported by a large number of members of the Parliament and the men of science.

During the interview, the senators announced a list of 150 Belgian important public figures, who had signed the petition for the Return of the Marbles. Among them, presidents of the assembly, 27 senators, 35 ministers of the Federation, 50 regional ministers and 12 prefects.

At the same time, the web page of the “Parthenon 2004” campaign was presented to the public.

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In 2007, a weekly project about the Acropolis reconstruction works and the New Acropolis Museum took place in Sydney. The project included several events, like exhibitions, a discussion about heritage and a lecture on the subject of the Acropolis reconstruction works, which was presented by Mr Ioannidou and Mr Nikolaos Toganidis (an architect and responsible for the reconstruction work)

The “Parthenon Project” was inspired by Mrs Theodora Mina, who is a lawyer and a graduate of the Sydney University. Mr Michael Turner, the curator of Nicolson Museum -which is located inside the University and which is hosting an exhibition about the reconstruction works of the Acropolis- referring to Mrs Mina, said that she represents a new generation of Greeks, who wish to compensate for the injustice against the Greek cultural history and identity.

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Richard Allan

Richard Allan, British Member of the Parliament and visionist of the movement, said: “This action shows that the Return of the Marbles in Greece has a global impact. Two statements that support the return of the Marbles, were signed by almost 600 people at the European Parliament. Meanwhile, many countries of the Commonwealth as well as in the United States focus their attention and their actions on the return of the Marbles. If we want to be Full Members of Europe, we must do this gesture for Greece. In addition, an ideal opportunity is rising for the British Government to prove that its role in the international cooperation and bona fide is vital”

The European Union has signed two statements for the Return of the Marbles: the first statement was signed by 252 members of the European Parliament and the second by 347 other public figures.

*********

Donald Pein- Gus Bilirakis

The return of the Parthenon Marbles in Greece was requested in 2009 by the senator Donald Pein and the republican Gus Bilirakis at the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the House of Representatives.

On the amendment, it is mentioned that the Parthenon is a symbol of the Greek heritage, a catholic symbol of Democracy and freedom as well as a place of pray for the Ancient Greeks, the Christians and the Muslims. On the amendment, it is also referred that the New Acropolis Museums allows Greece to offer a better preservation of the Monuments than the British Museum. The two senators conclude that “the British Government should start negotiating with the Greek government for the Return of the Parthenon Marbles in Greece”.

*********

In December 2009, the under-Secretary of Tourism and Culture awards the network initiative, taken by the Youth Networks of the Expatriated Greeks Council, who created their own web page www.unitethemarbles.org, aiming to promote the petition for the reunification of the Marbles.

“Our web page addresses not only to Greeks but also to the countless philhellenists around the world. Therefore, we took particular care to its translation into many languages- English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic etc”, states the Co-ordinator of the Expatriated Greeks Council of Africa and Near and Middle East, Dimitris Vafeiadis from Johannesburg. The latter has also cooperated with the active Greek Students Federation of South Africa, (NAHYSOSA).”

“The network initiative, taken by the Youth Networks of the Expatriated Greeks Council, aiming to promote the petition for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles makes us feel proud but responsible too. We will keep on –with all the Greeks who live in their country as well the expatriated ones- fighting, having around us all the citizens of the world, who believe that this petition is fair and support our initiatives. Therefore, we hope that soon Melina Merkouri’s vision will come true and the Marbles will go back to their birthplace. Besides, the marbles have a house of their own now, the New Acropolis Museum”, Mrs Gerekou stated.

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Cambridge, the debate and the…Sculptures

Some denied the petition, some talked of the nationalistic tendentiousness of Greece and some for “historic injustice”. A debate, many centuries and four speakers.

*********

The debating matter at the Cambridge Union Society ended with 114 votes in favor of the return and 46 against it.

The Society keeps remaining loyal to a two centuries tradition and continues hosting every week distinguished speakers, who debate for “ambiguous” matters. In the case of the Elgin Marbles, the two speakers argued in favor of the return while the other two argued against it, with interventions of the audience, which mainly consisted of students.

The absence of the British Museum representatives was vital. They preferred to turn down the hosts’ invitation, whereas twenty more of the prospective speakers of the evening denied the proposal. The professor Snodgrass was a dominant personality of the event. He argued in favor of the return, stating the following: “The more people learn about the facts, the more they are convinced about the repatriation of the marbles”. He also noted that the “New Acropolis Museum is far better than the British Museum hall, which looks like a tomb, comparing to the New Acropolis Museum”. The President of the “International Committee for the Reunification”, David Hill was in favor of the return claiming: “It is all about a case, in which a historic injustice could be remedied”

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The “blades” Jonathan Jones - Journalist

The “Guardian” journalist Jonathan Jones opposed to the Return of the Marbles. “Let’s stop arguing about where these marbles should be and let’s start talking about the marbles themselves and their artistic value”, he said while stating that Greece asks for the return of the marbles, prompted by …”nationalism, the pettiest ideology, an ideology that blinds”! Mr Jones’ final statement was that the sculptures “belong to the world”.

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Alpha beta with the Parthenon Marbles

The Australians officiate internationally at the campaign for the Return of the Marbles. They consist the most active association worldwide after Greece and Britain. Everything that was mentioned in ABC’s TV show for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

The Australian channel and the journalist Eleni Vatsikopoulou made a tour of the New Acropolis Museum for her spectators. The new symbol of Athens, as they called the Museum, offers a unique experience. “It leaves you breathless. It is considered the most remarkable construction in Greece after the Parthenon. It emits a great majesty and at the same time a disarming modesty. It is an outstanding modern construction that respects the past. So much light! It is what the ancient Greeks would like to enjoy, the unique attic light! Walking on surfaces made of glass and watching the base of the ancient city is something that hasn’t ever occurred in any other part of the world”, she describes.

It’s amazing but it never changes!

The alternate director of the British Museum, Andrew Barnel stated that he believes that the museum is marvelous, but this “can’t change anything, the marbles belong to us, we obtained them by fair means, paying for them. As a result, there is no case of their return”.

The polluted Attic air

The President of the International Association for the Return of the Marbles, David Hill denied all that is heard concerning the “protection of the Sculptures from the existing air pollution”, characterizing the above arguments insulting and unreasonable. “Elgin took only half the collection away. The other half- the famous western colarin- remained in the Parthenon. Now, if you compare the piece that remained in Athens with the pieces being at the British Museum, it is incomparably in better condition”, Mr Hill stated.

The Aboriginals succeeded

In the framework of the Parthenon campaign, the British count on the international pressure and the final decision of the British Government just like in the case of the Aboriginals, who were pushing for the return of their own sculptures. When the prime minister John Howard turned on the heat to his counterpart Tony Blair, a big part of the stolen sculptures was returned in 2006.

*********

“Polling” the Sculptures.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9,10... 1.000.000, 2.000.000, 30.000.000… 65.000.000…and so forth. We are many….

A series of polls about the return of the Marbles have been concerning the public opinion during the two last decades.

April 1996. Through a phone poll that followed the broadcast of a documentary about the removal of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin, 99.340 people called, among them 91.822 people voted, that is a percentage of 92,5%.

September 1998. The polling company MORI carried out a poll in Great Britain, on the 25th September 1998. 39% of the public voted in favor of the return of the Parthenon Marbles in Greece, 15% voted against the return while 18% remained indecisive.

At the moment, at the British Parliament, 47% voted in favor of the return of the Parthenon Marbles in Greece, 44% voted against the return while 9% remained indecisive. More specifically, 57% of the Labor Party U.K. MPs voted in favor of the return, 33% voted against the return and 10% remained indecisive. On the contrary, among the Conservative Party MPs, 9% voted in favor of the return and 83% against it!

December 1999. BBC asks its audience whether the “Elgin Marbles” should remain at the British Museum. 51% answered “yes”, 20% answered “no” and 10% did not express any opinion.

March 2000. On a poll at the newspaper “Economist”: “If a conscience vote was carried out in the Parliament about the return of the Elgin Marbles in Greece, would you support the case or no?”.

66% of the British Parliament Members voted in favor of the return and 34% against it. More explicitly, the Labor Party MPs voted once again against the return with a percentage of 87%, whereas 83% of the Liberal Party MPs voted in favor of the return. Questioned for a second time “whether they agree on a possible return of the Marbles in Greece after ten years, 41% of the MPs voted in favor and 59% against.

October 2000. CNN asks its spectators “whether the British should return to Greece the marbles, that had been removed by the Parthenon 200 years ago”. 5492 people called, and 82% among them voted in favor of the return.

January 2002. The CNN site sets once again the issue of the return of the Elgin Marbles. 1714 people vote and only 420 among them oppose to a possible return.

September 2002. The MORI company brings back the matter of the Marbles. The percentage of the British are now 6 versus 1, who are in favor of the return of the Marbles. This means that only 7% of the British support the marbles’ sojourn in Britain.

December 2003. ICM Research asked 1002 adults whether they agree with the return of the Marbles in the British Museum. 73% among the questioned agreed, whereas 18% opposed to it. On a question whether the British Museum should move on to a commitment for the Olympic year 2004 which will involve the exhibit of the marbles in Athens, 77% agreed. Only 16% was against this commitment. On a question about the recent Greek suggestion to allow to the British Museum the possession of the marbles being in London, in case of their long-term lending to the Acropolis Museum -which has visual contact with the monument’s space in Athens- 81% answered that the British Museum should accept the proposal. Only 13% were against it.

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WEB RING

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and for more information, please switch to the same webpage in English -

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Marbles Reunited - the Reunification of the Acropolis Parthenon Marbles

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y para más información, cambie por favor a la misma página web en español -

(por favor usando el clic derecho de su ratón, y elvínculo abierto en la ventana privada siguiente,)

Mármoles juntados - la reunificación de los mármoles del Parthenon de la acrópolis

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Marbres réunis - la réunification des marbres de parthenon d'Acropole

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Marmore wiedervereinigt - die Wiedervereinigung der Akropolis-Parthenon-Marmore

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Marmi riuniti - la riunificazione dei marmi del Partenone dell'acropoli

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Mármores reunidos - a reunificação dos mármores do Partenon da acrópole

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