City Guide
Athens in Your Eyes
和平之家——雅典
雅典是希腊的首都，也是希腊最大的城市和工业中心。它位于希腊半岛东南的阿蒂卡平原，西北和南面临科林斯湾和萨罗尼克湾，东北西三面山地环抱，山麓地带接近城市边缘。它山海掩映，阳光璀璨，素以欧洲文明的摇篮、丰富的历史遗迹而着称，清新的空气、宜人的气候也闻名于世，每年有600~700万世界各地的游客前来观光或度假。雅典建城至今已经有了5000多年的历史，公元前8世纪，爱奥尼亚人建成的雅典是古希腊城邦的盟主。古代雅典是西方文化的源泉，雅典人对艺术、哲学、法律、科学做出了杰出的贡献。公元前5世纪为雅典的极盛时期，出现了许多不朽的大师。大悲剧家欧里庇德斯、大喜剧家阿里斯托芬、哲学家苏格拉底、柏拉图、亚里士多德、历史学家希罗多德等都在这里诞生或居住过，这些光辉的名字照耀着人类文化的黎明。
雅典是用智慧女神雅典娜的名字命名的历史古城。相传希腊古时候，智慧女神雅典娜与海神波赛冬为争夺雅典的保护神地位，相持不下。后来，主神宙斯决定：谁能给人类一件有用的东西，城就归谁。海神赐给人类一匹象征战争的壮马，而智慧女神雅典娜献给人类一颗枝叶繁茂、果实累累、象征和平的油橄榄树。人们渴望和平，不要战争，结果这座城归了女神雅典娜。从此，她成了雅典的保护神，雅典因之得名。后来人们就把雅典视为“酷爱和平之城”。
位于雅典市中心的希腊历史文物博物馆是雅典的重要建筑。这里陈列着从公元前４０００年以来的大量文物、各种器具、精巧的金饰及人物雕像，生动展现了希腊各个历史时期的灿烂文化，可称是古希腊史的一个缩影。
希腊是奥林匹克运动会的发源地。古时候，希腊人把体育竞赛看作是祭祀奥林匹斯山众神的一种节日活动。公元前７７６年，在距离雅典约３００公里的伯罗奔尼撒半岛西部的奥林匹亚村举行了人类历史上最早的运动会，以后每四年举行一次。为纪念奥林匹亚运动会，１８９６年在雅典举行了第一届奥林匹克运动会。以后，运动会虽改为轮流在其他国家举行，但仍用奥林匹克的名称，并且每一届的火炬都从这里点燃。雅典位于东地中海各国航运与航空的中心，与外港比雷艾夫斯相距10公里，几乎全国的进出口贸易都在这里进行，市区已经连成了一片。整个市区的东北角是政治文化的中心，西南及港口一带是工商业区。城市的饮水由东北的马拉松水库供应，那里有罕见的大理石水库。
现在雅典是全世界旅游爱好者的度假胜地。蔚蓝的爱琴海边涛声依旧，雅典的一砖一砾都闪烁着人类文明的光辉。
雅典是驰名世界的文化古城，历史上曾创造了辉煌的古代文化，许多珍贵的文化遗产嬗传至今，构成世界文化宝库的一部分。雅典在数学、哲学、文学、建筑、雕刻等方面都曾取得过巨大成就。大喜剧作家阿里斯托芬，大悲剧作家爱斯奇里斯、索福克里斯和幼里披底斯，历史学家希罗多德、修昔底德、哲学家苏格拉底、柏拉图、亚里士多德都在雅典从事过研究和创作活动。
雅典的着名建筑主要坐落在市内的三座小山上。３３９米高的利卡维托斯山上建有国家图书馆、雅典科学院、雅典大学（１８３７年重建）等。尼姆夫斯山上建有天文台（１８４２年建）、新王宫（１８９１~１８９７建）。举世闻名的帕提侬神庙坐落在阿克罗波利斯山上。
Athens， the city of intellect， is part of the Attica basin basin n.盆， 盆地， 水池. Attica is situated in the geographical geographical adj.地理学的， 地理的 center of Greece and is surrounded by the Euboean， Saronic and Corinthian Gulfs. The triangular shape of Attica is easily recognized on the map of Greece， spreading out into the western Aegean Sea. The peninsula ends to the south at Cape Sounion.
The position of Athens in the Attica basin is defined by Mt. Parnitha and Mt. Penteli whose great masses rise above it on the north. Mt. Hymettus dominatesdominate v.支配， 占优势 the east， while to the west are the numerous low hills of Egaleo and Korydallos.
Among all of these hills， is the one that glorified not only Athens， but the whole Greek world and became the symbol of western civilizationcivilization n.文明， 文化， 文明社会 文明， 一个着名游戏的名称： the rock of Acropolis！ Athens has developed and spread out in the Attica basin to the point that it has become one with the port of Piraeus， while the suburbs have spilled outside the basin itself.
Athens has a population of five million. It is the country，s heart and the economic and industrial center， as well as the political and cultural center. No matter how crowded it becomes with residents and tourists， it is still hospitable and welcoming.
The structure of the land is characterized by a constant alternationalternation n.交替， 轮流， 间隔 between low mountains and small plains. Bays and rocky or sandy coves dot the coast of Attica. During the summer the beaches are filled with Athenians and others enjoying their beauty.
Greece is the cradle of European civilization， and Athens has been its capital since 1834. There is never a time to be bored or to be at a loss for an interesting activityactivity n.活跃， 活动性， 行动， 行为， ［核］放射性 in Athens. Visit the flea market and the bazaarbazaar n.集市， 市场， 杂货店， 百货店 area at Monastiraki， look inside some of the hundreds of tiny Byzantine churches， have a leisurely lunch in a taverna， watch the people walk by， and spend an hour writing in your travel diary.
Athens can seem overwhelmingoverwhelming adj.压倒性的， 无法抵抗的 at first. First of all it is truly massive. The mountains， the rocks， the historic ruins， the panoramic views of valleys and sea： nothing is small. Secondly， it is not scrubbed and polished； it has an ancient， livedin look as befits a city that has been inhabited for over 7000 years. Yet， it is so modern. An interesting feature of Athens is that it is a study in contradictionscontradiction n.反驳， 矛盾！ At one moment you will be walking on modern streets with malls and superstores， then make a turn onto a side street and suddenly find yourself in another world with open air meat and fish markets， vegetable and fruit stands， huge pigs， rabbitsrabbit n.兔， 野兔， and cows hanging upside down by their feet， and large shiny， scaly fish being gutted right in front of you.
There are ruins in unexpectedunexpected adj.想不到的， 意外的， 未预料到 places all over the city. What first appears to be a modern street， will have fenced off areas containing parts of ancient toppled columnscolumn n.圆柱， 柱状物， 专栏， 纵队， statues， etc. They have been sitting there for hundreds and hundreds of years， and are now fenced for protection. Repair and restorationrestoration n.恢复， 归还， 复位， 复职， 赔偿， 修补， 重建， 修复物 work is constantly going on. A visit to the Acropolis will include the sight of workmen and ladders everywhere. The ongoingongoing adj.正在进行的 work of preservationpreservation n.保存 is impressive.
Following a visit to the Acropolis， it is an easy downhill stroll to the Agora， the heart of ancient Athens，s political and commercial center. The next stop might be the National Archaeological Museum to see the Mycenaean gold， the classical bronzebronze n.青铜(铜与锡合金)， 铜像 adj.青铜色的 statues， and the beautiful frescoes from Akrotiri， the Minoan Pompeii on the island of Santorini. It is hard to leave the Museum， so try to plan for a return visit another day.
The whole family will enjoy a walk (run) through the National Gardens， and will be able to join Greek children in admiringadmiring adj.赞赏的， 钦佩的 the ducks and peacocks in the small zoo. Another peak experience will be the enjoyment of Greek cuisinecuisine n.厨房烹调法， 烹饪， 烹调风格. Huge feta cheese salads with olives， tomatoes， lettuce， and locally produced olive oil are outstanding. The main course of a meal in a taverna specializing in spit roasting is usually a plate of some type of seafood or meat such as chicken， pork， lamb or beef. The meat is grilled on a spit outdoors. Sidew dishes of fruit and vegetables are also availableavailable adj.可用到的， 可利用的， 有用的， 有空的， 接受探访的. Local wines provide a complement to the meal.