The Parthenon

[[The Parthenon]]

The Parthenon is one of the most famous buildings in the world. It was built circa 447-438 BC in Athens, and once housed a 12m tall statue of the patron goddess, Athena Parthenos.

It looks like it's in ruins today (and it is), but considering what it's been through - vandalism by Christians (who regarded some of the decorative images as pagan), a gunpowder explosion (when it was used to store ammunition), and the removal of its statues by Lord Elgin, it's actually in pretty good shape!

Many of the marbles, for example the metopes and pedimental figures, are in the British Museum. Some are in Athens, in the Acropolis Museum, which is well worth a visit.

Today tourists are often disappointed by the fact that the Parthenon is covered in scaffolding, as it is in this picture.

The scaffolding is due to the restoration and preservation of the remaining structure, and due to the painstaking nature of such work, the scaffolding is likely to be there for a long time to come.

Yet this is no reason to despair. The restoration of the Parthenon is one more element in its 2000 year history, and by having the scaffolding in their pictures, tourists automatically give the Parthenon a context within their photo albums. The scaffolding, in its own way, is part of the Parthenon's story.

Touching the 'Rosetta Stone'

[[Enlightenment Room]]

Pretty much everyone's heard of the Rosetta Stone - it's tied up with learning about hieroglyphics, Egypt and even gives its name to some language learning software.

So naturally, the Rosetta Stone is extremely popular with visitors to the British Museum, where it's displayed in Room 4 inside a glass case.

But there's a slight problem in this.

Go to Room 4 when the Museum is busy - try weekends and school holidays - and you'll find, if you haven't already, that it's nigh on impossible to get even close to the case! Everyone wants a photo, and everyone's photo ends up being 10% Stone, 30% camera flashes off the glass case, and 60% other peoples' backs!

Of course, it's kind of great. It adds to the atmosphere, and whilst museums can be seen as stuffy, nerdy places, the very enthusiasm of fellow visitors is highly enjoyable.

But what if you want to see the darn Stone?

Purists might disagree, but I think the replica (in the 'Enlightenment Room', aka Room 1, the big hall which looks like it should really be in the house of a country aristocrat) is great here. It displays the Rosetta Stone as it was originally displayed, and as you can tell from my photo, almost no one goes near it! There is even a sign telling people to 'Please Touch' - something obviously not advised for the real Stone, unless your hands can penetrate glass or something. (And leave no fingerprints on historical artefacts........)

This is not a replacement for the real Stone, naturally, but after the bustle of Room 4, it is well worth venturing to look at this charming replica - and hey, if you really wanted to, there's even enough room to stand next to it and take that all-important selfie.............