The Magical Path to the Acropolis

by Nick Papandreou

This is a non-fiction essay on the eccentric proto-ecologist landscaper, Dimitris Pikionis, who worked with painstaking care to shape and carve the stone paths the lead up to the Acropolis in Athens. Starting in May of 1954 and going up to February of 1958, over seventy years old, he re-organized the landscape, discovered the old paths and created new ones, provided rest stops and viewing platforms, and linked the monuments in a circular formation that spirals around them. The author explores the growth of the city of Athens and argues that he 200 plus acres around the Acropolis are a unique spiritual oasis worth a visit.

111 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 2016

About the author

Nick Papandreou (also published as Nicholas Papandreou, Greek: Νίκος Παπανδρέου) is an American author who writes in both English and Greek.
Besides publishing fiction and poetry, he contributes articles to various magazines, both in Greek and in English.

Reviews

[Caroline Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this book before visiting the Acropolis. A must read for anyone interested visiting Athens.

[Christian Sarailis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I was born, in 1979, I probably went to Greece at least 15 times and Athens is my family’s city. Every time I’m in Athens I visited the Acropolis, such a special place, close to a spiritual visit to what is left of this ancient world. Every time I visited the Acropolis I walked on « the magical path to the acropolis » without even being aware that it was the amazing and outstanding work of the Greek architect Pikionis. This book is a must read to everybody who visited, is visiting, or plans to visit the Acropolis. After reading this book, you will never see the path to the Acropolis as a broadwalk to a tourists attraction, but as a wonderful and sophisticated piece of art! Thanks to Pikionis, his passion and excellence.

[Gette · Rating 5 out of 5]

On my visit to the Acropolis Museum today I surveyed the books on offer in several languages and did not feel the need to purchase anything until, on my second walk through, I spotted this beautifully designed little volume. Not only have I enjoyed previous works by the author, the title and cover seemed intriguing. This evening still filled with images of the breathtakingly beautiful and simple Acropolis Museum, I opened this book. It is not long and I finished in one sitting. It is a wonderful exploration into how the organic and seemingly ancient stone pathways leading to the Acropolis. Beautifully written and filled with fascinating history, it will forever change the way I see Athens.

[Arjen Taselaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you ascend the slopes of the Acropolis, you are inclined to look up, eagerly waiting to see what is up on the hill. But when you look down, you see the path on which you are walking. This ‘magical path’ is the topic of this delightful little book. The path was built in the late 1950s by the architect Dimitris Pikionis. Pikionis’ path blends in so perfectly that you think it is as ancient as the ruins. Only it isn’t! The book is beautifully illustrated and includes many drawings by Pikionis which are as magical as his path.

[Adelina Guerrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book if you enjoy architecture, beautifully written.

[Carlos Bernal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional and beautiful tale, a love letter I should say, about love for nature, culture, architecture and art.

[Luke Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, with beautiful pictures, and bound like a Moleskin notebook. The book is freewheeling like Pikionis, an architect in his 50s, who is its main subject. He is chosen to reconcile the past and present in a simple public works project: a path. The thing is how the leads up to what is probably the most important and talked about building in the world. This is a real life version of a common trope: an outsider with a gift takes too long and eschews corporate or political gain in order to let genius and feeling flow out of them. Despite the enormous stonework required to lay a path, the undoing of Greeces recent history lays a symbolic edge over the whole project. Papandreau is aware of all this and illuminates the story as more a philosophical novel than straight biography of place. Moreover, add the elements of Attic Greek architecture: their constant razing (the Turkish cannonball shot through the Porch of the Caratyids), high-culture robbery (legacies of looting with Elgin Marbles), or the perceptions of how important various buildings were (Parthenon as military propaganda). The path is a tribute to all these things in a way that is not ostentatious, so it allows for Greece to be humble and let history so it’s work of enduring as best it can.