The Unrealized Plan to Rebuild the Acropolis

After becoming the capital of Greece in 1834, Athens began its transformation from a provincial town into a modern city. One of the first major buildings to emerge out of this process was the Royal Palace - a structure which now houses the Greek parliament. Several architects were involved in its creation, presenting different designs at different locations, and in this video we’ll examine these various unrealized plans. In particular, we will look at a proposal by the leading German architect Schinkel, who boldly envisioned a palace standing right next to the Parthenon. Had it been built, it would have given the Acropolis a prominent role in the new city, and radically changed the appearance of one of the world’s most famous historic sites.

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Symphony No.9 in D minor Op.125 - V. - Ludwig van Beethoven
By “European Archive” (http://musopen.org/)

Symphony No.3 in F Op.90 - II. Andante - Johannes Brahms
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Danse sacrée et danse profane - 1. Danse sacrée - Claude Debussy
By “United States Marine Band” (http://musopen.org/)

Mazurka in C sharp minor, Op. 63 no. 3 - Frédéric Chopin
By “Christoph Zbinden” (http://musopen.org/)

3 Nouvelles Etudes - 2. in A Flat Major - Frédéric Chopin
By “Donald Betts” (http://musopen.org/)

Grand Septet, E flat major, Op.62 - Andante - Conradin Kreutzer
By “European Archive” (http://musopen.org/)

Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - II. Adagio - Edvard Grieg
By “Skidmore College Orchestra” (http://musopen.org/)