Holton in Greece: Memorial Day in Greece

Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day in Greece

Day 7: Memorial Day in Greece

Today we got to sleep in a bit because most things in Greece are closed on Mondays. So, today was a beach day. First we went to Methoni where we saw a Frankish castle and went to a small beach. The Frankish castle had been revamped by the Venetians, so it showed evidence of many different civilizations. It looked out over the Adriatic Sea. After about an hour on the beach, we went back to Pylos to grab lunch and various snacks. We then went to the Voidokilia Bay, where we stayed until about 4:30. Some of us hiked up to Nestor's cave, which was featured in Homer's epics. The view from the top was incredible, and we learned about how in Homer's writing, Nestor watched the ships come sailing home from the Battle of Troy. After a little bit more time at the beach, we returned to Pylos and freshened up. We all met at a cafe where we listened to Celine and Vania's presentations on the Greek War of Independence and the Greek Economy, respectively. We ended the day with delicious Baklava.

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Trip Overview

Greece, often dubbed “the Cradle of Western Civilization,” offers students and scholars a chance to walk in the footsteps of classical visionaries and among the buildings that served as the foundations of our modern society. Greece’s art and archaeological remains range from the mathematically impeccable Parthenon to the victory grounds at Olympia, and from the seat of the god Apollo’s Oracle at Delphi to the Christian monasteries at Osios Loukas. These sites have been the source of artistic inspiration worldwide, and have attracted countless intellectual travelers and religious pilgrims alike for centuries. Greece’s archaeological record exposes the dramatic shifts in Greek history, from the establishment of Christianity in the Byzantine period to Islamic rule of the Ottoman Empire and even Axis occupation in WWII. These events greatly affected what remains from Greece’s past, and why. Since enacting the Antiquities Law of 1834, the first law worldwide that marked the importance of preserving cultural heritage, Greece has played a central role in the increasingly significant topics of archaeological ethics, cultural heritage, and national identity. Using the monuments and museums as our on-site classroom, AP Art History students will explore individual research topics, grapple with questions of the past’s relation to the present, and gain appreciation for the lasting effects of human achievements.