It’s Sofia’s turn to host this weeks Challenge, and her theme is ‘Ancient‘. Ironically we were on holiday in Rhodes, on Saturday, when the challenge was set and I can’t think of too many other places more associated with ‘Ancient’ than Greece.
I had to look up how old something has to be to be considered ancient and Google AI explains it as this – There is no single age for something to be considered ancient, but it generally refers to things from before the Middle Ages or over 1,400 years old.
I like taking new pics for the challenges, and I didn’t have access to my portfolio. So, I did a little bit of research, in relation to anything that might be considered ancient close to where we were staying, near Rhodes Town, and discovered ‘The Acropolis of Rhodes’. It fit the brief and it was within walking distance of where we were staying so on Sunday morning we set off for the historical site.
The site was about five miles from our hotel. We had some fun trying to find it. Following a road would have been straight forward but Apple maps, on my iphone, found what it thought was a short cut. So we kept faith in the app as it took us off down a dusty track. We followed the route through small homesteads full of goats, chickens and unfriendly dogs until, after a mile, we came to a fence, built over the track, that we couldn’t get around. We had no option but to turn around and go back.
Following the road route we found the site with no further problems. The Acropolis is in a park area and open to the public with no entry fee or staff. You’re free to wander around the site which was pretty well kept with a café and toilets. In the grounds are the sparse remains of the Temple of Apollo (covered in scaffolding). An Odeon which has had most of its original stonework replaced and a large Games Arena. There’s more information on the site here, at Wikipedia – Acropolis of Rhodes
There is a much more impressive, and better preserved, Acropolis at Lindos, Rhodes. We have visited there on a previous trip to the island. Here’s a link to that site and a few pics from our visit there in 2017 – Acropolis of Lindos
Thank you to Sophia for hosting this weeks challenge. Themes for the Lens-Artists Challenge are posted each Saturday at 12:00 noon EST (which is 4pm, GMT) and anyone who wants to take part can post their images during the week. If you want to know more about the Challenge, details can be found here, and entries can be found on the WordPress reader using the tag ‘Lens-Artists’.
All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.
Steve Hyde 
I think I learned that ancient is anything before the fall of Rome in the 400s. Nice to find one that had completed its restoration, even if the ‘influencers’ were there. Maggie
I read the same Maggie. Influencers everywhere at popular sites these days. I’ve given up waiting for them to move on if I want to photograph a scene, I just make them part of it.
Thanks for providing such interesting information to go along your beautiful photos.
Thank you Egidio 🙂
How fun to have been near an ancient site when the challenge posted Stephen. Loved your story about being misled by Apple Maps – I’ve had that happen and later had a good laugh over it. Hope you did too 😊. The images of the Acropolis are marvelous.(except of course for the ubiquitous social media-ites
Yes we thought our detour was funny. It was surprising how rural it felt on that track, especially in the middle of a large town. I’ve just replied to another comment to say I never wait for them to move on these days. I usually just incorporate them into my image 🙂
Perfect timing, Steve! I was so surprised to learn that most ruins are as such not just because of time but because they were cannibalized for materials quite early on… the temple of Apollo too.
Yes it was perfect timing for your challenge (great choice for a challenge btw). It got me thinking about some ancient sites close to home so I’m thinking of stopping at Stonehenge on a trip down to Bournemouth in two weeks time. I have been there but never photographed it. Most of that area of Europe is a mix of different influences, shaped by assorted invaders over the years.
Oh, absolutely!
Lucky you with perfect timing! Beautiful temples( and weather…)
Thank you Ann. Yes we got lucky with the weather. October is aa bit of a gamble with Greece. It was the last week of the season at our hotel. It was closing for the winter this weekend.