Contenplating the Classics

Munich locals stand among the classic Greeks. At the Munich Glyptotek, from the Greek root glyphein to sculpt, is the restoration of the top of the Temple of Aegina. Aegina is a short boat ride from Athens, and makes up part of what’s known as the Sacred Triangle. That Triangle makes up three of the most important temples in Greece, the Parthenon in Athens, the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, and the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina. The museum, albeit small, was designed in 1830 to present the Greek treasures of the Bavarian King Ludwig I. Actually, the museum presents sculptures dating from the archaic age (650 BC) to the Roman era (550 AD). Having visited Aegina, it’s amazing to see such a well preserved temple, and even more interesting to wonder how the remains of one of the three most well known temples ended up in Munich. But that is another story.