Do you also have a city you've been postponing to visit for a long time, but really want to see? I think people get even more excited about trips to such cities.

In this article, I'll guide you to a city we've long postponed going to, but recently visited – a place that excites me greatly and holds special significance for us. I'm sure you're curious to know more.

It turns out there was a reason for our long-standing postponement of wanting to go to Athens, the capital of Greece. With the addition of our son Atlas, named after the Greek mythological hero, in May 2021, this could be the best place to explain the meaning of his name.

Every time we postponed, the universe made plans for us. We were supposed to come here as a family of three after the birth of our son Atlas. This has made the trip much more meaningful for us.

In this article, I will share the must-see places and the flavors to be tasted in this beautiful European city, where the old and the new are blended. At the end of this trip, where we traced the footsteps of mythological heroes and ancient structures that appear in almost every street of Athens, I will tell you about two mythological legends.

Named after mythology

The name of the city of Athens, where you can experience the spirit of ancient Greece and the harmony of the old and the new, unsurprisingly, comes from mythology.

Founded approximately 5,000 years ago by King Cecrops, a creature half-human and half-serpent, Athens was established where the Acropolis Temple stands today. In that era, after the war between the Titans and the gods of Olympus, King Cecrops lost his life, leaving the city without a ruler.

One day, Athena, the goddess of wisdom and peace, and daughter of Zeus, encountered the sea god Poseidon at the Acropolis. Both of these mighty powers desired to become the owners of the city. To resolve their dispute, Zeus found a fair solution: A competition where they had to offer gifts beneficial to the city.

On the day of the competition, the Athenians climbed to the highest point of the city and began to watch. Poseidon struck the ground with his Trident, causing natural spring water to emerge from the split ground. The Athenians were delighted with the water, but their joy turned into disappointment when they realized it was salty.

When it was Athena's turn to showcase her gift, she inserted her hand into the ground and brought forth an olive sapling. Athena planted an olive tree and told the Athenians that they could use olives as a food source and as a trade commodity for its oil.

The people accepted Athena's gift of the olive tree, and Athena became the owner of the city, and its name became Athens.

When you go to Athens, you will see many olive trees on the roads and streets. Olives have been highly valued in these lands from ancient times to the present. Homer described olive oil as "liquid gold."

It is believed that the sacred olive tree next to the Erechtheion Temple in the Acropolis, planted by Athena, and the mark left by Poseidon's Trident on the rock during the competition, are both located in this temple.

You will encounter numerous mythological legends and characters during your trip to Athens. Names like Zeus, Athena and Poseidon from Greek Mythology can be found in almost every souvenir shop. Sometimes, on a T-shirt or a keychain, you might come across their statues in both miniature and colossal sizes.

Of course, I dedicated the second part of my writing to Atlas, one of the most well-known and powerful characters in Greek mythology, whom I took inspiration from when naming my son.

Atlas

"And Atlas, through hard constraint, upholds the wide heaven with unwearying head and arms, standing at the borders of the Earth before the clear-voiced Hesperides; for this lot, wise Zeus assigned to him." In Hesiod's work "Theogony," Atlas is described in this way.

So what is the myth of Atlas carrying the heavens on his shoulders? Atlas, the brother of Prometheus, and the most powerful of the 13 children of Lapetus and Clymene, is known as one of the most powerful Titans in Greek Mythology.

Thanks to his strength, Atlas also led the Titans in the war against the Olympian gods. The gods emerged victorious in this war between Titans and Gods. And Zeus, except for one individual, sent all the Titans who participated in the battle to Tartarus as punishment.

However, Atlas, who led the Titans, received a different punishment from Zeus. Zeus condemned Atlas to carry the celestial sphere on his shoulders at the western edge of the Earth, in front of the enchanting voices of the evening nymphs (Hesperides).

Atlas once encountered Heracles while carrying the celestial sphere on his shoulders. Heracles had come to obtain the golden apples located in the Hesperides Islands for his 11th labor.

The golden apples grew on a tree, a gift from the Earth goddess to Zeus. He brought the tree to the Hesperides Islands, seeking the protection of the Hesperides.

However, when the Hesperides kept eating the apples, Zeus assigned a serpent to guard the tree. When Heracles met Atlas, he inquired about the golden apples and Atlas offered to go to the island and bring them back for Heracles if he temporarily held the celestial sphere.

According to some sources, it was Heracles who made the offer, stating that if Atlas went to fetch the golden apples, he would hold the celestial sphere in his place for a while.

Heracles accepted Atlas's offer, and after delivering the apples, Atlas hesitated to resume carrying the celestial sphere. Heracles informed him that the celestial sphere had slipped from his shoulders and needed readjustment, requesting Atlas to hold it for a while.

Unfortunately, Atlas believed this and bore the celestial sphere on his shoulders again.

Although in contemporary times, the act of carrying the celestial sphere on Atlas's shoulders is occasionally metaphorically described as "bearing the weight of the world," it is, in fact, the celestial sphere that Atlas carries on his shoulders.

The punishment given to Atlas holds a symbolic meaning. It aimed to perpetually prevent the meeting of heaven and Earth, burying the Titans in history forever.

Atlas carrying the celestial sphere on his shoulders also inspired the naming of the first vertebra supporting the skull in medicine as the "Atlas."

Additionally, the term "Atlas," meaning a collection of maps, which is one of the most important sources in geography, found its significance in Greek mythology, inspired by the character Atlas. In some sources, the Atlantic is referred to as the "Sea of Atlas," and Atlantis as the "Island of Atlas."

Many who read the story of Atlas may ponder and ask, "Is it logical to give this name to a child?" When explaining the meaning of the name, we have consistently given the same answer to this question.

If you read these lines one day, my son, we want to tell you again. Just like Atlas, whom we were inspired by when choosing your name, you will be as strong. We believe that your story, just like Atlas, will not carry the weight of the world when you choose your name without hesitation.

Every line of this story, like the snow on the summit of the Atlas Mountains, will be written on a pure white page. Life is challenging, but equally beautiful to live. People can be bad, but you will encounter good ones.

Just like Atlas did to Heracles, when you want to be relieved of your burden and troubles, share them with others to lighten your load. And finally, we hope that, like the pearls in the ocean that inspired us when choosing your name, all the precious moments find you.