ANYONE who’s ever wanted to visit Athens but simply hasn’t had the chance might want to consider a trip to the North East instead.
While it may not have the weather, some of the architecture up there is very similar to that which can be seen in the Greek capital.
PAPenshaw Monument in Sunderland is a replica of an ancient Greek temple[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationThe monument sits on top of Penshaw hill where the legendary Lambton Worm lived[/caption]
Arguably Sunderland‘s most iconic landmark, the Penshaw Monument is a half size replica of the Temple of Hephaestus, which can be found in Athens’ ancient Agora.
It stands proudly on Penshaw hill and looks over the city, with views far across Wearside and County Durham from the top.
The Grade I listed structure was originally built between 1844 and 1845 to commemorate John Lambton, the 1st Earl of Durham (1792-1840).
It can be seen from as far as 50 miles away and even appears on the Sunderland AFC club crest.
Visitors can get an even better vantage point, should they visit from Easter until the end of September, when a secret staircase inside one of the pillars is opened to the public.
Those who want to can climb to the very top of the monument to a walkway along the southern ledge, for a cost of £5.
The monument is illuminated in the evenings and has been lit up with different colours to commemorate special occasions.
The hill on which the monument stands is the site of a popular and spooky urban legend, related to the monument’s inspiration, John Lambton.
The story goes that John skipped church on Sunday to go fishing, where he caught a small worm, or lamprey, with nine holes on each side of its head.
The worm then grew over the years, becoming large enough to coil itself around Penshaw hill as many as seven times.
It would terrorise locals by snatching children, preventing cows from producing milk and eating the farmers’ sheep, while John was away fighting with the crusades.
However, after a few years, John returned to Wearside where a witch told him he was responsible for the worm, having been the person who pulled it out the river in the first place.
He fought the creature in a suit of armour covered in spearheads.
The worm tried to crush John by wrapping itself around him, only for his spiky armour to kill the animal.
The story actually predates John Lambton by several centuries, but he ended up becoming its hero after a lot of revision.
Historic UK states: “The oral legend of the Worm underwent many revisions over the centuries.
“Not surprisingly, Sir John, the First Lord of Durham, became the natural hero of the legend as his fame spread throughout County Durham and England’s northeast.”
Some people say that grooves from the worm can still be seen wrapped around Penshaw hill, where the monument sits.
Meanwhile, others simply enjoy having the Greek-style structure near to Sunderland as a place to visit.
The landmark has an overall rating of 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor from hundreds of reviews, with many saying it’s a great substitute for a trip to Greece.
One wrote: “If you can’t go to Athens…
“It stands above the city on a limestone hill with views as far afield as Durham Cathedral and the North Pennines.”
Another said: “It’s like a misplaced mini version of the Acropolis in Greece.“
A third added: “Beautiful monument. Fantastic view across the great City of Sunderland from here. One of the best monuments you will visit.”
Every year special events are held at the monument, including an annual Easter egg rolling competition for children, who roll their eggs down the side of the hill, as they have been doing for more than 100 years.
It also hosts bonfire night and new year’s firework displays.
Meanwhile, this is one of the coolest places to view the Acropolis in Athens.
And this UK seaside town has been compared to a Greek island.
PAThe monument is lit up at night and hosts bonfire night and new year’s celebrations[/caption]