The storm of the century

In 1852, a natural disaster of unnatural intensity struck Athens. The storm made all the houses creak, knocked down chimneys, shattered shutters and carried off the roofs. The storm’s fury lasted all night and destroyed the royal garden. It uprooted colossal cypress trees and flattened the picturesque kiosks. The worst consequence, however, was the fall of a pillar of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which was considered an evil omen.

Creator: Félix Bonfils (1850-1880)
Source: Library of Congress