Table of Contents
NOT SO ANCIENT.
THE OTTOMANS.
GREEK INDEPENDENCE
SHOULD-SEE ACROPOLIS.
FILOPAPPOU HILL.
ANCIENT AGORA.
KERAMEIKOS.
ATHEN’S PLAKA.
CITY CENTER.
KOLONAKI.
AKADIMIA.
ISTORIKO TRIGONO.
OTHER ATHENS.
2004 OLYMPICS.
DAY TRIPS.
Athens Ancient History stretches back longer than just about anywhere in Europe or the world. Evidence of inhabitants dates to almost 5000 years ago on top of the Acro (high) polis (city). Circa the 5th century B.C., they are laying the foundations of Western Civilization and democracy.
Legend says that Athena lends her name to the city. In a contest between her and her brother Poseidon, each must give the city a present. Poseidon strikes the ground bringing forth a spring. Athena offers an olive tree, representing peace and prosperity. The Athenians accept her gift and name the city for her.
Athens becomes an important city for the Mycenaean civilization (circa 1400). They repel the Dorics circa 1200 B.C. before the Dark Ages hit.
Like the rest of Greece, Athens goes through the Greek Dark Ages (circa 1100 – 750 B.C.) Also, like the rest of Greece, we know little about this period. Athens comes out of it as the strongest city in Greece.
The Persian Wars.
Athens becomes a target for the Spartans to the west and the Persians to the east. They defeat the Persians at Marathon in 490 B.C. In 480 B.C., the Persians return and sack Athens twice. A year later, the Athenians and Spartans defeat the Persians.
Much of Greece bands together in the Delian League with Athens in charge. Sparta does not join.
Athens Golden Age.
Roughly between the end of the Persian war (479) to 431 B.C. Athens reaches its zenith. Athens is the center of philosophy, literature, and the arts. Important figures in Western Civilization live during this period.
Euripides, Sophocles, and Aristophanes are producing drama. Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato are philosophizing. Hippocrates is making strides in the world of medicine.
The historians Herodotus and Thucydides and the sculptor Phidias are recording this period for posterity.
The statesman Pericles orders the building of Athens’s greatest structures, including the Parthenon. In his words, “Athens is the School of Hellas (Greece).”
Peloponnesian War.
By 431, Sparta attacks in the Peloponnesian War. By 411 B.C. Sparta is in control.
Thebes and Corinth join sides with Athens and defeat Sparta during the Corinthian War (circa 395 B.C.). Then Athens and Sparta defeat Thebes, putting Athens back at the top.
There are minor power struggles over the next 50 years, but Athens holds its place.
Philip II of Macedon.
By 338 B.C., the armies of Philip II are quickly overwhelming southern Greece, including Athens. Athens will keep its prestige, but the power goes to Philip. Alexander the Great will take on that power in 336 when his father dies from assassination. Alexander will remain in power until 323 B.C. when he mysteriously dies.
The Hellenistic Age.
Alexander’s general Antigonus I seizes Macedonia in the land grab. The Antigonid Dynasty will rule over Macedon for the next 150 years. During this time, Athens has little power. It is not even the main city of the period.
The Romans.
Circa 146 B.C., with the Carthaginians now in their place, Rome looks east for new lands. Beginning with Northern Greece (Macedon), they begin moving east and south. By 87 B.C., the Roman commander Sulla is at the walls of Athens and Piraeus. The siege takes months but eventually, Sulla succeeds and burns Athens and Piraeus to the ground. Only a few buildings remain.
Rome allows Athens to be a free city due to its schools. Rome’s upper class begin sending their children to Athens for their education.
Emperor Hadrian has a soft spot for Athens and rebuilds and gifts the city with several new buildings. These include the Library of Hadrian, a gymnasium, temples, sanctuaries, and more. He completes the Temple of Olympian Zeus. He builds a great aqueduct, which parts of are still in use.
Unfortunately, the Heruli sack the city in 267 A.D. This includes burning the public buildings and damaging the Agora, Temple of Zeus, and Acropolis. Athens will remain a center of learning and philosophy.
Beginning of the Roman End.
With the Roman Empire in two pieces, the eastern capital in Constantinople begins decorating with art from Athens. They replace the Pagan temples with Christian churches. No longer famous for its temples, Athens becomes a backwater to the Romans. A sacking by the Visigoths circa 396 and the Slavs in 582 do not help.
The Middle Ages.
The Byzantine (Eastern) Empire continues to rule over Greece with occasional attacks by the Saracen (circa 8th–9th centuries.) The Bulgarians (circa 9th-10th) and the Ottomans in the 11th century. Towards the end of the 11th century, the Normans in Italy begin taking large portions of Greece.
Athens, in the far south and no longer an important city, enjoys relative peace. Thessaloniki, in the north on the road to Constantinople, does not.
However, Athens does prosper from trade with the Italians, especially from the 2nd crusade on.
The Fourth Crusade and Latin Rule.
With the sacking of Constantinople in 1204, the Crusaders divvy up Greece. The Duchy of Athens includes much of today’s Attica. It will bounce around from one larger kingdom to another. The buildings on the Acropolis become the Duke’s palace. Athens will belong to Thessaloniki, Achaea, Aragon, Catalans, and briefly the Venetians.
The Ottomans.
Circa 1445 A.D., the Ottomans invade northern Greece, seizing Thessaloniki, Ioannina, and Thessaly. After they seized Constantinople in 1453, the rest of the Byzantine Empire falls into their hands. By 1458, Athens is under Ottoman control.
Sultan Mehmed II. Finds the city’s ancient monuments to be breathtaking and issues a firman forbidding their looting or destruction. They convert the Parthenon into the main mosque.
The Turks store their gunpowder and explosives in the Parthenon and the Propylaea. Circa 1640, a lightning bolt strikes the Propylaea, igniting the stores and causing its destruction. Not learning from this, they continue to store explosives in the Parthenon. Circa 1687, they dismantle the Temple of Athena Nike to strengthen the Acropolis from cannon fire. A Venetian round finds a powder magazine in the Parthenon severely damaging the building’s southern side. The Venetians seize the town for a brief period before retreating. Both the Venetians and the Ottomans loot the Parthenon.
Life under the Ottomans was not bad for the Athenians, as long as they paid their taxes. The Christians, Jews, and Orthodox could all practice their religions. By the mid-1700s, two Athenian-born patriarchs of Jerusalem (head Bishop) earned the Pasha’s ear. Civic projects and other municipal improvements begin. Not all was wine and roses. The next Pasha was not so kind. Later, “owners” of the city would run the gamut. Circa 1805, the current owner allows the British ambassador, Lord Elgin, to pick 50 pieces from the Acropolis. This includes the Parthenon’s eastern frieze.
Athens Independence.
The Greek Revolution begins in Northern Greece in 1821. By 1822, a Greek insurgency captures Athens, which it manages to hold until 1826. Again, the ancient parts of the city take a beating.
Greece finally gains recognition as an independent state by February 1830. The Ottoman forces finally withdraw from Athens in March of 1833.
Greek Athens.
By 1832, there is already construction going on in the town of 4-5000 people. Much of the town is inside today’s Plaka.
King Otto declares construction of the University of Athens, National Library, Royal Palace (now the Greek Parliament Building), and gardens.
World War I.
Actual warfare does not reach Athens during the First World War. However, the government offices are going 24/7 as fighting is taking place along the Greek border with Albania and Bulgaria.
After the war, Greece gains Eastern and Western Thrace and the Smyrna area in present-day Turkey. By 1919 Greece is at war with Turkey over these gains. By 1922, The Greco-Turkish War ends with Turkey getting the Smyrna area. And Greece gets approximately 1,500,000 Orthodox Christians from Turkey during a population exchange. Many of these would settle in the new suburbs of Athens.
Athens and WWII.
Hostilities begin in October of 1940 between Greece and Fascist Italy. A year later, Germany begins entering Greece from the north. When Italy tries to switch sides circa 1943, Germany swoops in to control the rest of Greece. All of Greece will suffer during this occupation.
In Athens, over 40,000 people will die from starvation. The Nazis will kill entire neighborhoods and villages, which they think may be helping the Greek Resistance. The Germans will eliminate much of the Jewish population of Greece. The ones who survive do so by joining the resistance. Athens will lose 50% of its Jewish community.
The Germans and Bulgarians finally flee Athens in October of 1944 as the Allies move into Greece. Some islands will be occupied up until the end of the war the following September.
Athens After the War.
Actually, starting during WWII, the Greek Civil War breaks out circa 1942. It is between the Greek Government Army and the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE.) The U.S. and the United Kingdom back the Greek Government Army. The DSE (the military branch of the Communist Party of Greece) has Albania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and covertly the Soviet Union.
The Civil War is a war of words until after the Germans depart. Two months later, a riot erupts in Athens. When the right conservatives win the 1946 election, the Communist Party militarizes the DSE and forms a provisional government. The fighting will continue until 1948, when the government wins. Greece will join NATO in 1952.
After the war, many Greeks began moving to the larger cities looking for work.
By 1967, the communist forces return in the guise of the Center Union Party. A military Junta takes over and will run the country as a dictatorship until 1974. With the fall of the junta and the abolition of the monarchy, Greece establishes its Third Hellenic Republic.
From the 1950s until 1973, the Greece economy grows at an average of over 7% a year. It is one of southeast Europe’s biggest economic centers and Piraeus’s port, the largest passenger port in Europe.
2000 and Beyond.
In 2004 Athens hosts the Summer Olympics. It is one of the most successful Olympics and sets the record for volunteers.
In 2008, while still riding the Olympics’ glow, Greece slides into one of a modern country’s longest recessions.
Starting in 2014, refugees from the Syrian Civil War begin crossing to Greece to escape the Middle East. Many will move on to other countries in Europe, but Greece needs to care for them in the meantime. A year later, it is over one million. An already shaky economy shakes more.
In 2019, the number of new refugees is still over 100,000 arriving in Greece. Today, Greece is hosting refugees from more than 60 nations.
Also, in 2019, the economy is stabilizing, and Greece welcomes over 30 million visitors. In early 2020 they are planning to top that number when the pandemic hits.
Athens and Greece have a lot of experience rising out of the ashes.
Athens Today.
So many people have a love or hate relationship with the city. Those who get to know it love it. In contrast, those who blow through seem to hate it. Then some try to compare it with other cities. As a result, they find it disappointing. You cannot do that. (Well, shouldn’t)
Perhaps the biggest complaint: it is ugly or dirty. The neighborhoods that most tourists (en route to the airport or seaport) see are ugly. They remain from the post-war 1950s construction boom. They built a canvas of plain charmless blocks because of cheap and plentiful cement.
While visitors do not see the tree-lined neighborhoods that lie further afield.
Then there is the dirt/graffiti. However, I don’t find Athens to have more of either than New York City, Rome, or Paris. Granted, it lacks a large amount of landscaping or ornate architecture to divert your attention. But they are catching up.
And there is the traffic. Athens does not receive bombing during the World Wars. It does not get the chance to rebuild for modern times. Today, many streets are the same ones that were originally for pedestrians or a donkey and cart. A drive to the airport could seem like a day trip.
But that is changing!
As a result of the 2004 Olympics focusing the world’s eyes on Greece, the city began a massive revitalization. Signs of the past started to disappear, including the removal of all the TV antennas. (picture a metal forest on every roof) Public transport underwent a massive overhaul and expansion. A new highway system linking the airport with the city and coastline is in place. All over town, new and exciting architecture is springing up.
Since the Olympics, the city continues to add modern architecture resulting in a new look for Athens.
Look beyond the cement, and you may like what you see.
What is in Athens for me?
See & Hear.
Visitors should focus on the “ancient” structures dating from 500 – 400 BC. Don’t just look at history, but experience it.
Immerse yourself in one of the world-class museums.
Another option is to sit in the Plaka, listening to life happening all around you.
Taste & Smell.
Stroll the Plaka. Not the main streets leading down from Syntagma, but get off on the side streets. Smell the gyros meat slowly roasting on a spit. Walk the nearby central market with its unique smells and tasty samples.
Feel.
Sip a glass of wine in the country where they are growing the grape.
Watch the shadows grow longer across the Acropolis as Helios drives his chariot into the far western sky.
Contemplating your day in ruins while you pop just one more Greek olive in your mouth.
There may be better ways to end your afternoon, but this one doesn’t suck.
SHOULD SEE SITES
Acropolis – This UNESCO World Heritage Center is a buy one / get one attraction. In actuality, you get seven sites in one as the (acro) “high” (polis) “city” is home to the following.
The Parthenon.
Certainly, an engineering masterpiece dating from 447 B.C. Not to mention, that man could not build it as well today. The western pediment is in the Acropolis museum.
The Propylaea.
In the same fashion, the monumental gateway to the Acropolis. Make sure to stop and look above you.
Temple of Athena Nike.
Built around 420 B.C .to Athena, goddess of victory (Nike) in war and wisdom.
The Erechtheion.
Another structure from 420 B.C is unusual as it honors both Athena and Poseidon. The porch has six Caryatids (columns resembling females) supporting it. Five of the original statues are now in the Acropolis museum. Guess who has the missing one?
Theatre of Dionysus.
The theater stands at the base of the Acropolis. Starting with the first level circa 6th century B.C., it will reach a capacity of 17,000.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Due to its location at the base, you can also see this from above. Because of renovations in 1950, this smaller theater, dating from 161 A.D., still hosts performances today. The capacity is 5,000 people. It will also suffer severe damage during the Heruli attack in 267 A.D.
Areopagus (Mars Hill.)
This rock outcropping below the Acropolis has been a major player in ancient Athen’s history and mythology.
A rock outcrop location for the council of elders, Orestes’ trial, and the Apostle Paul’s Areopagus sermon.
Filopappou Hill (Hill of the Muses.)
This is the step-sister with the red hair of the Acropolis. As you stand on the Propylaea, you are on the west side of the Acropolis. The ancient Agora is to the north. To the northwest is the Areopagus Hill. Due west is the tree-covered Filopappou Hill. Here you can find several treasures most tourists know nothing about. Access is on foot over cobblestone paths.
Why should you visit? First, it is a great escape from the crowds on the Acropolis. That alone is reason enough. Also, indications of human presence on the hill date back to circa 3200 to 2000 B.C. The hill is home to several graves.
Andero Viewing Platform.
I like to walk up, then slowly walk down, so sites are in order from the top down. From this paved area near the top, you can score “that” photo of the Parthenon behind the Propylaea. However, this is not the highest point on the hill.
Monument of Philopappos.
For those willing to hike “off-road,” dirt and loose gravel paths through the bushes will take you higher. At the top are the remains of a circa 116 A.D. mausoleum and monument. Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos was a popular prince in Athens. This is the tower you can see from the Acropolis. This viewpoint offers incredible views of Athens and the Acropolis.
Deaf Man’s Cave.
Sites in this area do not have great signage. As you walk down, on your left will be a sign for Greek dancers. There is no mention of the cave or Seven Thrones. However, follow this path, and the cave is on your right below the path. The cave is actually the front of graves, probably from the Christian period circa 4 -8th century A.D.
Eptathronon (Seven Thrones)
A little further along the path on your left are these small rock-hewn seats. They are all that remains of a public square or assembly court.
Kimon’s Tomb.
Back on the hill’s main road, further down on your right, is this tomb from circa 5th century B.C. The rock-cut tomb may still hold the remains of Cimon (Kimon), a victor in the Battle of Marathon.
Dipylon Gate.
A little further on your right are a few rectangular stones. This is all that remains of the city’s gates during the classical period (circa 480–323 B.C.) What is impressive is the precision of these hand-carved stones from 2300+ years ago.
Church of Saint Demetrios Loumbardiaris.
Directly across from the gate is this 16th-century church, and it actually has a sign. It sits on the top of a church, probably from the 9th century. Although not the oldest church in Athens, it may be the most serene.
To the left of the church is a path. Let’s follow that.
The Pnyx.
Less than a three-minute walk brings you to this rock outcropping. Dating from circa 500 B.C., the Athenians would hold assemblies here during the creation of democracy. The foundation of a stoa and support walls are partially visible. When ready, walk back to the church.
The Prison of Socrates.
Beyond the church on your right (next lamp post) are two paths veering off to the right. There may be a small sign for those coming uphill, but it is not always there. One path doubles back towards the Dipylon gate. Take the other one. This “prison” was probably a house, and it is doubtful Socrate’s even came for tea. The state prison was probably just outside the Agora. We do know the National Archaeological Museum sealed many of their treasures in these caves during WWII. This was to hide them from the German looters.
A little further down the road and you return to the area where tour buses drop off for the Acropolis. Instead of going right, hang a hard left. I mean, stop, take your 400th photo of the Acropolis, and then turn left.
Fountain of Pnyx.
Approximately 800 feet on your left is a door in the rock. This leads to a cistern under the Phyx once holding Athen’s drinking water. It is not accessible.
Sanctuary of Pan.
A little further on the left is this series of terraces in front of a carved room. This was a worshipping site to the half-god Pan circa 500 B.C.
You can access the outside area from the Pnyx above but not the interior.
Across the street and down is a back entrance to the Ancient Agora.
Around the Acropolis.
The Ancient Agora.
On the northwest corner under the Acropolis is the living room of ancient Athens. Here, people would gossip, exchange thoughts, buy and sell goods, or listen to Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle.
Stoa of Attalos.
On the east side of the agora, near the entrance, is the largest structure. The current building dates from 1952–1956. The American School of Classical Studies at Athens built it in the Hellenistic style of the original stoa. The name is for King Attalos II of Pergamon, Athen’s ruler between 159 to 138 B.C. It currently is home to The Archaeological Museum of the Athenian Agora.
Odeon of Agrippa.
Dating from the Roman occupation of Athens circa 15 B.C., this theater is in front of the stoa. Rising two stories, the auditorium could seat around 1,000 spectators. Later it would serve as a smaller lecture hall and a palace circa early 5th century A.D.
Right Side of the Stoa
Most people miss this interesting little corner to the right (south) of the stoa building. It contains the remains of a water mill and just beyond that part of a Roman wall. Across from the wall is a plaque to Hadrian’s aqueduct.
Library of Pantainos.
Behind the Roman wall are the remains of this library also from Roman times. Pantainos, a self-proclaimed philosopher, dedicates it to Emperor Hadrian and the people of Athens circa 100 A.D. You can get an aerial view from Pikilis street, near the Roman Agora.
Beyond the library is a secret entrance to the Agora. This is much closer to the Roman Agora than walking around to the north entrance.
Eleusinion Sanctuary.
In the most southeastern corner of the Agora, just beyond the entrance, are the sanctuary ruins. Worshipping Demeter and Persephone’s cult is the most famous secret religious rites group in Athens. The Romans will later adopt it. Persephone rising from Hades indicates spring, and she appears in many agricultural societies.
Church Agioi Apostoloi (Church of the Holy Apostles)
This Byzantine chapel adjacent to the stoa dates from the 10th century A.D. making it one of the newer structures. After many renovations, much of the original is missing. The few surviving wall paintings date to circa 17th century.
The Enneakrounos.
One of many controversies in the Agora is-was the location of a nine-faced fountain. Most agree it dates from circa 530 B.C. and was spring-fed. Maybe it was in this area.
Fountain of the Nymphaeum.
Also in the same area was a Trajan era (circa 100 A.D.) fountain where the church sits today. The fountain was on top of a previous building holding a mint. You can see part of its foundation and pieces of the fountain in this area.
The South and Middle Stoa.
Directly west of the church is the beginning of the South Stoa. Not much of it is recognizable. On the north side, the Middle Stoa still has pillar bases and store foundations. You can also look at the nearby Stoa of Attalos for inspiration to its original shape.
Strategeion.
At the west end of the South Stoa is the foundation of a trapezoidal chamber. The ten Strategoi (military generals) of ancient Athens would meet to discuss finance, politics, and foreign policy. Each tribe would elect one official for a one-year term. Pericles and Aristides would serve as a Strategoi.
The Tholos.
North of the west end of the Middle Stoa is this round foundation dating to circa 470 B.C. This administrative building would seat (and feed) the executive committee of the 500 members of the Senate.
Bouleuterion.
The ruins directly north of the Tholos are the larger chambers and meeting rooms of the administration and senate. It also contains the ruins of an ancient temple (Metroon.)
Monument of the Eponymous Heroes.
In front of the Bouleuterion is this marble structure where the profiles of the ten Strategoi would be on display. Also, they would post any proposed legislation, decrees, or announcements.
Temple of Hephaestus.
Dating from circa 449 B.C., this Doric temple sits above the Bouleuterion. The god of metalworking and fire, they would worship Hephaestus until the Roman occupation. There is little evidence that Vulcan (the Roman replacement) would take over. By 700 A.D., it would become a Greek Orthodox church until 1834. This is the reason it is in such good shape.
Temple of Aphrodite Urania.
To the north of Hephaestus are the remains of a 5th century B.C. temple to Aphrodite. Parts of the alter are the only identifiable parts. Just to the north of this temple is an exterior line of public transportation. The railroad is not scenic. You can see the Agora continues past the train track (Stoa Basileios.) Then it goes beyond the cafes on the other side (Stoa Poikile). The Agora you see today is only a part of the ancient.
Temple of Ares.
Turning east (without crossing the railroad) are the foundations of this temple to the god of war. Dating from the 5th century B.C., it may have been very similar to the Hephaestus temple. There are some indications that the Romans may have moved the last temple on this spot from somewhere else.
Altar of the Twelve Gods.
Between the Ares temple and the railroad is this alter to (probably) the 12 Olympian gods. The alter dates from circa 520 B.C. It is the central point of Athens. From here, they would measure the distances “from Athens.” The Romans would put a similar altar (Altar of Pity) in the Roman Agora during their occupation.
You are now back to the main entrance of the Agora north of the Stoa of Attalos.
Kerameikos.
This neighborhood is northwest of the Ancient Agora and is home to some of Athens’ most overlooked ruins. During ancient times, this was the potter’s quarter and the site of one of the city’s most important cemeteries. Turning left when exiting the Agora, a six-minute walk along Adrianou pedestrian street brings you to Ermou pedestrian Street.
Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos.
The museum houses numerous relics and art pieces from the adjacent archeological site, dating to circa 860 B.C. Admission to the museum also includes access to the archeological site. Some of the sites include:
Street of the Tombs.
Just behind the museum is this section of the cemetery, which is intact. Interesting markers and statuary are in this area.
Tritopatreion.
This marker (shrine) where the Sacred Way and the Street of the Tombs meets indicates the area for worshipping Tritopatrions. You could not build on this ground. Interestingly, no one is quite sure who the Tritopatrions are. Maybe a tribe, maybe the spirits of ancestors.
Themistoclean Wall.
Dating from circa 479 B.C., the Athenians built these walls for protection from the Persians. The statesman Themistocles suggests using pieces of other walls and temples to build them quickly. They do and name them after him.
Dipylon.
This is the main gate in the Themistclean walls, dating from the same time as the new walls. The gate was the starting point of the Great Panathenaea Games procession. They rebuild the gates circa 300 B.C., and they last until the 3rd century A.D.
Benaki Museum of Islamic Art.
Two blocks north of the Kerameikos archeological site is another Benaki museum. This collection of Islamic Art is one of the most important in the world. Pieces come from India, Mesopotamia, Persia, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Egypt, North Africa, Spain, etc.
Gazi.
Beyond the Keramikos Archaeological Museum is Technopolis, a converted gasworks that now houses an interactive Industrial Gas Museum. It is the anchor for the trendy contemporary Gazi neighborhood. Here you will find art spaces, performance venues, trendy tavernas, gay-oriented bars, and all-night dance clubs.
Benaki PIREOS 138 Museum.
The newest museum in the Benaki collection includes permanent collections covering photography and Modern Greek Architecture. The large exhibit area hosts temporary exhibits and activities.
The Plaka.
Monastiraki and Psyrri.
Hidden in the Plaka is this lively little neighborhood. Monastiraki Square is the “center” and includes a station on the city’s subway system.
The Monastiraki Flea Market is a maze of shops selling some artisanal products and many “made in non-Greece” stuff. You can also find lots of cafes (some traditional taverna) and restaurants.
Church of the Pantanassa.
Right in Monastiraki Square is this church dating from a circa 10th-century A.D. monastery. The monastery is missing. The church is not sinking. The square shows you how high Athens has built upon itself since the 10th century A.D.
Tzistarakis Mosque.
This mosque dates from circa 1759 during the Ottoman occupation. It is now an annex of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture.
Hadrian’s Library.
Directly behind the mosque are the ruins of a grand library from the Roman Emperor Hadrian to Athen’s people. The largest remaining section is a good portion of the west wall.
Inside are foundations from the library and a Tetraconch Church, containing four altars, built using stones from the library.
Roman Agora.
The Roman agora may be over part of the earlier Greek Agora. The remains visible today are from circa 19 B.C. They lie east of the Ancient agora and a block south of Hadrian’s Library.
Tower of the Winds (Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes) is an octagonal clock tower to the Roman Agora’s east. The structure dates from circa 2nd century B.C. before the agora. It is the world’s first (known) meteorological station with a sundial, water clock, and a wind vane.
Fethiye Mosque Museum.
Adjacent to the Tower is this 17th-century Ottoman mosque, probably using parts of the agora for building material. After Greek independence in 1834, it sat empty and in despair until 2017. After refurbishing, it is now a space for cultural exhibitions.
Old Madrasa.
All that remains of this Ottoman theological school is the ruined doorway from circa 1721. Later, the Ottomans convert the building into a prison murdering many Greek prisoners without a trial. After the liberation, the Greeks destroy much of the prison.
Museum of Greek Popular Musical Instruments.
Next to the gate is this traditional building housing an interesting collection of Greek instruments.
Bathhouse of the Winds.
This is the only bathhouse remaining in Athens from the early first period of Turkish rule circa 1453. The bath remained in operation until 1956. Today, the restored bath is the museum of care and body beautification throughout the ages.
Anafiotika
This tiny neighborhood between the Plaka and Acropolis is mostly pedestrian streets dating back to 1832. Many of the original inhabitants were workers from the island of Anafi. They are here to refurbish the King’s palace. It is a charming area worth getting lost in. It wraps from the north around to the east side under the Acropolis.
Makrygianni.
Along the south side of the Acropolis is this upscale neighborhood that also includes museums and embassies.
Dionysiou Areopagitou.
This pedestrian street runs along the southern side of the Acropolis from east to west.
Follow it from the Acropolis entrance to reach the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Theater of Dionysus. Both are at the base of the Acropolis.
Also, on the Dionysiou Areopagitou walkway, this is the crown jewel of this neighborhood. This impressive display building houses the treasures and artifacts from the Acropolis that Greece still owns. Also, it offers excellent views and reflections of the Acropolis.
Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum.
The ILJM is home to more than 3000 pieces designed by the Greek jeweler Illas Lalaounis. With inspiration from thousands of years of Greek jewelry, it is almost a history lesson through jewelry. The pieces have a combined total of more than 4,000 jewels.
City Center.
Syntagma (Constitution) Square.
This is the central square of Athens. They announce the 1843 Greek constitution here. Political gatherings still take place today. At the east end of the square is a metro station.
Syntagma Metro Station.
You can see a reasonable-fact simile of the many layers of Athens inside the station since ancient times. Also displays of items they unearthed while digging the subway. Most of this area is free to access. To your right, as you exit the station, are a few pieces of an aqueduct in the corner. The Pisistratus’ Aqueduct dates from the 6th century B.C.
As an illustration, the modern subway system displays several layers of Ancient Athens.
Old Royal Palace.
Towering above the square on the east side is the Royal Palace, once home to Greece’s King. Dating from 1843, it has been the home of the Greek Parliament since 1934. In June, July, and September, they offer English-speaking tours on Monday and Friday afternoons. Reservations are necessary and go quickly.
Greek Monument of the Unknown Soldier.
The limestone monument overlooking Syntagma Square dates from 1932. The sculpture behind the raised grave represents a dead warrior. In his left hand, he holds a shield, and he wears an Ancient Greek-style helmet. The Evzones of the Presidential Guard protect the tomb. Dating from an 1868 decree by King George I, the Evzones began as a frontier battalion. Today, they are a ceremonial guard protecting the tomb and the President’s home.
The Fustanella, the traditional pleated kilt they wear, has been in use (in some form) since the 1100s. The number of pleats of the ceremonial fustanella numbers 400, the duration of Ottoman occupation. This requires almost 100 feet of material. Also, the original was not white. Not only would they stand out on a battlefield, but they would not remain white for long. On their feet, they wear Tsarouchi shoes with an upturned toe. Originally, the pompom was to keep water out of the opening in the front of the shoe.
National Garden.
Behind and to the south of the Old Royal Palace is the public National Garden. It began as the private Royal Gardens of the palace. Up until 1920, the park was only open to non-royals for a few hours each afternoon. The Upper Gardens were only for the king and queen. Queen Amalia moves the gate closer to the center of the park, where she plants twelve palms. She opens the gardens to the public full time. Inside the garden, you can find ponds, paths, a few antiquities, including a Roman mosaic and a botanical museum. The Presidential mansion and other government buildings line the east side of the gardens.
Zappeion Garden.
Directly south of the National garden is this area in memory of the philanthropist Evangelis Zappas. In 1856, he would approach the king to revive the Olympic Games. Zappas provides the financial resources to establish the Olympic Trust Fund. In 1859, the first Zappas Olympic games would take place in Athens. Despite Zappa’s request to renovate the marble Panathenaic Stadium from 144 A.D., the city procrastinates. The first Zappas Olympics to use the stadium take place in 1870. Unfortunately, Zappas dies in 1865 and never sees this after financing the restoration. His cousin Konstantinos Zappas takes over the endowment and his cousin’s dream.
The Zappeion.
Another dream and project of Evangelis would be the first building specifically for the modern Olympics. And again, he would not see its completion. It is not ready for the Zappas Olympics of 1870 or 1875. The next thirteen years find the Greek government and Zappas’ relatives in an extended period of litigation. The next games will not take place until 1888. The Zappeion finally opens that year.
Gymnasterion (Fokianos Sports Club).
Dating from 1878, with Zappas’ funds, the gymnasterion is on the grounds of Zappeion Garden. John Fokianos became the first gym director training the first team of Greek athletes with his modern methods. Today, this historic athletic facility bears his name.
Modern Olympic Games.
After the Zappas Olympics of 1888, Crown Prince Constantine announces that the Olympiad would be reinstated at four-year intervals. The 1892 Olympics do not take place when the Greek government claims a lack of funding.
Why do they call the 1896 Olympic Games the I Olympiad Games and not the Zappas Olympics? The Zappas Olympics were only among Greeks and Greek nationals. Other “national” Olympic games were going on in England, France, and other countries.
Circa 1894, Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas organize a non-political committee to oversee the international Olympic Games. The first summer Olympics will take place in Athens and the first winter Olympics in Paris in 1896. It will not be until 1992 when they space them two years apart. The 1896 Olympics will be the first games to use the stadium, gymnasterion, and Zappeion together.
241 male athletes from fourteen nations would compete. Participants were all living in Europe, except the United States team. The United States would win 11 gold medals (the most), but Greece would win the most overall medals with 46.
Panathenaic Stadium.
Across the street from the gymnasterion is the first Modern Olympic stadium. The first stadium on this site dates back to circa 300 B.C. on a racetrack site for the Panathenaic Games. The Roman senator Herodes Atticus builds the marble stadium circa 144 A.D. with a capacity of 50,000 seats. In 393 A.D., Emperor Theodosius I bans all “pagan” festivals, ending the Ancient Olympics after nearly 12 centuries. The stadium sits deteriorating until the Zappas Olympics in 1870 and 1875.
It hosts the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and 4 of the sporting contests. Too small to host the opening or closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympics, it did host sporting events. Yearly, it is the finishing point of the Athens long-distance run from Marathon. Every two years, the Olympic torch begins in the stadium of Olympia before Greek athletes run the torch to Athens. The Panathenaic Stadium is where the last Greek runner turns over the torch to the host nation.
Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Just south of the Zappeion Garden stand the remains of the largest temple in ancient Greece. Beginning construction as a limestone Doric temple in the 6th century B.C., it hits financial troubles. King Antiochus IV Epiphanes takes up construction circa 174 B.C. as a Corinthian temple of marble. He dies in 164, and so does the funding. It will not be until 131 A.D. that Roman Emperor Hadrian finances the completion. The 104 columns would stand more than 55 feet tall with a diameter of more than six feet. A Germanic tribe sacks Athens circa 267 A.D. The temple is not on the priority list.
With the 393 A.D. Christian decree, this pagan temple loses any chance at refurbishment. It becomes a predecessor to Home Depot with people carting of stones and columns for other building jobs. Only 16 columns remain today. Despite the “recycling” of so many of its pieces, you can still see its colossal scale.
Arch (Gate) of Hadrian.
This monumental gateway was spanning a road running from the agora to the temple complex. It was not a gate in the city walls, as some say, but a tribute to Hadrian.
The gate dates from circa 131 A.D., possibly for Hadrian when he dedicates the temple. It is on the northwest side of the Temple grounds.
Kolonaki.
This semi-triangular neighborhood starts at the back north corner of the Old Royal Palace and stretches north and east. Here you will find embassies, upscale shopping, galleries, museums, and more.
Vasilissis Sofias Avenue (Embassy Row).
This broad avenue starts on the north side of the Old Royal Palace. It heads east to the Runner’s Statue before turning north. Around ten embassies and government buildings line this avenue. Many are in what once were private mansions. Embassies include those of Great Britain, France, Italy, and the United States.
Benaki Museum of Greek Culture.
One of the few mansions along Vasilissis Sofias Avenue you can enter is the Benaki mansion. It is home to a museum of the same name. The collection in this location covers Greek culture from prehistory to the 20th century.
Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art.
One block east of the Benaki is another private collection in a private mansion. Here you will find ancient Greek art as well as art from the Cycladic Islands. The complex collection gives you a glimpse into Cycladic island culture from the Early Bronze Age (third millennium B.C.)
After leaving the Cycladic Art Museum, cross Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and walk down the side street, Rigillis. Half a block on the left side is your next destination.
Lyceum of Aristotle.
The entrance is on the south side. At the time of Ancient Athens, this lyceum was outside the city walls. It was in use as a place for philosophical debate long before Aristotle. The Athenian teacher, Socrates (circa 390 B.C.), the philosopher Plato (circa 340 B.C.), and more would meet here. Later, they would add a gymnasium. It is most famous for Aristotle’s school of philosophy dating from circa 334 B.C. The school would continue under other leaders until the Roman assault on Athens in 86 B.C.
Walk back to Vasilissis Sofias Avenue the way you came and turn right.
Byzantine and Christian Museum.
The museum has over 25,000 artifacts dating from the 3rd to 20th century A.D. The collection includes artifacts from the Early Christian, Byzantine, Medieval, and later periods.
Athens War Museum.
Next to the Byzantine Museum is this museum for the warfare lover. Covering four floors, the collection covers Greek history from antiquity to the present.
Cross the avenue and walk up the side street Ploutarchou. Behind the church that looks like a cold-war bunker, the building on your left is the British Embassy. Keep walking up the street.
Lycabettus Hill.
In the middle of the city is another rock formation even higher than the Acropolis. Lycabettus offers great views morning, afternoon, sunset, or night.
The Lycabettus Funicular
At the top of Ploutarchou street is a funicular railway linking Kolonaki’s highest street to Lycabettus hill’s summit. From the embassy, it is another 10 blocks, with each one getting steeper. The last five blocks are staircases. Take a taxi. There is also a zigzagging footpath for those needing a real workout.
Church of St George.
Sitting at the top of Lycabettus Hill is this whitewashed Greek church from the 1700s. It has nice decorations on the inside, but you are here for the views outside.
Orizontes Lycabettus.
Sitting more than 900 feet above Athen’s is this seafood restaurant with outdoor seating (seasonal.) The food is good. The views are better. Expect to pay more for the view. On the back of the hill, but with good views, is the Sky Bar. Here, you can get a cold drink or a meal for a little less. There are walls of glass offering views from inside as well.
Museum of Ancient Greek Technology Kotsanas.
This museum speaks to my inner geek or inner child. Models of ancient Greek inventions show us the Greeks were doing hydraulics, automation, astronomy (G.P.S), and other things long ago. And some are interactive. This is a fun museum.
Akadimia.
Literally translated as “Academy,” this neighborhood is north of Syntagma, bordering Kolonaki. It is only three blocks wide and about four long, but it contains several should-see sites.
Numismatic Museum of Athens.
This museum has a lot going for it. The building itself is a grand old mansion dating from 1881. It is one of the few left in Athens from this period. The house was the home of Heinrich Schliemann, who would excavate Mycenae and Troy, sometimes using dynamite. But the collection is the real draw. There are more than 500,000 pieces, including ancient coins, dating from the 6th century B.C. until the 15th century A.D. There are coins of the city-states, kings, emperors, rulers from ancient Greece through the Roman empire.
National Historical Museum.
The museum collection, dating from 1882, is the oldest of its kind in Greece. Its home is the building that served as the Greek Parliament House from 1875 until 1932. The collection includes folk art, costumes, historical and political items. The museum also hosts numerous temporary exhibits.
Museum of the City of Athens – Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation.
A block from the historical museum is this museum with a focus on Athens. Spanning two historical houses from the 1800s, the property gives you a glimpse of Athen’s family life. The collection includes antiquities, sculptures, Byzantine art, paintings, drawings, photographs, and more.
Academy of Athens.
The neighborhood’s namesake is the most important research establishment in the country. The academy dates from 1926. The main neoclassical building is part of the architectural “Athenian Neoclassical Trilogy” dating from circa 1859. The University and National Library are the other two. The multi-figure pediment sculpture tells of the birth of Athena. The same artist did the figures of Athena and Apollo on the Academy’s flanking pillars.
University of Athens Central Building.
The center building of the trilogy is part of the University of Athens system. Once the administration center, it now houses the School of Law, Economics, and Political Sciences. The front of the building contains a covered Propylaea.
National Library of Greece.
The third building in the trilogy, the library’s original idea was to locate, collect, organize, describe and preserve Greek culture. This came on the heels of the newly independent country of Greece. Like the university, the library eventually outgrew the space. While part of the general collection remains, most of the 570,000+ titles are now in the new National Library. The new library, part of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, is near the coast.
The City of Athens Cultural Center.
Directly behind the University of Athens building is this neoclassical building from circa 1836. Beginning as the Municipal Hospital, today it houses the city’s cultural center.
Kostis Palamas” Building.
Behind the academy and next to the cultural center is the original administration building of the University of Athens. Kostis Palamas was a well-known Greek poet and a central figure of the Greek literary generation circa 1880. One of his most famous works is the Olympic Hymn for the 1896 Olympics. Today, the building carries his name and is home to exhibit space for the cultural center.
Omonia.
I use Omonia and Omonia Square more for directions than as a place to send travelers. It sits at the northern end of Akadimia. I have heard too many guests retell problems with pickpockets and other traveler scams in this area to recommend it. I hope that changes someday as it was still interesting during my first visit in the 1990s.
National Archaeological Museum.
This museum is in the Exarchia neighborhood north of Omonia. It is the most extensive collection of ancient Greek art and relics dating from 7000 B.C. It has pieces from all over the country, not just local. This is one of my favorite archaeological museums in the world.
Istoriko Trigono.
The historical Triangle has as many definitions as people you ask. As the neighborhoods of Athens have very few permanent boundaries, neighbors may disagree. Some say it stretches from Monastiraki to Omonia to Syntagma. Some say it is part of the Plaka, but to me, that is misleading.
For this page, I will say it’s everything between Monastiraki, Omonia, and Syntagma we did not already cover.
Varvakios Agora.
Taking up more than two blocks, the area is approximately four blocks west of the National Library. Or four blocks south of Omonia Square or near Kotzia Square. You get the idea.
Varvakios Central Municipal Market.
This is the largest building in the market area. Stretching from Athinas street to Aiolou street, you will hear and smell it before you see it.
Inside, you will find the Fish Market and the Meat Market, predominantly. This is Greece. Market sections are more suggestions, although likes are usually near likes. The market is, for me, the best immersion into Athen’s (or any town’s) soul. However, it may not be for the squeamish. Here, you will see all of the fish and ALL parts of the animals. In Europe, they use all parts. A good time to discuss the dress code. Wear something you can wash, and do not wear open-toe shoes, sandals, flip flops. Trust me on this one.
Vendors are shouting out their prices. Chefs are rubbing elbows with yiayia (grandmothers), looking for the best items, and haggling the price. It is chaos with choreography. Now is a great time to see what seafood is in season. Most, but not all, seafood is fresh. Squid (calamari) season is August through late October. The fish and seafood vendors tend to be in the middle section with meats around the market’s sides and back. There are two very local restaurants in the meat section. The food is good and the ingredients fresh. However, I have never been here without a local to order. I have never seen a menu, and I believe it is all “specials” based on what was available that day.
Across the Street.
Across Athinas street are the fruit and vegetable market. And everything else. This is more an open-air section, although most vendors have sun umbrellas overhead. If you do not remember the true color of ripe fruits and vegetables, you’re in for a treat. Not only do they look great, but for some reason, ripe produce, at its peak, just tastes better.
Some vendors sell nothing but eggs. Flats and flats of white, off-white, light brown eggs stacked halfway to the ceiling. Some cleaver vendors also sell weaved baskets to carry your new purchases home.
Stores are selling only olives, garlic, cheeses, sausages, or spices. And others are selling a little of each. You may also find people selling wild herbs and greens out of a basket. It is an experience. Sokratous Street is the western edge of the “Agora.” Evripidou (Euripides) street is the south border, although there are fewer shops offering edibles.
North and west of the market is Athens’ “China town,” although do not expect photographic gates and lanterns. Little Asia and Asia Minor might be more appropriate. You will also find people from India, Pakistan, and Arabic countries. Along Sofokleous street, just north of the market, it is not unusual to see store signs in Greek and Chinese.
Kotzia Square.
One block north of the market is this charming square. It has places to sit under a tree, fountains, pigeons, everything you expect in a square. However, it has something extra. In the far left-hand (eastern) corner, it has ruins from ancient Athens. Part of an ancient road, tombs, and a small building is visible.
But wait, that’s not all. On the south side, just past the Bank of Greece building, is a newer building about six stories high. Look underneath. While excavating for the building, they discover the ancient city’s Acharnian Gate. Acharnae was an agricultural community approximately six miles north of Athens. They also found a section of the city wall, including parts of a rampart and the moat. They built the new building over these discoveries.
Town Hall of Athens.
At the west end of Kotzia Square is the Major’s office and town hall, dating from 1834. They add the third floor circa 1937. A Statue Of Pericles stands to the right of the building.
From here, it is three blocks north on Athinas Street to Omonia Square. It is approximately seven blocks south to reach Monastiraki Square.
The Rest of Athens.
Most of the neighborhoods we have been talking about have at least one layer of ancient Athens underneath. As you move out from these neighborhoods in the center, you are dealing with newer construction. Anything less than 200 years old in Greece is newer construction. The difference is, ancient Athens did not reach this far, so they were building on fields instead of forums.
Much of this “new” construction is residential, with markets, restaurants, and pharmacies in each. Many locals only go into the center when they have to.
However, if you are up for a trek, a few things outside the center may be of interest.
Athens 2004 Olympics.
Besides the Panathenaic Stadium from the first modern Olympics, most of the event sites are outside the center. To cover a majority of them takes a separate page. 2004 Olympics.
Byzantine Monastery of Daphni.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is northwest of Athens, about 30 minutes drive from the center. You can easily add it on a trip to Corinth or the Peloponnese. The first church on this site is on an ancient temple. The current church, circa 11th century, has only one column from the original. It survives the Goths’ destruction in the 4th century, but not Lord Elgin’s looting circa 1840. I was able to see it pre-1999 earthquake. Today, they are allowing visitors back in on select days.
Marathon.
Just like the running race. In fact, the running race comes from here. In 490 B.C., after defeating the enormous Persian invasion, the small Athenian army sends their fastest runner, Pheidippides, to Athens. He runs the 26+ miles at full speed, tells of the victory, and drops dead from exertion.
Marathon Archaeological Site.
There is not a lot to see of the Athenian victory over the Persians in 490 B.C. Two tumuli, one for the Athenians, one for the Plataeans, and a victory column from the Athenians. A tumulus is a mound of earth they place over the ashes after cremating the fallen soldiers. The monument is a replica of the original.
Archaeological Museum of Marathon.
Ten-minute drive west of the battlefield is this museum. The collection includes artifacts from the battlefield and other sites. Some may be from a nearby shrine dating from the 2nd century A.D.
The Museum chronicles the history of the Olympic marathon race since the Athens 1896 games. Much of the collection’s photographs and posters are from International Olympic Committee and their Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
Athens Classic Marathon.
Happening at the beginning of November, the Athen’s Marathon closely follows the route of Pheidippides in 490 B.C. The Athens Marathon begins next to the Marathon Stadium. It heads south, passing near the battlefield area, before turning west towards Athens. It crosses the base of Mount Pendeli ending in the Panathenaic Stadium. How cool is that? I would do the course in a car.
Day Trips From Athens.
A little further from Athens are more sites that you can see in a day.
Athens Summary.
Hopefully, by now, you can see Athens is not only cement and the Acropolis. If you look beyond the 1950s architecture, there is a fascinating city with, literally, thousands of years of history.
The next time someone tells you Athens is ugly, smile because you know the difference.
And if they are your travel agent, consider finding a new one.
If you miss Athens’ sites, food, and its people, you are missing a lot.
Additional Reading: