show!
Choose other city guides
Monuments in Athens
One of the most popular tourist spots and landmarks in the world, the Acropolis draws in thousands of visitors every year without fail. Other historic sights in Athens, preserved either singly or as part of larger archaeological complexes, are also widely recognisable. The Parthenon and the temple of Olympian Zeus, theatres like the Herodes Atticus as well as buildings of public use such as the Agora still testify to the past greatness of Athens and the entire country. No less attractive than the ancient ones, though they tend to be overlooked by mainstream tourists, are many monuments from later periods, such as the Gazi Factory, Mosque of Mehmet de Conqueror or the Neoclassical Trilogy, to name but a few.
|
Temple of Olympian Zeus
|
Address: Vassilissis Olgas Avenue
Phone: +30 210 922 6330
|
|
|
|
|
|
The gigantic millennial-old Temple of Zeus, the Olympian God, once housed a gilded ivory sculpture of the most wrathful of all Greek deities. Demolished in the 4th Century, the evocative temple ruin still has its 104 Corinthian columns still erect. Formerly the largest temple in the entire country, more grand than the Parthenon itself, has been reduced to a regular must-see on every tourist's attractions checklist.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Acropolis
|
Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou Street
Phone: +30 210 32 14172
|
|
|
|
 see map
|
|
|
Athens' Acropolis, hovering dramatically over the spread-out city, remains as an iconic landmark of the classical Greek antiquity. The structure was erected some 2,500 years ago, and is comprised of a vast complex of temples, most notably the Parthenon that dedicated to Athena, the patron of the city.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Theatre of Dionysos
|
Address: Plako
Phone: +30 210 321 0219
|
|
|
|
|
|
Set in the core of Athens, the Theatre of Dionysus started off as a timber structure erected after the local Festival of Dionysia circa 600 BC; later, permanent theatre to host the event was assembled on the south-eastern slope of the Acropolis. Currently, the site offers only a glimpse of the large scale of the Dionysus Theatre, which once had a capacity for 20,000 spectators − the seats having been arranged in 64 tiers.
|
|
|
|
|
The Odeon
|
Address: Odos Dionissiou Areopayitou
Phone: +30 01 323 2771
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Odeon is accessed from Dionysiou Areopagitou, an uphill pedestrian street. Going past the theatre of Dionysus and passing several significant structures of the classical antiquity, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus finally emerges. The building, often referred to as the Herodeion, was erected circa 160 AD. Currently the Odeon, which is a large-scale theatre, maintains its original functions. During the summer, one can swing by for a theatre performance, a music concert, or a performance of ancient drama and dance in the frame of the Athens Festival.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Agora
|
Address: Adrianou Street
Phone: +30 210 3210185
|
|
|
|
see map
|
|
|
The Agora, which is the core of Athens’ politics, commerce and administration, also once served as the religious and cultural hub for the ancient city. The court of justice was also once based here. The site bears traces of civilised human activity dating from as early as the Late Neolithic period. During the 6th Century BC, under Solon, the Agora had already been established as a public area.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Tower of the Winds
|
Address: Eolou Street
Phone: +30 210 3245220
|
|
|
|
|
|
This octagonal tower built of Pentelic marble is characterised by a conical roof, an annex plus two Corinthian porches. Each of its eight sides includes a relief representing a certain mythical wind. The allegorical figures invariably carry the appropriate attributes of each certain wind, with an inscription of its name. Formerly, the external walls also included sundials, while the tower contained an intricate water clock. Erected in the early 1st Century BC, it was the work of the astronomer Andronicus.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Roman Agora
|
Address: Eolou Street
Phone: +30 210 3245220
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Roman Agora, quite different from its ancient equivalent, is an architectural site organised around a rectangular court enclosed by a colonnade. Part of the complex once included the library of Hadrian, and a further section is occupied by the Tower of the Winds, a structure from the 1st Century BC, which was employed as a water clock, weather vane and a compass. Except for various stoas, the agora was surrounded by arcades with shops.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Parthenon
|
Address: Top of Dionyssiou Areopagitou
Phone: +30 01 321 4172
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erected during the first half of the 5th Century BC, the Parthenon boasts an elaborate statuary and par excellence Doric order architecture. Built of Pentelic marble, the temple was where the famous sculpture of Athena was held. The timeless masterpiece by Pheidias marked the location where the Great Panathenaea procession ended. The scene runs along all the four sides of the building and includes the figures of gods, beasts and approximately 360 humans. The decoration represents an interesting blend of Doric metopes and Ionic friezes. The cella, being the core part of the structure, is particularly worth seeing.
|
|
more
|
|