The Ancient City of Athens



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Sights:
Every turn of the corner reveals a historical sight and an equally intriguing story behind it. With a history that spans over three millennia, the city has monuments and sights to keep you occupied for a very long time.

Nowhere else in the city will you find a denser collection of ancient history than here…the city’s most famous feature, the Acropolis, literally meaning the ‘edge of the city’ (although some believe it to mean the highest point of the city), which is recognizable almost by everyone. It is a flat-topped hill with the ruins of ancient temples, and monuments dating as far back as the 5th century BC, such as the Parthenon, the Erechtheion (where the contest between Athena and Poseidon is said to have taken place), and the Temple of Athena Nike, as well as the Propylaea (a marble gateway that is the main entrance to the Acropolis). All these ruins are considered a masterpiece of classical Greek architecture. The Temple of Athena Nike, built around 420 BC stands out with a frieze around the top and ionic columns and is an excellent example of the classical temple architecture during those times and was built to honor the goddess of victory. The Acropolis Museum behind the Parthenon familiarizes you with what lies before you.

The southern slope of the Acropolis was once the cultural center of the city and the site of the Theater of Dionysus and other buildings. Here, below the Acropolis, you will also find remains of the agora, the ancient market and public meeting place. Here stands the Temple of Hephaestus, nicely preserved, and an open air mall containing 134 columns of the Doric and Ionic styles. Northwest from here is the Areios pagos (Ares Hill), the site of an ancient court, where Mycenaean kings are buried, and a tablet is embedded here with the inscriptions of the Apostle Paul’s words.

Another major archaeological site is the Kerameikos, named for the Kerameis, or potters, who once inhabited the area on the banks of the river Eridanos. Here you will find the remains of the gateways to the city and the city’s ancient cemetery. Nearby is the road that led to Plato’s Academy where the Greek philosopher instructed his followers.

The Olympieion sanctuary holds the ruins of a number of ancient temples dedicated to the gods, including a temple of Zeus from the Roman era.

Originally a hollow ground between the Agra and Ardettos Hils, it was transformed into the Panathenaic Stadium by Lykourgos in 330 BC, used for athletic competitions during the ancient festival of Panathenaea. It was further worked upon in 140 AD by Herodes Atticus and was said to have a seating capacity of over 50,000. It was once again restored for the first modern Olympic Games held here in 1896.

Among the city’s Roman-period sites are the Monastiraki square, or the little monastery, and in its center is the Abyssinia square that hosts a flea market from where you can pick up some souvenirs. Nearby you will come across Hadrian’s Library built in 132 AD; Hadrian’s Arch, constructed of marble in 131 AD as part of the wall separating the old and the new city of Athens; and the octagonal Tower of the Winds, representing the eight winds, which once served as a sundial and housed an ancient water clock.

A few medieval churches survive from the Byzantine period. The most notable of these include the Church of Panaghia, the Church of Aghioi Theodoroi, and the Church of Panaghia Gorgoepikoos. The Athens Greek Orthodox Cathedral was constructed in the 19th century using material from demolished medieval churches.

Gastronomic delights:
In Athens, eating out is a way of life. The cuisine has been influenced by its many conquerors – Romans, Balkans, Venetians, Slavs and Turks. Start your day with some traditional breakfast of paxamadia, hard crusty bread. If you are invited for a meal by one of your local hosts, be prepared to spend a couple of horse at the table because for the Greeks, a meal is a social affair and they love to relish every bite of it. Start with some hors d’oeuvres like mezedes, move on to appetizers such as horiatiki salata (tomato, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese), taramosalata (caviar spread), or melizanosalata (eggplant puree), kalamarakia (deep fried squid), then continue with some grilled meat, and a wide assortment of seafood. Try the Greek liquor ouzo or the popular wine retsina and end the meal with some pastes (sweet cakes with cream), baklava (syrup cake), loukoumades (fritters with honey or syrup), or pagoto (ice cream).

Fact file:
Getting in: Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is situated 27 km east of the city center and is a major hub in the Balkan and Mediterranean regions. A wide network of buses connects Athens to other cities in Greece. Athens is also connected by the railways, however the network is not very extensive.

Getting around:
It is fairly easy to get around the city on foot, and is the best way to explore every nook and interesting cranny of the city. However, if you tire easily, you can choose from a variety of public transport like the Athens Metro, the suburban railway, buses, trams and taxi cabs.

Climate:
Athens enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with rain mainly occurring between October and April. Since it is located in a rain shadow, the Athenian climate is comparatively very dry. Winter brings some snowfall, although it is usually not very heavy. Spring and autumn are considered ideal seasons for sightseeing.

Currency:
Euro

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