Tourist Attractions

The Acropolis of Athens

It has been determined that the hill of the Acropolis was inhabited from the 3rd Millenium BC. From the 6th century BC, building began on the temples for the Athenians, such as the Hekatompedon and others, though these were destroyed during the Persian wars.

The rebuilding of the walls and the temples began immediately after the defeat of the Persians in 465 BC, that is, during the time of Pericles. Under the supervision of Phidias and the architects Mnisikli, Kallikratis and Kallimahou, the Parthenon, the Erectheion and the Propylaia were built, as well as the Temple of Athena Nike.

During the Roman period a few less important buildings were added. During the Byzantine period the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church. Under Frankish rule it became a Catholic church, whilst during Turkish Occupation it became a mosque.

During Turkish Occupation the Acropolis suffered the most damage. The Turks stored gunpowder on it, which was the cause of destruction of its monuments. In 1645 lightning struck the gunpowder, which blew up the Propylaia. In 1687, when the Acropolis was under seige from the Venetian Commander Morosini, one of the bombs fell on the Parthenon, destroying the temple.

Extensive damage was caused by the Englishman, Lord Elgin, shortly before the Revolution of 1821. He proceeded to remove the frieze from the Parthenon as well as the metopes, pediments, a Caryatid and a column from the Erectheion, which he transported to England. For all of these, he paid the sum of 35,000 pounds to the Turks, and to the Athenians he donated a clock which was erected in the ancient agora. During the Revolution of 1821 the Acropolis was successively besieged by Greeks and Turks and suffered further damage. In 1834 archaeological works were begun to restore the monuments.

Plaka

Plaka is a district in the center of Athens, situated at the foot of the Acroplis. It is bordered in the south by the Makrygiannis district, in the east by the area surrounding the Columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Zappeion, in the north by the commercial center of Athens, and in the east by Monastiraki.

Post war, the buildings of Plaka were declared listed buildings, to be preserved in their entirety, with the result that Plaka is a unique district of Athens where one can see the city as it was 100 years ago on such a scale. Within the area there are museums, tavernas, restaurants and tourist shops, whilst the houses belonging to famous residents of old Athens have also been preserved.

The section of Plaka leading to the Acropolis is known as Anafiotika. It is a neighbourhood constructed in the Cycladic style, built by craftsmen from the Cycladic island of Anafi, who, in the second part of the 19th century, were looking for an area in which to build their homes, since the cost of renting or buying land in the rest of Athens was prohibitively expensive for them. Similar areas, where migrants to Athens from all over Greece brought the architectural style of their place of origin, are to be found elsewhere in Athens, but none managed to survive the effect of the passage of time on town planning & building.

Near to Plaka are the Metro Stations of Acropolis and Syntagma, as well as the Syntagma and Zappeion tram stops, whilst a large number of bus and trolley bus routes which pass through the center of Athens also serve the urban transport needs of the area.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Herodeon)

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (often wrongly called Herodeon), is an ancient (Roman period) theatre which is to be found on the northwestern side of the Acropolis in Athens.

It was built at a rapid pace and paid for by Herodes Atticus during the 2nd century A.D., in honour of his wife Aspasia Annia Regilla, who died in 160 A.D. The purpose of the structure was mainly for musical events, which was why it was called an Odeon. The need for its construction arose after the collapse of the Odeon which had been built in the centre of the ancient agora in Athens by the general Augustus of Agrippa in about 15 B.C., itself a replacement for an even older Odeon built by Pericles and set fire to by Sulla in 85 B.C.

The area designed for the audience, had 32 rows of marble seating and a capacity for about 5.000 spectators. Like the theatres of the Roman period, the orchestra had a semi-circular shape. A stone wall structure rose up at the rear of the stage on three levels, two of which survive today, at a height of 28 meters. The Odeon was covered with a wooden roof.

Various indications suggest that the Odeon was in operation for only 105 years, given that in the 3rd century - that is, in 267 AD - many buildings in Athens, including this one, were destroyed by Heruli invaders. Also during this period it seems that, from various findings of archaeological excavations, including human skulls and the skulls of bulls, that the place was also used for gladiator and bull fighting. It seems though that the walls of the structure were later used for defensive purposes and they became part of the wall surrounding the base of the Acropolis hill. Apart from the ruins of houses found inside the Odeon, the ruins of a small church were also found. In the middle of the stage, just opposite the so called "Kingdom Gate", an underground area was discovered which extends across the full length of the stage.

Zappeion Megaron Hall of Athens

The Zappeion Megaro Hall or Zappeion is one of the most important buildings in Athens. Construction of the building was financed by Evangelos Zappa and it is situated in the National Gardens. The neo-classical hall is entwined with the history of modern Greece, and it is used today for public and private exhibitions and ceremonies.

In 1869 the Greek government allocated 80.000 m² of public land for the building in the area between the Palace gardens and the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Greek Parliament also passed a law on the 30th of November 1869 especially related to construction of buildings for the 1896 Olympic Games, and the Zappeion Megaro Hall was the first building worldwide to be built solely for the Olympic Games.

The first design for the building was carried out by the architect F. Boulanger, which was subsequently amended by Anastasios Theophilas, and was ultimately abandoned. Konstantinos Zappas finally commissioned the Danish architect Theophil Hansen to design the building. After many delays the foundations of the building were laid on the 20th November, 1874. The formal opening was conducted, with great celebrations, on the 20th November, 1888. The architecture of the building follows a neo-classical style, with a portico in the Corinthian style. This building, the three-arched stone bridge over the Ilissus River, which was also constructed at the expense of Evangelos Zappas, and the surrounding gardens, give us a charming picture of Athens in the early 20th century. Unfortunately, Evangelos Zappas, did not live long enough to see the building in its final form. In his will he left his cousin, Konstantinos Zappas, in charge of the execution and continuation of his philanthropic work.