Sights of Athens
Acropolis
The most memorable moment of a visit to Athens will be the ascent to the Acropolis, towering high above the city. On top of the hill stands the magnificent Parthenon, one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of all times that was built in the 5th century BC. A unique archeological park surrounds the Acropolis, featuring temples, theaters, cemeteries and the Agora, the ancient marketplace. Famed monuments such as the Olympian Zeus Temple, the Keramikos Cemetery, the Hephaistos Temple, the Attalos Arcade, the Tower of the Winds and the Herodes Atticus Theater can be visited today.
Byzantine art
Visitors interested in Byzantine art should visit the historic monasteries of Kessariani and Dafni with precious frescos and mosaics. Athens also features several more recent sights. A visit to stately 19th-century buildings such as the Panathenaikon Stadium, the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, the Zappion Hall and the Iliou Melathron Mansion should be included in every itinerary.
Archaeological Museum
Besides an admirable collection of funerary stelae, urns, monuments, and korai, the museum's prize exhibits, found in a sewage drain in 1959, include the exquisitely made Piraeus Kouros, probably a cult statue of Apollo from the 6th century BC and therefore the oldest known hollow-cast bronze statue. Tues.-Sun. 8-2:30 (8:30-3 in winter).
Lykavitos Hill
The hills and mountains in and around Athens serve as vantage points offering panoramic views of the city. The most spectacular view can he found on top of the Lykavitos Hill in central Athens. The hilltop with the picturesque St. George Church can be reached either by car or by funicular.
Monument of Lysikrates
This monument in a Plaka square was built in the 4th century BC by a choregos, a theatrical producer, to support the tripod he won for sponsoring the best play at the Theater of Dionyssos. In the 17th century the monument was incorporated into a Capuchin monastery where Byron stayed while writing part of Childe Harold.
Roman Agora
The Roman market served as the city's commercial center from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD. Its most notable feature is the Gate of Athena Archegetis, whose inscription records that it was erected with funds from Julius Caesar and Augustus. On the north side of the Agora stands the eerily beautiful Fethiye (Victory) Mosque, built in the late 15th century to celebrate the Turkish conquest of Athens. The octagonal Tower of the Winds (Aerides), the most appealing and well preserved of the Roman monuments of Athens, has been keeping time since the 1st century BC. It was originally a sundial, water clock, and weather vane topped by a bronze Triton holding a metal rod that followed the direction of the wind. Expressive reliefs around the tower personify the eight winds, called I Aerides (the Windy Ones) by Athenians.
Theatre of Dionysos
The enormous dimensions of the Theatre of Dionysos give testament to the importance of theatre in the life of the Athenian city-state. The first theatre on this site was a timber affair erected in the 6th century BC, where goatskin-clad performers sang and danced during the annual festival in Dionysus' honour.
Plaka
Very popular with visitors is Plaka, the old town of Athens, with its narrow streets, picturesque churches and old mansions. Few other places are so cramped with historic sites as Plaka: ancient monuments, Byzantine churches, mosques and stately 19th century houses stand side by side. Scattered throughout these quarters are sidewalk cafes, taverns hidden in vine-covered backyards and numerous shops. This lively neighborhood is an inviting place for a leisurely stroll day and night.
The most memorable moment of a visit to Athens will be the ascent to the Acropolis, towering high above the city. On top of the hill stands the magnificent Parthenon, one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of all times that was built in the 5th century BC. A unique archeological park surrounds the Acropolis, featuring temples, theaters, cemeteries and the Agora, the ancient marketplace. Famed monuments such as the Olympian Zeus Temple, the Keramikos Cemetery, the Hephaistos Temple, the Attalos Arcade, the Tower of the Winds and the Herodes Atticus Theater can be visited today.
Byzantine art
Visitors interested in Byzantine art should visit the historic monasteries of Kessariani and Dafni with precious frescos and mosaics. Athens also features several more recent sights. A visit to stately 19th-century buildings such as the Panathenaikon Stadium, the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, the Zappion Hall and the Iliou Melathron Mansion should be included in every itinerary.
Archaeological Museum
Besides an admirable collection of funerary stelae, urns, monuments, and korai, the museum's prize exhibits, found in a sewage drain in 1959, include the exquisitely made Piraeus Kouros, probably a cult statue of Apollo from the 6th century BC and therefore the oldest known hollow-cast bronze statue. Tues.-Sun. 8-2:30 (8:30-3 in winter).
Lykavitos Hill
The hills and mountains in and around Athens serve as vantage points offering panoramic views of the city. The most spectacular view can he found on top of the Lykavitos Hill in central Athens. The hilltop with the picturesque St. George Church can be reached either by car or by funicular.
Monument of Lysikrates
This monument in a Plaka square was built in the 4th century BC by a choregos, a theatrical producer, to support the tripod he won for sponsoring the best play at the Theater of Dionyssos. In the 17th century the monument was incorporated into a Capuchin monastery where Byron stayed while writing part of Childe Harold.
Roman Agora
The Roman market served as the city's commercial center from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD. Its most notable feature is the Gate of Athena Archegetis, whose inscription records that it was erected with funds from Julius Caesar and Augustus. On the north side of the Agora stands the eerily beautiful Fethiye (Victory) Mosque, built in the late 15th century to celebrate the Turkish conquest of Athens. The octagonal Tower of the Winds (Aerides), the most appealing and well preserved of the Roman monuments of Athens, has been keeping time since the 1st century BC. It was originally a sundial, water clock, and weather vane topped by a bronze Triton holding a metal rod that followed the direction of the wind. Expressive reliefs around the tower personify the eight winds, called I Aerides (the Windy Ones) by Athenians.
Theatre of Dionysos
The enormous dimensions of the Theatre of Dionysos give testament to the importance of theatre in the life of the Athenian city-state. The first theatre on this site was a timber affair erected in the 6th century BC, where goatskin-clad performers sang and danced during the annual festival in Dionysus' honour.
Plaka
Very popular with visitors is Plaka, the old town of Athens, with its narrow streets, picturesque churches and old mansions. Few other places are so cramped with historic sites as Plaka: ancient monuments, Byzantine churches, mosques and stately 19th century houses stand side by side. Scattered throughout these quarters are sidewalk cafes, taverns hidden in vine-covered backyards and numerous shops. This lively neighborhood is an inviting place for a leisurely stroll day and night.