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Key Attractions Akrópoli The Acropolis (upper city) dominates both the city's skyline and any tourist's itinerary. The name refers to the rocky outcrop which formed the site of the original settlement in Athens. Foundations for a temple dedicated to Athena were laid in 490BC, but work did not begin in earnest until the Golden Age of Pericles (461-429BC). The Acropolis site includes the Acropolis Museum and four sacred buildings, all from the fifth century BC. The steep ascent to the summit leads to the Propylaea, a monumental gateway in the Ionic and Doric styles, that serves as the entrance to the site. The Temple of Athena Nike is to the left of the Propylaea; the original was destroyed by Turkish forces in the seventeenth century but has been beautifully restored. The Parthenon is the largest building on the Acropolis and an icon of Western civilisation. Built entirely from marble that glows gold at sunset, the Parthenon was intended as a sanctuary for Athena and housed a statue of the goddess, no longer in existence. Despite the tourists, the perfect harmony of the structure is still awe-inspiring. The British Museum seized many of the Parthenon's greatest sculptures in the nineteenth century, but the Acropolis Museum and the Acropolis Study Centre contain many sculptures and artefacts originally found within its walls. The Erechtheion Temple is a dual shrine to Athena and Poseidon-Erechtheus and was built on the site of the mythical battle between the two deities. The south side features a series of six support columns designed as maidens or caryatids. Due to severe environmental damage the caryatids have been replaced by models. Many of the treasures from the Acropolis can be found in the Acropolis Museum in the southeast corner of the complex. Nine rooms house objects from the four buildings, including five original caryatids. Tel: (01) 321 0219 (Acropolis) or 323 6665 (museum). Fax: (01) 321 4172 (Acropolis and museum). Transport: Monastiráki/Theseion metro. Opening hours: Summer daily 0800-1900; winter Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat and Sun 0800-1430. Admission: Dr2000 (all inclusive). Ethnikó Archaiologikó Mouseio (National Archaeological Museum) The museum houses one of the finest collections of ancient Greek artefacts in the world, including sculpture, pottery, Minoan frescoes and gold treasures from Mycenae. On the down side, the crowds are huge, particularly in summer. A detailed guidebook is necessary to make the most of the riches the museum has to offer. Tours in English and other languages are provided. Patission 44 Tel: (01) 821 7717. Fax: (01) 821 3573. Transport: Omonia metro. Opening hours: Mon 1230-1900, Tues-Sun 0800-1900. Admission: Dr2000. Pláka The Pláka covers the area below the Acropolis to the east of the Agorá. Despite being heavily commercialised, this is the most pleasant part of the city to explore on foot. Narrow winding streets are lined with nineteenth-century buildings, souvenir shops and bustling tavernas. In particular, Anafiótika, at the base of the Acropolis, is a delightful area that recreates the style and atmosphere of a Greek village. The area was settled by workers from the island of Anafi, who came to Athens to build a palace for King Otto. In addition to simply wandering the streets or watching the world go by over a lengthy coffee, the highlights of the Pláka include several specialist museums. The Mouseío Ellinikís Laografias (Museum of Greek Folk Art) A delightful collection of Greek weaving, pottery and embroidery. Particularly attractive is the Theofilos room recreated from a house on Lesbos and adorned from floor to ceiling in vibrant murals by the folk artist Theofilos Hatsimichael (1868-1934). Kydathinaion 17. Tel: (01) 321 3018 or 322 9031. Fax: (01) 322 6979. Transport: Bus 24 or 230. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1400. Admission: Dr500 Mouseío Ellinikón Mousikon Orgánon (Museum of Greek Musical Instruments) Housed in a renovated nineteenth-century mansion, the Mouseío Ellinikón Mousikon Orgánon displays a collection accumulated by the musicologist Fivos Anoyanakis. This museum is great fun; each display case is accompanied by a headset, so that visitors can listen to the sound of the instruments, and films in the entrance feature their construction and performance. Information is provided in English. Diogenous 1-3. Tel: (01) 325 0198. Transport: Metro to Monastirák. Opening hours: Tues and Thurs-Sun 1000-1400; and Wed 1200-1800. Admission: Free Mouseío Kanellópoulos The Mouseío Kanellópoulos houses an eclectic array of treasures ranging from icons and Mycenean gold to Byzantine jewellery and erotic carvings. Corner of Panos and Theorias streets. Tel: (01) 321 2313. Transport: Metro to Monastirák. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0830-1430. Admission: Dr500 Agorá Although the site is now a jumble of monuments and ruins from different periods, in Athens' heyday the Agorá (market) was the focus of city life, serving not only as a place of trade but also as the city's political, administrative and cultural heart. Law courts, temples and public offices were all based in this area where ordinary Athenians, stall holders and merchants mingled with officials, politicians and philosophers. The site is dominated by the Hephaisteion (Temple of Haephaistos) from the fifth century BC, one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Greece. Its name comes from the god of fire and metalwork - this area of the city was originally the blacksmiths quarter - but it is also known as the Thiseío (Theseion) because its friezes depict images of Theseus from Greek mythology. The Ágioi Apóstoloi (Church of the Holy Apostles) dates from the second century AD and was restored in the 1950s. Interior features include post-Byzantine frescoes and early wall paintings. Other attractions around the Agorá include the statues of the ten eponymous heroes, Poikile Stoa and the Basileios Stoa. The fascinating Museo tis Agoras (Museum of Agorá) contains an eccentric array of everyday artefacts found in the area. It is housed in the Stoa Attalou (Stoa of Attalos). This two-storey structure from the second century BC was restored by the American School of Archaeology and is thought to have been an early shopping arcade containing 42 separate shops. Adrianou 24 Tel: (01) 324 5220 (Agorá) or 321 0185 (museum). Fax: (01) 321 0185. Transport: Thesion/Monastiráki metro. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0830-1430. Admission: Free (Agorá); Dr1200 (museum). Mouseío Kykladikís kai Archaías Ellinikís TÉchnis (Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art) The museum houses the private collection of Nikolas P Goulandris. Beautiful exhibits from the Cycladic civilisation (3000-2000BC) form the focus of the collection, but other artefacts cover the pre-Minoan Bronze Age and the post-Mycenaen age up to 700BC. The museum makes good use of multimedia information and is less daunting than the National Archaeological Museum. Neofítou Dhouká 4 Tel: (01) 722 8321 or 724 9706 (museum shop). Transport: Bus 234. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1600 (closed Tues), Sat 1000-1500. Admission: Dr1000 (concessions available). KÉntro Meletón Akropóleos (Acropolis Study Centre) The centre is still under construction and the building site outside can be off-putting, however, the interior provides a valuable insight into the development, excavation and restoration of the Acropolis, and has replicas of the Parthenon's main friezes. The Greeks hope that one day the Elgin Marbles will also be on display here. Makriyianni 2-4 Tel: (01) 923 9381. Fax: (01) 923 9023. Transport: Bus 230. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1500. Admission: Free. Stádio (Olympic Stadium) The elegant three-sided stone stadium was built in 1896 for the first of the modern day Olympic Games. The design by Ernst Ziller was based on the plan of a fourth-century BC stadium that originally stood on the site. The Stádio is the finishing point for the Athens marathon in October and should not to be confused with the modern Olympic Stadium built in 1982 in the north of the city. Leoforos Ardhittou Transport: Bus 2, 4, 11 or 12. Opening hours: Daily dawn until dusk. Admission: Free. |
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