The Arch of Hadrian

The Arch of Hadrian was erected in honor of the great Roman emperor Hadrian after his visit in Athens in the 2nd century AD. The arch is located by an ancient road that once led from the Acropolis and Athenian Agora respectively to the Olympieion and southeast Athens. On the western side of the arch one may spot this inscription which states: This is Athens, the city of Theseus." An inscription on the eastern side of the arch states: "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".

These inscriptions are usually interpreted as meaning that the arch was located at the boundaries of "old Athens" (to the west) and "new Athens" or "Hadrianoupolis" (to the southeast). There are also voices which interpret the inscriptions as honoring Hadrian as the new founder of all of Athens, superseding even the famous and significant hero Theseus in the hearts of the Athenians.

The Library of Hadrian

This Athens’s significant remain is located on the north side of the Acropolis, just north of the Roman Agora. The premise consists of a vast, almost four-square enclosure with entrance on the west side. The northern, southern as well as eastern walls are made of limestone, while the material used for the western wall is marble. The western side boasts with a line of Corinthian columns which are found on each side of the main entrance.

The library used to serve as an open air courtyard with a central pool and garden, surrounded by majestic marble columns which nevertheless didn’t preserve until present.

The Agora

The Agora used to be one of the most significant quarters of the ancient city of Athens. This marketplace also represented a venue where people from not only the very city but whole Greece flocked to discuss all kinds of topics such as politics, current events, business as well as philosophy. In addition, it was the Agora of Athens where ancient Greek democracy first appeared.

The Kerameikos

The archaeological site of the Kerameikos represents a small part of the ancient Attic dome of Kerameon – then one of the largest demes of ancient Athens, located in the northwest part of the city. The Kerameikos (pottery in Greek) was a settlement of potters and as well as the main production centre of the proverbial Attic vases.

The Kerameikos, however, often suffered from floods thus the area was transformed into a burial ground, which in turns developed into the most important cemetery of ancient Athens.

The Lysikrates Monument

This monument – located in the heart of Plaka on the east side of the Sacred Rock is most likely the best preserved example of a choragic monument. It used to be a well-to-do Athenians financed place where competitive dramatic and musical performances took place. It consists of a circular building resembling a portico-banked tholos supported by six Corinthian columns, resting on a four-square podium of poros stone.

The City Eleusinion

The city Eleusinion once represented a significant sanctuary in the religious life of the ancient Athenians. In the classical period the city was the site of the Eleusian Festival when thousands of indoctrinated pilgrims walked the sacred way from the Acropolis to take part in the initial stages of the Greater Mysteries which were held at the each end of September.

This festival, as a legend says, was supposed to commemorate Demeter’s search for and reunification with her daughter Persephone - abducted by Hades and taken to the Underworld. Those mysteries allegedly promised better conditions in the afterlife.

The Philopappos Monument

The Philopappos hill, which is located on the south-eastern side of the Acropolis, represents the tomb of Caius Julius Philopappos, a member of the royal family of Commagene, a small Hellenistic kingdom in south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria. When Vespasian annexed the kingdom to the Roman Empire the whole royal family was sent into exile. Philopappos – later an Athenian citizen held several very important offices during the reign of the emperor Trajan, including that of consul.

The Athenians allowed Philopappos to be buried in this very refined mausoleum right opposite the Acropolis which is way many historians conclude that he must have been a significant sponsor of ancient city.

The Pnyx

The Pnyx ("tightly packed together” in Greek) was the official meeting place of ekklesia - the Athenian democratic assembly. After the reforms of Kleisthenes in 508 B.C. the ekklesia met in the Agora and later on, it was moved to a hill south and west of the Acropolis. This new meeting place came to be called "Pnyx".

Tower of the Winds

The tower of the winds is found at Plaka just off the Plaka shopping area. There are eight relieves whereon one can see a person personifying each of the eight winds. The north wind is represented by the deity Boreas, whereas the southern wind is depicted through the deity Notus. The northeast wind is represented by Kaikias, the northwest by Skiron. Lips represent southwest wind, Zephyrus the western wind, Eurus the eastern wind and Apeliotes the south-eastern wind respectively.

Inside the Tower of the Winds, a turning apparatus powered by water from the Acropolis was once used to show the passing hours. There was also a bronze figurine on the top of the Tower which served as a weather vane, created in the likeness of Triton – son of Poseidon and a Greek mythology god of the sea.

A big part of the building is made of marble, found in the mountains not far from Athens. In spite of a rather gentle and smooth visage, the building is very solid and hard.

Syntagma Square (Constitution Square)

Syntagma Square is situated in the hub of Athens just off the site of the former Royal Palace, now the Greek Parliament and other 19th century public buildings. The National Garden found behind the Parliament stretches to the Zappeion and is often referred to a “verdant oasis” in the city centre.

Syntagma is the largest square in the city and many luxurious hotels, such as the historic Grande Bretagne are located here. Constitution Square is a tourist starting-point for the city, at the centre of an area where most of its famous ancient monuments are to be found, all within a radius of 2 km.