Sights in the Athens A to Z
33 entries filed under Sight in the Athens A to Z Travel Dictionary. Each name opens the full entry.
A
Acropolis
The ancient citadel above the city, crowned by the Parthenon (5th c. BC), the enduring symbol of Athens and of classical Greece.
Agias Irinis Square
A cafe lined square in the centre named after its church, and one of the busiest places downtown for a drink.
Agora (Ancient Agora)
The civic and market heart of ancient Athens, with the well preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos.
Areopagus
The rocky outcrop below the Acropolis where the ancient council once met; today a popular (and slippery) sunset viewpoint.
Athenian Trilogy
The three neoclassical buildings in a row on Panepistimiou Street (the Academy, the University and the National Library) designed in the 19th century by the Danish architects Theophil and Christian Hansen.
Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)
The city’s main classical concert hall, with orchestral, opera and recital seasons.
C
Cape Sounion
The marble Temple of Poseidon on a headland about 70 km south of Athens, a classic sunset day trip.
Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
A small circular marble monument near the Acropolis, erected by a wealthy patron to commemorate a prize won by a chorus he sponsored at the nearby Theatre of Dionysus, and one of Plaka's finest ancient survivals.
D
Daphni Monastery
An eleventh century Byzantine monastery around 10km west of central Athens, celebrated for its glittering gold ground mosaics and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reachable by public transport for a half day visit.
Dionysiou Areopagitou
The wide pedestrian promenade beneath the Acropolis linking Plaka with Thiseio, the single best walk in the city.
F
First Cemetery of Athens
The city's oldest official cemetery, below Mets, laid out as an open air gallery of 19th century sculpture and the resting place of many Greek public figures.
H
Hadrian's Arch
A Roman gateway of the 2nd century AD marking the boundary between the old city and Hadrian's new quarter, beside the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Hadrian's Library
The remains of the large library and courtyard complex built by the emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD, on the edge of Monastiraki.
Herodes Atticus, Odeon of
A Roman stone theatre (161 AD) on the Acropolis' south slope, still used for summer concerts and the Athens and Epidaurus Festival.
K
Kaisariani Monastery
An 11th century Byzantine monastery on the wooded lower slopes of Mount Hymettus, an easy trip from the centre.
Kapnikarea
A tiny eleventh century Byzantine church marooned on Ermou Street amid modern shopfronts, built over an earlier ancient temple and now used as the University of Athens' official chapel.
Kerameikos
The ancient cemetery and potters' quarter, with a quiet archaeological site and museum near Gazi.
L
Little Metropolis
The tiny Byzantine church beside the modern cathedral, also called Panagia Gorgoepikoos, built partly from reused ancient and early Christian carved stone.
Lycabettus, Mount
The pine covered hill that is the highest point in central Athens, reached on foot or by funicular for panoramic views.
N
National Garden
A shady 19th century park behind Parliament, a cool retreat linking Syntagma to the Zappeion.
National Observatory of Athens
Founded in 1842 on the Hill of the Nymphs beside Thiseio, the oldest research institution in Greece.
O
Onassis Stegi
A contemporary arts centre on Syngrou Avenue with theatre, dance, music and a rooftop restaurant.
P
Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro)
The all marble stadium that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896, rebuilt on an ancient running track.
Philopappou Hill
A green hill facing the Acropolis, with paved paths and one of the best free views in the city.
Pnyx
The rocky hill west of the Acropolis where the citizens’ assembly of ancient Athens met, often called a birthplace of democracy.
R
Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds
A Roman era marketplace in Plaka centred on the octagonal Tower of the Winds, an ancient marble weather station and water clock decorated with reliefs of the eight wind deities.
S
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC)
A Renzo Piano designed complex in Kallithea housing the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, set in a large seaside public park.
Syntagma Square
The central square before Parliament, where kilted Evzones guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
T
Technopolis
The restored 19th century gasworks in Gazi, now a cultural centre hosting concerts and festivals, home to the Industrial Gas Museum.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
A colossal temple begun in the 6th c. BC and finished under Hadrian; fifteen giant columns still stand near Hadrian's Arch.
Theatre of Dionysus
On the south slope of the Acropolis, the theatre where the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were first staged.
V
Varvakios Agora
The lively central meat, fish and produce market off Athinas Street, an authentic stop beyond the monuments.
Z
Zappeion
A grand 1888 hall and its gardens beside the National Garden, used for exhibitions and events.