Athens changes over the years and with it the neighborhoods, people, and well-known parts of the city changed. These changes could not be missing from the names of many areas of Athens that after various events, stories and faces, changed.
For example, what area were the Koukouvaounes, and which one was the Kakosalesi?
Let’s go check them out…
Vourlopotamos: is the name of today’s Amphithea, in Paleo Faliro (near the coast of Attika), which used to borrow its name from the stream that crossed it. It retained that name until 1960.
Kakosaly: “At the house of Kakosalesi, I do not go back again” sang Giannis Miliokas when Avlonas was still called by the name it had until 1927 by its oldest inhabitants – and which meant “bad passage”, because the base of thieves that was there, made it difficult for the passage of the Ottomans.
Levi: One of the most unknown old place names in Athens, the Jewish Levi later became a surname. Which was it? Dimitris Levis was the last owner of the farmhouse in Eleonas, who lent its name to the neighborhood around it.
Katsikadika: At the end of the 19th century, when Tank Square was still planned, Kolonaki district (in central Athens) was called Katsikadika. North of the square there were nothing but shepherd’s huts. Their goats, in fact, ate – literally – the first attempt to plant Lycabettus.
Koukouvaoynes: Today’s Metamorphosis district had this name, before the mania to abolish the Albanianplace names “hit” Attica, and then Liosia changed to Ilion, Chasia to Phyli and Liopesi toy Paiania.
Nomikon It was the Ellinikon (where the Airport of Athens was before it was moved) until the beginning of the 20th century. If you haven’t guessed, the name comes from a purgatory that existed in the area.
Magufana: This is one of the areas of Athens, which was a victim of the abolishing of Albanian names in Attica’s toponyms. Its name was changed to Pefki by decree published in the Gazette in 1960.
The secret that the Acropolis hides at its feet
Frequently Asked Questions
Several neighborhoods in Athens have changed their names throughout history. Notable examples include Vourlopotamos (now Amphithea), Kakosaly (now Avlonas), Levi (now Eleonas), Katsikadika (now Kolonaki), Koukouvaounes (now Metamorphosis), Nomikon (now Ellinikon), and Magufana (now Pefki). These changes reflect historical events, cultural shifts, and deliberate renaming policies.
Avlonas was called Kakosaly until 1927, a name meaning 'bad passage' in Greek. The area earned this name because it was a base for thieves, which made passage through the area difficult, especially for the Ottomans. The name was famously referenced in a song by Giannis Miliokas.
Kolonaki, the central Athens district, was called Katsikadika at the end of the 19th century. The name came from the shepherd's huts and goats that inhabited the area north of Tank Square before the district's development. The goats even ate the first attempts to plant vegetation on Lycabettus.
Magufana was renamed to Pefki in 1960 through a decree published in the Greek Gazette. This change was part of a broader effort to abolish Albanian place names in Attica's toponymy, which also affected areas like Liosia (renamed to Ilion), Chasia (renamed to Phyli), and Liopesi (renamed to Paiania).
The area where Athens Airport was originally located was called Nomikon until the beginning of the 20th century. The name derived from a purgatory (cemetery) that existed in the area. After the airport was moved, the historical significance of this name change was largely forgotten.
