Metz is a district in Athens that has definitely left its imprint. It is the refuge of architects, painters, intellectuals and all kinds of artists. Perched on the slope of the small hill of Logginos, it is a neighborhood that has an admittedly strange name in comparison to other districts in Athens.
The history and name of the Metz district
Some people may know it, but it is for sure that most people don’t know the origin of the name. The name “Metz”, was given to the area in favor of the homonymous beer garden maintained there by the Bavarian Charles FixThe story is as follows: Fix founded the beer garden after the victory of the Prussian troops over the French in the battle of the city called Metz (1870). At that time, there was nothing other than the beer garden. Today the area may be densely populated and crowded, but it was once deserted. Walking through the alleys of Metz you will meet the wonderful neoclassical buildings reminiscent of another era. In the area, after all, there is a dispersed artistic style, the result of its inhabitants who have given shape to it.
Moreover today, many of the old buildings that are renovated and inhabited mainly by people of literature and art, the grove, the restaurants and cafes, have created one of the most beautiful and expensive districts of the city that still retain the character of the old Athenian neighborhood.
During the Turkish occupation at the highest points of the hill of Ardittos there were the windmills of Georgakis. They were the ones who provided Athens with flour. Later, during the Revolution, and specifically in the siege of the Acropolis, the mills were used by the Turks. Unfortunately the only surviving windmill was demolished by its owner in 1986.
Athens and the Metz neighborhood
In Metz you will admire the Old Athens. You can see the National Garden, the Acropolis, the hills of Philopappou, and Lycabettus and the sea at a distance. “Montmartre of Athens” is at a distance of about 10-15 minutes walk from Syntagma-Kolonaki-Dionysiou Areopagitou-Plaka districts. At Metz you’ll enjoy a tea with the aroma of the past in a retro café. You will taste special gastronomic flavors in its restaurants. You’ll walk among the multicolored neoclassical buildings and you’ll see how the Athenian neighborhoods used to be.
Photo Source: athensattica.com
When Athens was a province of about 120,000 inhabitants
Frequently Asked Questions
The Metz district got its name from a beer garden founded by Bavarian Charles Fix. Fix named the beer garden after the city of Metz to commemorate the Prussian victory over the French in the Battle of Metz in 1870. At that time, the beer garden was the only notable establishment in what was otherwise a deserted area.
Metz is known as an artistic and intellectual hub in Athens, often called the 'Montmartre of Athens.' It attracts architects, painters, writers, and artists. The neighborhood is famous for its beautifully renovated neoclassical buildings, trendy cafes, restaurants, and its bohemian atmosphere while maintaining the character of old Athenian neighborhoods.
Metz is located on the slope of Loggios hill in Athens, about 10-15 minutes walk from Syntagma, Kolonaki, and Plaka. From Metz, you can admire views of the Acropolis, the National Garden, the hills of Philopappou and Lycabettus, and the sea in the distance.
During the Turkish occupation, windmills belonging to Georgakis were located at the highest points of Ardittos hill. These mills provided Athens with flour. During the Greek Revolution and the siege of the Acropolis, the Turks used these mills. Only one windmill survived until 1986 when it was demolished by its owner.
The beer garden that gave Metz its name was founded by Charles Fix, a Bavarian entrepreneur. Fix created the beer garden and named it after the French city of Metz to celebrate the Prussian victory in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, which was a significant event at that time.
