Tag: Athens Monuments

The secret church that the Acropolis hides at its feet

Athens has many hidden stories and secrets from its ancient past. One of them is related to the Acropolis and its monuments, which have witnessed thousands of years of history. There is something that most people are unaware of, even if they have seen it from a distance. On the south side of the Sacred Rock, there is a small church, also known as Panagia Spiliotissa. But to understand its origin, we have to go back to the beginning. There, on the south side of the acropolis rock, there is ...

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The columns of Olympian Zeus Columns: why it took years to solve the mystery

Athens has changed a lot over the centuries and with it many of its famous monuments. Others were damaged and others were the subject of interventions over the years. Some of them are now missing parts that once served a purpose. This is also true for the well-known Olympian Zeus. A photo that led to a domino of revelations. The image we have today of the Columns is a very specific one. And yet a 160-year-old photograph created a mystery that took a lot of research to solve. It was ...

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The chapel in the center of Athens that you probably never noticed

Walking through the center of Athensyou can pass trhrough streets, monuments and historical corners of this city without paying much attention. So you may have passed by a small chapel that stands there, in Athens, over a century, many times and its construction story is very interesting. Its construction story is in fact, quite an interesting one. We are talking about Agia Kyriaki. The little chapel and its history It is located in one of the most central places of Athens, at 28 Athinas Street. The truth is that few ...

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Kerameikos: An open-air museum in the center of Athens

There is a lot that makes Athens special and one of them is certainly its history. Its rich history from antiquity to the present day. Walking, in the city you will observe all around you these pieces of history especially in the summer months. They come together like pieces of a puzzle and help you take a journey through time. In the beautiful, ugly, easy and difficult times that the capital of Greece has lived. A visit one has to make is Kerameikos no doubt. This is a unique open-air ...

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Dafni Monastery: the must-see Byzantine masterpiece

Athens and Attica in general are characterized for its rich history and religious wealth. In all areas you will meet churches and monasteries many of which have centuries history. Some of the monasteries and temples have even stood out either for their architecture or for their history. One of them is the Monastery of Dafni, which stands out not only in Greece but also throughout the Mediterranean. The history of the Monastery The Monastery of Dafni is located in Heidari. Built on the outskirts of The pikilou Mountain, on Athens ...

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Pedion tou Areos park: why it was originally laid out

It is one of the largest public groves in Athens, around which there is also the homonymous district to which it has given its name. The Pedion tou Areos is perhaps the most familiar place of recreation for the Athenians. It is usually called simply as, the Park. The Field of Areos extends parallel to Alexandras Avenue and has given its name to the district that surrounds it. With an area of more than 250 acres, it is one of the most important green lungs for the most densely populated ...

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Athens’ “Little Cathedral” and its unique building materials

The Metropolis Church of Athens is known by all. Next to it, however, there is another small gem, the so-called "little Metropolis Church" of Athens. It is a small church dedicated to Panagia Gorgoepikoos (Virgin Mary who hears us and answers promptly) and to Agios Eleftherios. The history of the temple and the special material of the construction The small Metropolis Church was built at the end of the 12th century. It's characteristic that for its construction stones or bricks were not used as a building material . Its architect, ...

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Tower of the Winds: the world’s oldest weather station?

If you often walk around the centre of Athens, it's more than likely that you may have noticed this special monument. It is located at the northern feet of the Acropolis, on the site of the Roman Agora in Plaka. The Aerides,as it is called, stand there for more than 2,500 years, being an important part of the country's history. The Sundial of Kyrristos as its official name is, or else the Tower of the Winds is also considered the oldest meteorological station in the world. There were no reports ...

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