The monuments!
The historical center of Athens includes the Acropolis hill with its North and South slopes, which was the central point of Athenian worship and religion, the Ancient Agora, the Areios Pagos hill, the Roman Agora, the Hadrian’s Library, the western hills of Pnyx, Filopappos and Nymphs (Observatory), where daily life developed and finally, Kerameikos, at the edge of the city, which was a cemetery and the settlement of pottery workshops.
In this very area, Democracy, Philosophy, Theater and Freedom of expression were born, the intellectual elements that still give the values and principles of the modern western world.
Acropolis
The naturally fortified hill of the Acropolis of Athens has been inhabited since the Neolithic era, while in the
13th c . BC, during the Mycenaean period, it was walled and became the seat of the local ruler.
Ancient Agora of Athens
The Ancient Agora of Athens was the center of public life. The large open square fascinated the Athenians on various occasions: trade, elections, consultations, trials but also theatrical events, ceremonies, military gymnasiums or sports competitions, everything could take place in the Agora.
South and North Slope
The Southern Slope of the Acropolis was undoubtedly the most important religious center in antiquity, after the Holy Rock itself, and the main cultural core of Asteos.
Roman Agora and Hadrian’s Library
The archaeological sites of the Roman Agora and the Library of Hadrian occupy an area with a total area of 28,000 m2, in the heart of the ancient city, north of the Acropolis and east of the Ancient Agora.
Western Hills of Muses (Filopappos), Pnyx, Nymphs
The area of the Western Hills – Mouses (Filopappos), Pnyx, Nymphs – began to be inhabited in the 6th BC. century with the installation of the Church of the Municipality on the hill of Pnyx and the operation of Koilis Street, which led from Athens to Piraeus crossing the urban area.
Kerameikos
Kerameikos extends to the northwestern outskirts of Athens. It was the most important cemetery of the ancient city, in use from the Prehistoric period to Late Antiquity and at the same time one of the most important centers of pottery and vase painting in the ancient world. In Kerameikos the best preserved part of the ancient wall of Athens is preserved.
