More Athens sightseeing – Hadrian’s Library, Roman Agora, Ancient Agora, Lykabettus

---

So much for an early start before it got too hot out, slept in again – Damn! First up today was Hadrian’s Library. It was really hot out again so we took it slow and walked around the ruins taking loads of photos. Hadrian’s Library was built by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 132 on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens.

The most important monuments of the site are:
- Quatrefoil Building. The building with the four apses, dated to the 5th century A.D., an Early Christian church
- Church of Megale Panaghia. The first church was a three-aisled basilica, built in the 7th century A.D. on the ruins of the quatrefoil building which had been destroyed in the 6th century A.D. The basilica was in its turn destroyed in the 11th century A.D. and a single-aisled church with a chapel to the north was erected in its place. It survived for centuries but was burnt down in 1885.
- Ruins of a church. The north wall and remains of the sanctuary are preserved. The church lies to the north of the quatrefoil building and dates from the 17th century A.D.

This site is really cool, there are artisans, working right there under a shady tree, replicating some of the missing pieces of the columns and such in a different color stone so you can tell what is original and what is a replica. This is actually pretty much true of all the sites where Greece is making restoration and or preservation efforts.

Next was the Roman Agora with the Tower of the Winds which was used as a clock in ancient times. The Roman Agora of Athens was a large building comprised of a spacious rectangular courtyard surrounded by stoas, shops and storerooms. It was built between 19 and 11 B.C. with a donation of Julius Caesar and Augustus. During the reign of Hadrian the court was paved with slabs. After the invasion of the Herulae in A.D. 267 the city of Athens was restricted to the area within the Late Roman fortification wall, and the administrative and commercial center of the city was transferred from the Ancient Agora to the Roman Agora and the Library of Hadrian. During the Byzantine period and the Turkish occupation the area was covered with houses, workshops and churches along with the Fethiye Mosque.

We ran into a really nice couple there who were on their honeymoon and got them to take some photos of the 3 of us. We offered to take some of them, but they had lost their camera on their trip. I think I would have gone out and bought a new one – they were on their honeymoon! We did give them some good advice about what to see on their short time in Athens as they were between flights and trying to see the best sites in. The Horologion of Andronicos is also known as the Tower of the Winds. The octagonal tower was built in the first half of the 1st century B.C. by the astronomer Andronicos, from Kyrrhos in Macedonia. The monument had been half-buried by the earth accumulated over the centuries. It was excavated between 1837 and 1845 and restoration work was carried out in the 20th century.

From there we headed over to the Ancient Agora. The first thing you see after entering through the gate closest to the Acropolis is a Byzantine church. You then find yourself walking along the Panathenaic Way which in ancient times led from the Dipylon gate to the Acropolis via the Agora, along which a solemn procession was made during the Panathenaic Festival.
A full reconstruction of the Stoa of Attalos is off to one side of the site and it was originally built by and named after King Attalos II of Pergamon who ruled between 159 BC and 138 BC. The Stoa of Attalos is (and was) a two story ‘shopping mall’ that had dozens of shops and was a place for ancient Athenians to gather. This building was enormous and so cool to walk around in! There was also a small museum called the Museum of the Ancient Agora with really cool pottery and bronze items which are mostly connected with Athenian Democracy. Plus the museum was air conditioned so we loitered a bit in there.

We walked further up the hill toward the north west side of the Agora and saw the Temple of Hephaestus which is also known as the Hephaisteion or earlier as the Theseion. This temple is the best preserved ancient Greek temple and stands today pretty much as it was built. Hephaestus was the patron god of metal working and craftsmanship and in ancient times numerous potters' workshops and metal-working shops were located in the vicinity of the temple, as befits the temple's honoree. The temple reminds me a lot of a mini Parthenon. The Ancient Agora is the best known example of an ancient Greek agora and we probably spent at least 2 hours here.

We were now really hot, hungry and thirsty and went back to Moma for a late lunch. We decided to sit inside this time to see what it was like in there, plus there was air conditioning. It was better sitting outside in my opinion. We also did a little shopping in the Plaka and then went back to the hotel for a quick nap.

Anna picked us up in her boyfriend Niko’s VW Golf at 8pm to take us to Lykabettus and then to dinner at Lena and Taki’s. At 908 feet above sea level, Lykabettus is the highest point in Athens, which surrounds it. Pine trees cover its base, and at its peak are the 19th century Chapel of St. George, a theater, and a restaurant. We drove up the hill and parked in the parking area. You can also go up on the Lykabettus Funicular, a funicular railway which climbs the hill from a terminal at Kolonaki. The view was wonderful as the sun was just setting over Athens. We then decided to walk the rest of the way up to the very top as you can’t drive up there. The path leading to the top was really steep in some sections and slippery. But the view at the top was even more fabulous, you could see across to the Acropolis which looked small from this height and out to the sea. We took a bunch of photos at the top and they came out okay, but man I wish I had brought the dSLR! We sat down in the restaurant patio area and Stergios and his girlfriend Olga met us up with us. We stayed another hour and left for dinner Lena and Taki’s. Oh I almost forgot! I ordered a Gordon’s Space (delicious-ness!!!). It was on the menu but apparently they were out of them, so the server just brought me a Bacardi Breezer. So I said no thank you, I’ll just have a Coke Light instead. Boy was she pissed off! Really?!? Um that’s rum not gin and not the same at all!!!

Okay back to dinner at Lena and Taki’s. There was me, Rachel and Steve plus Anna, her boyfriend Niko, Stergios, Olga, Lena and Taki. Since Lena worked until 10:30pm we got takeout and it was delicious. While we were there we talked on the phone with Steve's sister Alice and his mother Magda, they were still in Sicily at Joe’s (Alice's husband) aunt’s house. We hung out there until around 1am then went back to our hotel. We tried to go up on the roof deck to see the Acropolis night view but it was locked up tight which was disappointing.

---

Photos

Tower of the Winds
At the Roman Agora

On the steps of the Tower of the Winds
Me, Steve and Rachel

Stoa of Attalos
AT the Ancient Agora

Cafe Moma
Where we had lunch twice it was so good