Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea 

The church of Panaghia is built on the ruins of an ancient temple, dedicated to a female goddess, possibly Athena or Demeter. It was founded at the beginning of the 11th century (around 1050 A.D.) and was probably named after its donor.

The church is cross-in-square, of the complex four-column type, with three apses on the east side and a narthex on the west. A domed chapel dedicated to Aghia Varvara was added to the north side and the exonarthex, with three pitched roofs, was built slightly later in front of both churches. It was originally formed as an open portico but a small porch with two columns was constructed at its south end, possibly in the 12th century, along with the mosaics over the entrance. The walls of the church are built in the typical cloisonne masonry and are decorated with very limited brick, Cufic ornaments. Most of the paintings inside the church are the work of the famous modern Greek artist Photis Contoglou, signed in 1955.

AddressErmou and Kapnikareas St., Athens Prefecture Attica 

Church of Aghioi Theodoroi in Athens

The church was probably erected over the ruins of an earlier structure, of the transitional cross-in-square type. Inscribed plaques built into the west wall, over the entrance, record that the church was renovated in 1065 A.D. by Nicolaos Calomalos. It was seriously damaged during the Greek Revolution in 1821 but was restored in 1840. The sanctuary and the ambo of the church have been restored.
Simple, two-column, cross-in-square church with a narthex and a dome supported by sections of walls. The east side ends at three apses, of which the middle one is larger. The bell-tower of the south side is a later addition. The walls are built in the typical cloisonne masonry and are decorated with brick, Cufic ornaments. The wall paintings of the interior are dated to the 19th century.

Address Aristeidou and Euripidou St., Athens Prefecture Attica

Hadrian's Arch

The triumphal arch lies on an ancient street that led from the old city of Athens to the new, Roman section, built by Hadrian. It was constructed by the Athenians in A.D. 131, in honor of their benefactor emperor. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave, one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus"; the second, on the other side, facing the new city reads "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".

The central arched opening of the monument is supported by pilasters crowned with Corinthian capitals. Similar, but taller pilasters flank the outer corners. The arch is crowned by a series of Corinthian columns and pilasters, with an Ionic architrave at the ends, and an entablature with a triangular pediment in the middle. The whole monument is made of Pentelic marble.

Address Amalias avenue, Athens Perfecture Attica 

Panathenaic Stadium 

It was originally a natural hollow part of the ground between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, over Ilissos river. It was transformed into a stadium by Lykourgos in 330-329 BC for the athletic competitions of the Great Panathinaea Festivities. Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodes Atticus restored the Stadium, giving it the form that was found at the 1870 excavation: the horseshoe construction with a track

204,07 meters long and 33,35 meters wide. It is believed that the Stadium had a seating capacity of 50.000 people. Separating scales were built between the tiers and on the base of the sphendone there was a portico with Doric-style columns; another portico was placed in the stadium's facade. Herodes possibly restored also the Ilissos river bridge on the Stadium's entrance, making it larger and adding three archways on its base. The bridge was standing there up to 1778 and a part of it was excavated in 1958. At the Roman times, the Stadium was used as an arena, with the addition of a semi-circular wall on the north that was corresponding to the sphendone of the southern side.

The modern times restoration of the Stadium was conducted by G. Averof by the end of the 19th century for the first Olympic Games that were reborn again in 1896.

Address Ardettos Hill, Athens Perfecture Attica 

Philopappos Monument 

The monument of Philopappos is dated to 114-116 A.D. It was erected by the Athenians in honor of the great benefactor of their city, the exiled prince of Commagene, Julius Antiochus Philopappos who settled in Athens, became a citizen and assumed civic and religious offices. According to Pausanias, the monument was built on the same site where Mousaios was formerly buried.
The monument measures 9.80 x 9.30 m. and contains the burial chamber. It is built of white Pentelic marble on a socle 3.08 m. high, made of poros stone and veneered with slabs of Hymettian marble. The north side of the monument, which was visible from the Acropolis, was the facade, and beared lavish architectural decoration. The monument was preserved almost intact as late as the 15th century A.D. when Cyriacus of Ancona visited the site and copied the five inscriptions on the facade. The three inscriptions below the statues record the names of the persons represented. The central figure is Philopappos, son of Epiphanes, on the left is Antiochus, son of king Antiochus, and on the right was king Seleucus Nicator, son of Antiochus.
In 1898, excavations were carried out in the area of the monument and in the following year conservation work was undertaken. In 1940, a small additional excavation was conducted by H.A. Thompson and J. Travlos.

The results of recent investigations have certified that architectural parts of the superstructure of the monument had been used for the construction of the Minaret in the Parthenon.

Address Athens Perfecture Attica

 Lusikrates Monument

Choregic monument erected on the west side of the Street of the Tripods, by Lysikrates, in 335/34 B.C., according to an inscription preserved on the architrave.
The circular building rests on a square podium of poros stone (2,93 m. long on each side), and consists of six Corinthian columns of Pentelic marble alternating with panels of Hymettian marble. The columns are among the earliest examples of the use of the Corinthian order in Athens.
The monument is decorated with a frieze depicting scenes from the life of Dionysos. The upper surface of the monolithic roof was ornamented with carved leaves that ended at an acanthus-shaped base which supported the choregic tripod, not preserved today.
The monument, known also as the "Lantern of Diogenes", was incorporated in the Capucin monastery in 1669, and was used by the monks as a reading-room and library. The monks opened an entrance by removing one of the panels on the northwest side. The monastery was destroyed during the Greek Revolution in 1821.

In 1845 French archaeologists cleared the monument of the debris and searched the area for the missing architectural parts. In 1876-1887 the architects Fr. Boulanger and E. Loviot began the restoration which was completed under the auspices of the French Government. Excavations conducted in 1982-85 at Lysikratous Square, completed the investigations made by Al. Philadelpheus and revealed the foundations of the adjacent choregic monuments.

Lysikrates monument is the only choregic monument preserved almost complete, and is the most interesting feature of the modern Lysikratous Square.

Address Tripodon St., Plaka Perfecture Attica