Athens - Syntagma Square & National Garden

Syntagma Square

Every city has its own heart in a square, from which arteries in the form of roads reach out to the other important parts. In Athens it is the Syntagma Square.

Syntagma is the Greek word for constitution. It is where Greece’s first constitution was proclaimed by a reluctant King Otto from a palace balcony in 1843. This palace on the eastern side of the square, is now, the Greek Parliament and is guarded by kilted and pom-pommed soldiers - the evzones (ev-zone-ees). Every hour, the changing of the guard ceremony, performed by the Presidential Guard, is conducted in front of the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ on the area between the Square and Parliament. On Sundays and official holidays, the ceremonial changing of the guard takes place with an army band and the majority of the 120 Evzones present at 11am. The Parliament building is surrounded by the extensive National Gardens, which are open to the public.

The Square has a long history. It seems every major event in Greece has either been mourned or celebrated here. It has held some of the biggest political rallies that have ever been seen on the planet. The square is still the principal venue for mass demonstration, whether trade unions protests or gatherings of thousands of political party supporters.

The square is also a meeting point for the Athenians and the starting point to a walk to Plaka and Monastiraki Area. It is the heart of the city and many of the main attractions in Athens can be accessed from here:

• Museum Mile (comprising the Benaki Museum, the Byzantine Museum and the Museum of Cycladic Art)
• Ermou Street (the city’s most expensive shopping strip)
• Kolonaki & Lykavitos
• Psyri & Monastiraki
• The Acropolis site and other nearby attractions are within walking distance

For more information click:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syntagma_Square; http://www.athensinfoguide.com/wtssyntagma.htm; http://www.athensguide.com/syntagma.html

National Garden
Located behind the Tomb of the Unknown soldier on Amalias street, at the top of Syntagma Square it is a paradise in the middle of the concrete jungle complete with shaded pathways, flowers, trees, duck & turtle ponds and a few reminders of the ancient past. There is also a playground for kids with swings and see-saws.

For more information click http://www.athensguide.com/gardens.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Garden_of_Athens

Neighbourhoods of Athens - Fashionable Kolonaki & breathtaking Lykavittos Hill

Kolonaki

It is Athen’s most fashionable neighbourhood and home to much of the country’s aristocracy. Shopping in Kolonaki can be an experience if money is not an issue. The streets are lined with posh designer outlets (of both national and international fame), gourmet delights, and the regular upscale cafes and bars. It is within easy walking distance from the Syntagma Square. From the National Gardens in Syntagma Square, cross Vassilias Sophias street, continue up the hill from Irodou Atikou past the Benaki Museum, to reach Kolonaki Square.

In Kolonaki you will find the Lykavittos Hill from where a funicular takes you up to some spectacular, unparalleled views of the city. For the energetic, walking can be an option; others may find the ride up in the funicular easier, there is also a third option of taking the taxi up. There is a restaurant with an open terrace that offers an excellent view of Athens. On the back side of the mountain is an outdoor amphitheatre. The back page of the Athens News can update you with who's playing. It's reported to be one of the finest places to see a concert and stalwarts from Leonard Cohen to Peter Gabriel seems to have performed here. There is a also a small, simple & whitewashed chapel that also can be explored.


A visit to this part of the city is worth it for the views alone, especially to catch the last rays of the setting sun. Located in the centre of the city the Lykavittos Hill rises to a height of 910 feet. From the summit you will be rewarded with a captivating view that stretches to the ships in Piraeus, the Aegean Sea, and on a clear day the islands beyond, all the way to the mountains of the Peloponnese.

For more information click on: http://www.athensguide.com/kolonaki.htm

Museums & Galleries (in Kolonaki): There are a few galleries and several museums here out of which the following are noteworthy

The Benaki Museum - The country’s oldest privately owned museum showcasing everything Greek, from ancient Paleolithic and Neolithic relics to Roman& Byzantine and Ottoman artefacts. It also showcases Islamic & Folk Art. For more information click: http://www.benaki.gr/; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benaki_Museum;

Museum of Cycladic Art – The museum houses approximately 3 000 objects of Cycladic, Ancient Greek and Cypriot art. It is dedicated to the study and promotion of ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus, with special emphasis on Cycladic Art of the 3rd millennium BC. For more information click: http://www.cycladic.gr/; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goulandris_Museum_of_Cycladic_Art

The Byzantine Museum - The 25,000 collections trace the course of Greek art from the 4th to the 19th century. They comprise collections of Byzantine and post-Byzantine ikons, Sculptures, Manuscripts, Wall paintings, Mosaics, Small objects (cloth, coins, pottery, metal objects, silver), Wood carvings, Patterns (anthibola), Bronze Engravings, Lithographs, Old Prints (incunabula). It is one of the most notable musuems in the world for Byzantine Art. For more information click: http://www.byzantinemuseum.gr/

The History Museum of Greek Costume - It houses over 25,000 items featuring displays of Greek regional costumes, ornaments, copies of Minoan, Classical and Byzantine costumes, as well as china dolls dressed in Greek costume. For more information click: http://www.athensinfoguide.com/greekcostume.htm

Accommodation: Kolonaki offers excellent options for luxury hotels often accompanied by views of the Acropolis or Lykavittos Hill. For a more affordable lodging option, renting a studio or apartment in the neighbourhood can be worthwhile, as these are fairly priced and are comfortable enough.

Neighbourhoods of Athens - White-washed Anafiotika & Exciting Psyri

Anafiotika
It is a very visually interesting cluster of small houses built on the slopes of the Acropolis above the Plaka. It's named Anafiotika because the original inhabitants were stone masons who came from the island of Anafi in the mid 19th century, to build Athens. They built their houses on the steep slopes of the Acropolis in their traditional island style. Thus, they created a small village with white-washed houses and narrow paths between them. Hence it looks like a typical Greek island without the sea!!

For more information click on http://www.athensinfoguide.com/%20Anafiotikafiotika



Psiri
It is the small neighbourhood in downtown Athens that is directly adjacent to Plaka. It is the place for good food and nightlife But walking through Psiri during daytime you will notice that the streets are filled with working class people and contains a variety of shops and businesses that might be described as practical or business oriented, from type-setters, to fixtures, and material goods for making clothing. The only clues that the area is a hotbed of nightlife are the cafes and restaurants storefronts that look like they have been closed for years and the new shops and boutiques. If you were wandering through the neighbourhood you might stop and wonder what a state-of-the-art climate-controlled shop selling Cuban Cigars is doing in an area of workshops and small factories. At around 6pm, Psiri undergoes the transformation from a working-class industrial area, to a mecca of cafes, bars, restaurants and eateries. The streets get filled with tables and chairs and what were parking lots during the day become dramatically lighted outdoor dining areas for restaurants. Each restaurant has its own style, from traditional Greek taverna to 60's style cafes that may remind you of a luncheonette in an old movie. Many are decorated with historic photos of Athens and some with relics of our modern society.


For more information click on http://www.athensguide.com/psiri.html

Neighbourhoods of Athens - Gloriously old Plaka & Monastiraki (Flea-Market)

In the shadow of the Acropolis, the Plaka is the oldest section of Athens. It is a gloriously exotic labyrinth of alleys, winding streets and stairs, lined with 19th century neo-classical houses and mansions with beautifully decorated tiled roofs. Plaka district is almost completely pedestrianised and contains the famous flea market around Monastiraki Square, ancient sites and small museums of traditional and popular culture. Everywhere you look in the Plaka there is evidence of some past civilization, Greek, Roman or Ottoman Turkish. Amidst the history is a colourful medley of restaurants, jewellery stores, tourist shops, cafes, musicians, flower sellers, photographers, bead-sellers and people who write name on a grain of rice. But it is not only tourists who favour it, Greeks also hang out here. In Athens, it is the best place to go on a sunny afternoon to sit on one of the many pavement cafes and see the world go by.
There are two main streets: Kydatheneon and Adrianou. Kydatheneon begins at Nikis street, which is one block down from Syntagma Square. Adrianou begins in the Monastiraki flea market but disappears in the Roman Agora before reappearing behind the wall of Hadrian's Library and Plaka Square. Adrianou and Kydatheneon connect about a quarter of a mile up. Once you know these two streets you can wander around and always find your way back.

I found Matt Barretts website the best for understanding Plaka. Its highly informative and includes all that you need to know about, from Jewellery stores for buying 22k gold; shopping for Olympic paraphernalia; institution called Remember; visited by rock stars, actors, fashion designers and models; to more ordinary information about Cafes and the oldest distillery in Athens. Visit http://www.athensguide.com/plaka.html and it will seem that you have just come back from Plaka

Buying the shiny - Gold: It's not the gold souk of Dubai but it can be interesting for Europe where 22k is not common. If you are looking for craftsmanship, keep an eye out for artist owned jewellery stores. They make their own pieces rather than buying it bulk from a factory. Most of the shops deal with 22K gold in a variety of styles, including ancient Greek designs or exact copies.

Monastiraki: Placed under the shadow of Acropolis it is famous for the flea market and is best in early Sunday mornings before the crowd descends and cafes get overcrowded.
Much of the flea market is but a collection of small shops of which most of them are tourist shops with the same stuff you will find across Plaka. But on Sundays it is a flea market with people selling anything from antiques to useless junk. To reach it from Syntagma walk down Metropolitan street, past the Cathedral and the marble square. This is where Pondrossou Street begins which is the high end section of Monastiraki. From Plaka, near the end of Adrianou Street there is a small square dominated by touristy restaurants and cafes. Walk through it till you reach Hadrian's Wall. Turn right and then left, down the tiny Pondroussou Street. You reach the Monastiraki Flea-Market.

Monuments: Overlooking Monastiraki square, and across the street from the metro station is the restored Turkish Mosque housing the acclaimed collection of ceramics of The Greek Folk Art Museum. Right next door are the large columns and ruins of the Roman Emperor Hadrian's Library and the Roman Agora. The entrance to the Ancient Agora is about half way down the block on the left.

• Mosque of Mehmet the Conqueror: Built to commemorate the visit of Sultan Mehmet around 1458.


• Medrese: Considered a cursed place by the Athenians it was originally a theological school. During the War of Independence the Turks used it as a prison and a tree for hanging Greek prisoners. In 1919 the tree was struck by lightning, the building was later demolished and now only the door remains.
  
• The Roman Agora: Also known as the ‘Market of Caesar and Augustus’ is located on the north side of the Acropolis, and within a short distance of the Greek Agora, with which it was connected by a paved street. An inscription mentions that Julius Caesar and Augustus provided the funds for its construction in the 1st century B.C. The Roman Agora consists of a large, open-air courtyard surrounded by colonnades on all four sides. On the eastern side, there were also a series of shops. On the southern side was a fountain. The main entrance was on the west (Gate of Athena Archegetis), and there was a second entrance on the east, leading up to a public latrine and the ‘Tower of the Winds’. The Roman Agora apparently became the main market of the city, taking over many of the commercial functions of the Greek Agora.


• Tower of the Winds: Also known as the ‘Tower of the Winds’ because of the personifications of the eight winds carved on the eight sides of the building, it is a tall, octagonal building immediately east of the Roman Agora, designed by the famous astronomer (Andronikos of Kyrrhos) as a water clock on the inside, sundial on the outside, and weather vane on the top.


• Monument to Lysikrates: Built in 334 BC by Lysikrates, to commemorate the victory of the annual dramatic festival at the theater of Dionysos


• Library of Hadrian: Built by the Roman emperor Hadrian it is a large, square, walled enclosure with an entrance on the west, located immediately north of the Roman Agora. Inside the complex there was an open air courtyard, with a central pool and garden, surrounded by columns. The eastern end had series of rooms where books were stored and served as reading rooms and lecture halls. Archaeologists note that it was more than a library. It provided the people of Athens with a public square with a garden and pool and a cultural centre that contained works of art, a library, and lecture halls.

Museums & Galleries (in Plaka): There are a few galleries and several museums here out of which the following are noteworthy

• Hellenic Children's Museum: It can be a very enjoyable educational experience for the young. It is a space designed specially to meet the needs and abilities of children and to support the parents and the teachers who contribute to their development.


• The Music Museum: A 5,000 volume library, it is one of the most important musical collections in Europe. The museum has 167 Greek stringed instruments and an endless selection of all other types of musical instruments. For more information visit: http://www.greecetravel.com/musicmuseum/index.html


• The Greek Folk Art Museum: It’s collections include embroideries, wood carvings, jewellery, and other traditional folk art. The highly acclaimed collection of ceramics is housed in a beautifully renovated former mosque at 1 Areos Street on Monastiriki Square. For more information visit: http://www.athensinfoguide.com/The%20Greek%20Folk%20Art%20Museum


• Frissiras Museum of Contemporary Greek and European Painting: It is a private museum dedicated to modern art in the heart of Plaka. There are some 3,000 paintings and sculptures on display and has works of some of the most renowned Greek artists such as Tsoklis, Moralis, Tetsis, Kessanlis and Psychopedis. European artists represented at the museum include Paladino, Blake and Adami amongst others. For more visit: http://www.frissirasmuseum.com/en/