Ancient civilization / Museums

Ascending the rocky hill of the Acropolis has been the first thought of each and every visitor to Athens for the last 2.500 years. Things couldn’t have been any different for this collection of monuments, the universal and timeless symbol of classical spirit and culture which Greek antiquity bequeathed to the world.

The Acropolis of Athens, the so-called ‘holy rock’, is the most significant archaeological site in Greece. Up on the Acropolis, there are three ancient temples, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the temple of Wingless Victory as well as the monumental entrance to the Acropolis, the Propylaea. All the monuments of the Acropolis are made of pentelic marble and were built during the Golden century of Pericles in the Classical period (450-330 B.C.).

Perhaps the most important cultural space in the country at the moment, the contemporary Acropolis museum is a true jewel for the city of Athens and an attraction for millions of tourists annually.
The Acropolis museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings from the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens dating back to Hellenistic era until the Roman and Byzantine years.
Address: 15 Dionysiou Areopagitou Str., Athens

The Ancient Agora used to be the heart of Athens and the philosophical, administrative, social, cultural and, of course, financial centre of the city. Many great ancient Greeks, such as Socrates, Solon, Kleisthenis and Ippocrates, were here. The Ancient Agora was plundered and destroyed repeatedly through the years until it reached its current form which includes the Hephaestus temple of Thission, the Ancient Agora Tholos, the Vouleftirion and of course the Attalus arcade which also hosts the Ancient Agora’s museum. Those who visit it will travel back in time and feel the aura of ancient Athenian life.
Address: 24 Adrianou Str., Athens

The National Archaeological Museum is Greece’s largest museum and one of the most significant in the world. Initially constructed to house all the findings from the 19th century excavations, mainly from Attica but also from other areas of the country, it gradually took the form of a central National Archaeological Museum and was enriched with findings from all the corners of the Greek world. Its rich collections, numbering more than 11.000 exhibits, offer to the visitor a panorama of ancient Greek civilization from prehistorical times to late antiquity.
Address: 44 28th Oktovriou Str., Athens

Visit the stadium which hosted the first Modern Olympic Games and discover its secrets. Kallimarmaro is the only marble stadium in the world and a universal symbol of athletics located in Athens.
Address: Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue, Athens

The Columns of Olympian Zeus are the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest temple of antiquity and one dedicated to Zeus, king of the gods.
Within close proximity of the Columns is the Arch of Hadrian, a Roman arch built over the ancient road starting from the centre of the city and spanning to the buildings of the city’s eastern side including the temple of Zeus.
It is said that the arch was built in celebration of the arrival of the emperor Hadrian, to honour him as a benefactor of the city and for his aid in completing the construction of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

The Cycladic Art Museum is dedicated to the study and promotion of the ancient civilizations of the Aegean and of Cyprus with a particular focus on the Cycladic art of the 3^rd millennia B.C.

In the museum, three large cultural sections are presented:

• Cycladic Art 3200 – 2000 B.C.
• Ancient Greek Art – 200 B.C. – 395 A.D.
• Ancient Cypriot Art – 3900 B.C. – 6^th A.D.

Address: 4 Neofitou Douka Str., Athens

The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture is housed in one of the most beautiful neoclassical buildings of Athens near the National Garden and the Greek Parliament. Following its recent renovation (1989-2000), it hosts a unique and timeless exhibition regarding the development of Greek culture from prehistoric times to the 20th cen.
Address: 1 Koumbari Str. & Vas. Sofias Avenue, Athens