7 Archaeological Sites to Visit in Athens

Athens, the capital of Greece, is one of the oldest cities in the world because it has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, landing the earliest presence on earth. The remarkable city is known for its artists, cultural impact, and history. It is also known for being the birthplace of democracy and the motherland of western civilization. We list 7 archaeological sites to visit in Athens.

My Experience:

I arrived in Athens on September 23rd, 2019 and could not believe my eyes. I was in disbelief that places like this existed. As I explored the ancient ruins, I would have never thought I would have ever seen buildings so beautiful and rich in history in my life.

If I were to describe Athens in two words, I would use the words- precious and magical. Precious, because of how old these ancient sites are. Magical because the delightful city had marble streets and fresh gardens and trees. I felt like I was in some fairytale destination. Sometimes, I believe they should not allow tourists to scroll alongside these monuments and let them be to conserve them.

On day two, Ari and I purchased unified tickets. Ari finally arrived a day late since she missed her flight. Our tickets allowed us to go into each site and truly explore and learn about all of the attractions, monuments, and ancient buildings within Athens.
Ari’s new flight landed her with two nights in the airport and a full day in Prague. The flights left her with a new country to explore and two restless nights.

Unified Ticket:

I highly recommend purchasing a unified ticket for 30 € in person to see all seven ancient sites in Athens, Greece. The ticket is valid for five days. Ancient sites the ticket provides entry for are the Acropolis and slopes, Ancient Agora and Museum of the Stoa of Attolos, Roman Agora, Library of Hadrian, Temple of Olympius Zeus, Kerameikos and Museum, and the Lykeion of Aristotle. We were able to complete them all in one day.

1. Acropolis and Slopes-

The Acropolis is an ancient citadel or old city located on a rocky outcrop with beautiful views above Athens. The Acropolis in Greek means “The Sacred Rock, The High City’ and is primarily dedicated to the Goddess Athena. The remains consist of ancient buildings, and the most famous monument is the Parthenon, pictured above. The Parthenon continues to be a symbol of democracy and the Greek Civilization. The Acropolis is known for the Theater of Dionysus Eleuthereus. The theatre is the world’s first theater, as shown in my photo below.

2. Ancient Agora and Museum of the Stoa of Attolos

This ancient ruin, now a museum, was a political center where they taught Socrates and democracy was born. The Stoa of Attolos is a reconstructed building that serves as a museum for the archaeological site. ‘Stoa’ is also known as a covered walkway. However, there are still points of the original building that have been untouched. The original was built by King Attalos II of Pergamon, who ruled between 159BC and 138BC. The original building was destroyed by Heruli, which is a German tribe. Other monuments within this archeological site include the Temple of Hephaestus.

3. Roman Agora-

The Roman Agora was built in the 1st century B.C. under Julius Ceasar and Ceasar Agustus. The Gate of Athena Archegetis was the entrance to the market and is pictured above. The entire site was covered with houses, old paintings, and monuments, including the Fethiye Djami, Tower of the Winds, and a museum of musical instruments.
-The Fethiye Djami is a Turkish mosque that was built in 1456AD.
-The Tower of the Winds, pictured above, is an eight-sided marble tower. According to research, the tower is a combination of not only a water clock, but also a sundial and a weathervane.

4. Library of Hadrian

Library of Hadrian was built in 132-135CE and was the largest library in Athens used to store legal documents and literary works. The library was a place where lectures were present.

5. Temple of Olympian Zeus-

This archeological site is a 15-acre park southeast of the Acropolis and includes a temple consisting of 104 pillars dedicated to the god Zeus. This temple was built in the 6th century B.C. and finished in the 2nd century A.C. by the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. The monument was made of limestone and covered in stucco. King Zeus is known to be the god of the sky and thunder. He is the king of all other gods and men or the chief figure in Greek mythology.

6. Kerameikos and Museum-

Kerameikos contained buildings for local artisans and also consisted of an ancient cemetery. The funerary monuments are displayed in four different rooms.

7. Lyceum of Aristotle

This ancient archeological site was a public exercise park or gymnasium.
Thank you for reading! We listed 7 archaeological sites to visit in Athens.
In the comment section below, please let me know if you have been to Athens, Greece. I would love to hear about your experience. Please also pin this last photo and share this post!
XOXO,
Ashley Bonner

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