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TOUR OF ATHENS, stage 10 FROM OMONIA SQUARE TO KYPSELI Tour of Athens, Stage 10: Papadiamantis Square), former- umental staircases lead to the 107. Bell-shaped FROM MONIA QUARE ly a garden city (with villas, Ionian style four-column propy- idol with O S two-storey blocks of flats, laea of the ground floor, a copy movable legs TO K YPSELI densely vegetated) devel- of the northern hall of the from Thebes, oped in the 1920’s - the Erechteion ( page 13). Boeotia (early 7th century suburban style has been B.C.), a model preserved notwithstanding 1.2 ¢ “Acropol Palace” of the mascot of subsequent development. Hotel (1925-1926) the Athens 2004 Olympic Games A five-story building (In the photo designed by the archi- THE SIGHTS: an exact copy tect I. Mayiasis, the of the idol. You may purchase 1.1 ¢Polytechnic Acropol Palace is a distinctive example of one at the shops School (National Athens Art Nouveau ar- of the Metsovio Polytechnic) Archaeological chitecture. Designed by the ar- Resources Fund – T.A.P.). chitect L. Kaftan - 1.3 tzoglou, the ¢Tositsa Str Polytechnic was built A wide pedestrian zone, from 1861-1876. It is an flanked by the National archetype of the urban tra- Metsovio Polytechnic dition of Athens. It compris- and the garden of the 72 es of a central building and T- National Archaeological 73 shaped wings facing Patision Museum, with a row of trees in Str. It has two floors and the the middle, Tositsa Str is a development, entrance is elevated. Two mon- place to relax and stroll. it became clearly an urban location, now one of the busiest streets of Athens. Among a multitude of new buildings, neoclassical, Art Nouveau and modernist buildings are preserved. As you head from the crossroads of Patision Str and Alexandras Avenue, to- wards Patisia, on your left is Victorias Square (at 3rd Septemvriou Str), on your right 1 PATISION STR is the stately Higher School of 106. The Economic and Scientific Studies, (28th OCTOVRIOU STR) National (1935), on your left the “Hara” Archaeo logical central road linking Patisia block of flats, an pioneering Museum and its to the centre, before the work built in the 1920’s at garden. In the A background , part early 20th century Patision Str Patission Str 337 and on your of the Exarhia was a rural area with small hous- right the Kypriadis neighbour- district. es and gardens! Following rapid hood (in the vicinity of M TOUR OF ATHENS, stage 10 FROM OMONIA SQUARE TO KYPSELI 108. remains and the statue of prince Ayia Zoni (1927) and Ayios The propylaea Alexander Ypsilantis (1792-1828), Georgios (at the square of the of the wholly who was closely connect ed to same name, 1931.) renovated the GreekRevolution of 1821. National THE SIGHTS: Archaeological 2.5 ¢Ayios Haralambos Museum. The church was built in 1928, 3.1 ¢Fokionos Negri Str in cruciform shape, at the site A wide, stately, densely vege- of an old church. In the church tated pedestrian zone linking are icons of the important Kypselis Square to Droso poulou Greek painter F. Kontologou. Str, Fokionos Negri Str is the centre of the neighbourhood. 2.6 1.4 ¢The National geois character of the area, lo- ¢Mavromateon Str Originally called the “green Archaeological Museum cated at the crossroads of Ale - An elegant road linking the boulevard”, Fokionos xandras Avenue, and Patision Str. Negri Str was built in 1937, A stately building constructed in Archaeological Museum with at the site of a stream. the late 19th century, the Natio - Kodringtonos Str. Facing 2 In the 1960’s it ac- nal Archaeological Museum was PEDION Pedion tou Areos is a row of quired a reputation designed by L. Lange and Ern. TOU AREOS stately, luxury blocks of flats, most of them built in 1925- for nightlife, attracting politi- Ziller. The Ionian style propy- he largest park in Athens 110. The statue 1960, when the street was cians and artists. A busy street laea are adorned with clay stat- (230,000 m2), was laid out of Athena T thought to be one of the most throughout the day, it is a pop- Promahos. ues, the copies of ancient in 1934. Named after the roman prestigious locations of the city. ular recreational area, with 74 works, while on either side is 75 campus martius, the park used dozens of cafes, restaurants and an oblong arcade. Athenians like to be a training ground for mili- small bars. On the pedestrian 111. The to stroll in the attractive garden 3 Kypseli tary units. Athenians like to go KΥPSELI passage between Sporadon and in front of the museum, espe- for a walk here all year round, neighbourhood distinctive bourgeois Zakynthou Str (42, Fokionos cially in summer (for museum or seek entertainment at cafes, has been largely neighbourhood of Athens, Negri Str) stands the preserved redeveloped. exhibits page 86). outdoor theatres, and other A Kypseli has preserved its aristo- building of the old Municipal However, venues. Market (1935), used now by the a multitude 1.5 ¢Egyptou Square cratic character, although in the past few decades it has been residents of the area as a cultur- examples of the 2.4 ¢Taxiarhon Church varied architect - An elegant square with neoclas- rebuilt and is now densely pop- al event centre and an organic sical and modernist buildings, Post-Byzantine church of the ure distinctive of ulated. In the 1990’s a multi- foods market. the neighbour - examples of the formerly bour- 16th or 17th century. In the court tude of immigrants settled in hood in the past there is a monument with the Kypseli, transforming it into a 3.2 ¢Courts (former Army are preserved. Cadet School) 109. THE SIGHTS: charming multicultural neigh- The statue bourhood. Among the modern A complex of neo- of king 2.1 ¢ The statue of King Constantine: A bronze statue of king blocks of flats several examples classical buildings, Constantine Constantine (1868-1922) placed on a monumental marble pedestal, of stately neoclassical buildings the courts are located on horseback. erected in 1938. It is located at the central entrance of the park, and blocks of flats of the inter- south of Kypseli facing Egyptou Square. war period are preserved, (Evelpidon Str). The 2.2 ¢Statue of Athena (Promahos): A monument which are worth seeing. They building was built dedicated to the British, Australian and New Zealand are located on distinctive roads from 1900-1904, (de- soldiers killed in the Second World War, it was sculpted in of the neighbourhood (among signed by Ern. Ziller), 1952 by sculptor V. Falireas. The marble lioness at the base others, (Drosopoulou Str, for the Army Cadet was sculpted by Ath. Limnaios. Eptanisou Str, Ithakis Str, Tinou School. In the early 2.3 ¢Iroon Avenue: A wide, stately road in the park with Str, Tenedou Str, Spetson Str, 1980’s the Athens the busts of the freedom fighters of the Greek Revolution. Lefkadas Str). You will also find Courts were accom- You will find it at the Mavromateon Str entrance. in Kypseli the notable churches modated here. TOUR OF ATHENS, stage 11 HISTORICAL WALK THE SIGHTS: Tour of Athens, Stage 11: (from Syntagma Square to Ampelokipi): H ISTORICAL W ALK 1 THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS BUILDING (5, Vassilisis Sofias Avenue) The work of Ern. Ziller (1872- 1873), it belonged to the Syngros family before being bequeathed to the Greek state in 1921. The neoclassical mansion housing the main services of the ministry, has been desig- nated a work of art. In 1985 it was linked to a later building, at Zalokosta Str. VASSILISIS SOFIAS AVENUE 2 THE FRENCH EMBASSY he most impressive road of (Psyhas Mansion) TAthens, linking Syntagma Square to Ampelokipi. A stately three-storey building Formerly called Kifissias at the crossroads of Akadimias 76 Avenue, it linked Athens to the Str). It was built in 1894 by An. 77 traditional suburb of Kifissia. It Metaxas for the Psyhas family. It has notable modernist deco- f you don’t have much time, in the historical walk has in part lost the original character of a classic boulevard. rative elements connected to (approximately 3.5 kilometres) you can visit and see However, it is one the most the neoclassical style. the most important monuments and sights of Athens. charming roads of the city, I THE TALIAN It is a walk through history, from classical antiquity, with some of the most attrac- 3 Ι through all the historical periods, architectural styles, tive buildings, museums and EMBASSY and successive phases of the development of the city parks. The residence of prince Nicholas, before the expulsion to the 21st century (classical period, of the royal family in 1917, it roman period, Byzantium, Turkish occupation, later accommodated a luxury neoclassicism, and 20th century). hotel (“Le Petit Palais”). Later it In fact it is a walk in history, which only Athens can offer. was bought by the Italian gov- ernment to accommodate the embassy. THE ΑCROPOLIS ( page 9) OTTOMAN MONUMENTS 4 THE NATIONAL THE ODEION OF IN ΑTHENS GARDEN ( page 54) HERODES ΑTTICUS ( page 27) ( page 8) 5 THE BENAKI SYNTAGMA MUSEUM 112. ( page 30) SQUARE (1, Koumpari Str) A detail of the PLΑΚΑ central building ( page 52) The most impressive neoclassi- of the Greek ΒYZANTINE MONUMENTS cal building of Athens, it was Ministry of IN ΑTHENS ( page 22) built in stages from 1910 to 1931 Foreign Affairs. TOUR OF ATHENS, stage 11 HISTORICAL WALK 7 THE STATHATOS MANSION A remarkable neoclassical mansion (at the crossroads of Iro - dotou Str and Vassilisis Sofias Avenue), Stathatos Mansion was designed by Ern.

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