Greece 2014 Adventure Day 10: Athens Tour Part 2

After leaving Kotzia Square and City Hall we made our way along Stadiou street.

This street is named after the ancient panathenaic Stadium (stop 8), which is located abut 3 km southeast of the downtown core. It is directly aligned to the ancient stadium and passed both the Klafthmonos and Kolokotron squares.

The Museum of the city of Athens is nestled in here as well as a tiny square called Karitsi square.

We were now going into the Plaka District.



Stadiou street has existed during ancient times and is now a modern street that was originally designed to extend all the way to the stadium. Sadly due to funds this projects was cut short, however the name remained.  Apparently the street was officially renamed "Churchill street" after WWII in honour of the British Prime minister, but Athenians remained ever faithful to the traditional street name.

 

 

We discovered that two other streets which retained their traditional names. both main thoroughfares through to downtown Athens. these streets run parallel to each other and to Stadious Street: Eleftherios Venizelso Street and Roosevelt street ( University and Akadimias streets respectively).

We passed several famous buildings which included the Bank of Greece and the Old Parliament Building.

Klauthmonos square is located just off the central part of Stadiou street its name translated means "lamentation square". The Ministry of the Interior is also located here.

We were told that during the 19th century Greek public servants were not permanent and could at the whim of the minter be hired or fired. Following an election the would assemble at the square to find out what the results of the election was. In case of victory of a party other than the one which had hired them they would then laminate their impending unemployment. Very dramatic!!

The modern street was first rebuilt in the early to mid-19th century and was later paved. Streetcars and trolleys were added in the 20th century and it is mainly a shopping street with upscale shops all the way up to  Syntagma Square


Stop A1 Syntagma Square: the heart of the modern city beats right here. The Parliament to the east of the square is a constant reminder of the origin of its name. In 1843 the Greeks received their first constitution from King Otto after many persistent demonstrations.

A small beautiful church we passed in Ermou street!

The Plaka district:The neighborhood of the Olympic gods. The Monmartre of old Athens, narrow roads lead to numerous jewelry, souvenir, leather and fur shops, tavernas, restaurants, coffee shops and small picturesque squares.

 

 

We then made our way to stop A5 Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus.

Hadrian's Arch is an impressive Roman monument and it was built in AD 131 of Pentelic marble to honour the Roman Emperor Adrian. It also marks the border between the old and the new city of Athens in

the Roman Period.

Temple of Olympian Zeus: An impressive temple dedicated to the father of the gods Zeus. The biggest temple of antiquity.

Both of these monuments deserve a page of their own......to continue.