Dionisiou Aeropagitou Str.
One of the most impressive streets in Athens with an amazing view of Acropolis and Parthenon. Pay attention to the buildings on the street’s left side. Most of them were built at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century and are of neoclassic or modernistic type representing the area’s elegance.
Dionysus Ancient Theater
Cross the gate leading to the archaeological sites (on the south aisle of Acropolis), walk Dionysiou Aeropagitou Street and go straight up. Higher on your right you will see the most ancient of all famous theaters in the world, Dionysus ancient theater. Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides and Sophocles, four of the most famous ancient Greek poets, watched their plays being performed for the first time (5th century B.C.) in this theater. The theater bench rows and stage were first built from wood. During the 4th century B.C. the theater was rebuild in stone. Nowadays, the only preserved parts are those of the stone bench rows. According to experts, the theater had 17.000 seats capacity. The choragic Thrassilos Monument (319 B.C.) stands above the theater, carved in Acropolis rock and a little higher you can see two choragic Corinthian columns.
Eumenis Stoa (Porch)
Continuing your walk you will reach Eumenis Stoa, which was built in the 2nd century by the King of Pergamos, Eumenis II. Its main purpose was to protect the audience from sun or bad weather. Above Stoa you can see the ruins of Asklipios which was built after the famine in 429 B.C. that decimated Athens population.
Herod Atticus Odeon
Herodion, as it is called today, was built in 161 B.C. by Tiberius Claudius Herod Atticus, renowned personality, teacher and philosopher who inherited his father’s wealth. Herod Atticus built this roofed Odeon for music concerts in honor of his wife Regilla, after her death. The Ancient Greeks used to organize musical events in this venue. Nowadays, every summer Athens Festival events take place in this theater that can host up to 5,000 spectators. Its magic and beauty, however, can only be understood when walking on the way to Acropolis.
Acropolis
It is the Athens symbol, the sacred rock, the connection between ancient and contemporary civilizations. The monuments that stand today on the Sacred Rock are dated from the prehistoric period up to the ancient times. There is not even one person (Greek or foreign visitor) that does not want to pay due honor to this sacred rock and see its beauty and glory. A visit to the sacred rock of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum is an unforgettable experience.
Court of Cassation (Arios Pagos)
It is the most ancient court in the world and was specifically respected place during the ancient times. The first aristocratic Parliament of ancient Athens was located here. Throughout the time this parliament lost its political power and since the second half of the 5th century B.C. it had only judicial power mainly focusing on homicide cases. As described in “Oresteia” this was the court where Orestis went on trial for murdering his mother Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthos. As the bronze plate on the rock base informs us this was also the place where Athenians first heard Apostle Pavlos preaching in 52 A.D.
