Athens

Information

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica periphery and is one of the world’s oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Today a cosmopolitan metropolis, modern Athens is central to economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece .Today,the power of the whole country is housed in the Syntagma Square in the building of the Greek Parliament (Vouli).

Population

The Greek capital has a population of 4,013,368 (in 2004).It is the 4th most populous capital city of the Europe.

Development

Athens is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Acropolis of Athens and the medieval Daphni Monastery. Landmarks of the modern era, dating back to the establishment of Athens as the capital of the independent Greek state in 1833, include the Hellenic Parliament (19th century) and the Athens Trilogy consisting of the National Library of Greece, the Athens University and the Academy of Athens. Athens was the host city of the first modern-day Olympic Games in 1896, and 108 years later it welcomed home the 2004 Summer Olympics. Athens is home to the National Archeological Museum, featuring the world's largest collection of ancient Greek antiquities, as well as the new Acropolis Museum.

Culture

ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ATHENS

The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by a number of ancient monuments and works of art, the most famous of all being the Parthenon.Other famous monuments: The temple of Olympian Zeus,Hadrian's arch, The Ancient theatre of Dionysos, The Stoa of Eumenes and The Odeion of Herodes Atticus.The only Roman monumet in town is The Roman Agora.

BYZANTINE & OTTOMAN ATHENS

The city also retains a vast variety of Byzantine monuments,such as: The Old Metropolis (The Old Cathedral), Kapnikarea, Ayia Ekaterini,Metochi Panayiou Tafou,Pantanassa,Ayioi Theodoroi and Taxiarches (The church of the Petraki Monastery),as well as a smaller number of remaining Ottoman monuments,like Mosques,The Turkish Bath and Muslim Seminary,wich are projecting the city's long history.

Etymology & Name historyIn Ancient Greek, the name of Athens was: Ἀθῆναι [atʰ ːnai], related tο the name of the ɛ̂�goddess Athena. An etiological myth explaining how Athens acquired this name was well known among ancient Athenians and even became the theme of the sculpture on the West pediment of the Parthenon. Both Athena and Poseidon requested to be patrons of the city and to give their name to it, so they competed with one another for the honor, offering the city one gift each. Poseidon produced a salt water spring by striking the ground with his trident, symbolizing naval power. Athena created the olive tree, symbolizing peace and prosperity. The Athenians, under their ruler Cecrops, accepted the olive tree and named the city after Athena.

Geography

Athens is in the central plain of Attica .It is surrounded by four large mountains :• 1.Mount Aegaleo (to the west)• 2.Mount Parnitha (to the north) – it is the

tallest of all (1413 m)• 3.Mount Penteli (to the northeast)• 4.Mount Hymettus (to the east)The Saronic Gulf lies in the southwest.

RiversAthens has 3 rivers, whose main part has been covered with concrete. These are:

• Eridanos• Cephissus• IllissosEridanos in March 2008 Cephissus river view from above The only uncanalized part of the Illissos river bed

Project by :

Lina Thomopoulou