Hadrian’s library

The Library of Hadrian was completed in the year 132. The library was not merely a library (similar to contemporary libraries), but a large public space with gardens and water features. In close proximity to the library lies the roughly same size Roman Agora.

Entrance to the archaeological site of Hadrian's Library. Photo by OI


Roman Emperor Hadrian played a crucial role in Athens in various ways. He was a supporter of Greek culture and constructed several public buildings in the city, leaving behind physical remnants. One significant project was an aqueduct that led to a large water reservoir on the slope of Mount Lykabettus, distributing water throughout Athens. Around the temple of Olympian Zeus, a neighborhood was built, where Hadrian's Gate still remains. In the Agora of Athens, there is, among other things, a statue of Hadrian, and in the archaeological museum, there is a statue of the emperor's beloved Antinous found in Egypt (the museum previously hosted an exhibition on Hadrian's Athens). 

Idealized portrait of Emperor Hadrian by Gregorio di Lorenzon (circa 1472). Louvre collections. The work was displayed in a joint exhibition of the National Gallery of Greece and the Louvre in March 2022 in Athens.


The ruins of Hadrian's Library are one of the central archaeological sites in Athens. The library is one of seven archaeological sites accessible with a five-day combined ticket.

Archaeological sites according to the map of Hadrian's Library: 1. Acropolis and Slopes, 2. Athens Agora and Museum, 3. Roman Agora, 4. Hadrian's Library, 5. Temple of Olympian Zeus, 6. Kerameikos - Kerameikos Museum, 7. Aristotle's School (Lykeion)


Emperor Hadrian constructed the library building between 132–134 CE. The Roman-style building has dimensions of 122 x 82 meters. The entrance on the western side was adorned with a Corinthian column system. In the center was an inner courtyard with an ornate elongated water basin. The library itself was located on the eastern side, where books or papyrus rolls were stored. The library consisted of five large halls and four smaller ones for secondary purposes. The main hall was rectangular, and its western side opened to the inner courtyard through five large openings. Its other three sides had a high, continuous platform with a colonnade. Each level had its own wooden cabinets for storing books. According to the information board, the library would have housed  around 16,800 books.

The two corner halls on the eastern side were small, slightly sloping auditoriums used for lectures and reading texts. They had marble seats and curved honorary seats. The floor was made of marble. The northern auditorium is visible today, but most of the southern one is under the modern Adrianou Street and a building at the corner of Aiolou and Adrianou Streets.


Images from the information board. Reconstruction model by Museo della Civita Romana.


The building suffered severe damage during the Herulian invasion in 267 CE, and it was repaired by the Roman prefect Heraclius in 407–412 CE. Later, three churches were successively built on the site of the water reservoir. The last one, Megali Panaghia, in the early 13th century, became the city's first cathedral. It was demolished in 1885 for archaeological excavations.

Preserved parts of the entrance from the side. Photo by OI


Archaeological site of the library. Photos by OI
View towards the Acropolis. Photo by OI
When an archaeological site is unearthed, the findings are exposed to the elements. Sites require constant care. Photo by OI



Location: Areos 3, Athina 105 55, Kreikka

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