Museums of Athens

Olympieion, with its freely standing and collapsed columns, is a charming, almost Piranesi-like quality image of ancient ruins. On the edge of the archaeological site lies Hadrian's Gate.   Olympieion in March 2022. Photo by OI In March 2022, the restoration of the temple was in progress. Modern scaffolding created a new architectural layer for the site - for those who wish to view the site from a different perspective.   Several different building phases and structures have been discovered in the Olympieion area. The images include a map of the area and its explanation from an information board. At the top of the map is a Roman bath.   Olympieion was built in multiple phases. Pericles initiated the construction, but the work was interrupted after his era. The work resumed during the Hellenistic period around 100 BCE but was interrupted again.   In the 1820s, the Ilissos River still flowed freely. Edward Dodwell - Edward Dodwell: Views in Greece, London 1821, p. 59 (...

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 exhibiti...