Athens War Museum
The Athens War Museum is a fascinating look at Greek history through
the lens of warfare from ancient battles to the Greek War of Independence and
World War II.
Byzantine Warship in the Athens War Museum
Don't be put off by the name or by the military hardware
outside the War Museum (or Polemikó Mouseío in Greek), for inside is a
fascinating collection covering many aspects of Greek history.
Military Vehicle
Displays
Outside the museum is a display of military vehicles. Children will enjoy climbing up to peer inside the cockpits of the Spitfires and Tiger Moths, and getting a close look at the anti-aircraft guns and some fairly primitive World War I hardware.
The Athens War Museum
Having examined the outside displays, go inside and take the
stairs or lift to the top floor, working your way down, though the layout on
the several floors is not strictly chronological. This makes more sense of a
visit, though, and you may wish to take a break in the café in the basement
afterwards.
Our Pick of the Athens Guides
Temple of Vassai
Friezes
As just one example of the museum's all-encompassing brief, it
includes copies of some dramatic friezes from the remote Temple of Vassai on
the Peloponnese, regarded as one of the most outstanding Greek temples outside
Athens. The friezes show military conflict, and art lovers will appreciate
stumbling across such skilful replicas of otherwise relatively inaccessible
pieces.
Ottoman Scimitars at the Athens War Museum
Photo by Tilemahos Efthimiadis
War Museum: Model
Cities
The museum covers conflicts dating back to the Greek myths,
the Trojan Wars and the tales of Homer. There are first-class models of many of
the fortified towns in Greece, such as Náfplion and Mystra, and others showing
great battle scenes from Greek history.
War Museum on World
War II
World War II is covered in some depth, including the Battle
of Crete and the sufferings of the Athenian population. There is also an extensive
collection of weaponry and uniforms.
Anti-Aircraft Missile Outside the Athens War Museum
Photo by Tilemahos Efthimiadis
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Some other Athens pages
The Changing of the Guard in Athens takes place outside the Parliament building at the top of Syntagma Square and is a must-see for visitors.
This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.
Mount Lykabettos is the highest hill in Athens and provides some of the best views of the city, with a funicular cable car the easiest way to get to the top.
The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.
Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.
Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website
Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.
Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the original Athens Olympic Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games and open to the public for jogging and photography.
Greece Travel Secrets chooses its top ten Athens restaurants with Acropolis views, perfect for dining by day or by night, including places with Michelin stars.
This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..
Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
Around Monastiraki is the flea market, Athens cathedral, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art and the Psirri and Gazi nightlife districts.
Athens Airport hotels include the luxury Sofitel at the terminals, Holiday Inn near the airport, and others close by like the Hotel Pantheon.
Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.
The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.
Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.
The Athens Acropolis has the city's most iconic building, the Parthenon, along with other historic buildings and is where the Elgin Marbles were taken from.
The best views in Athens include views from the Acropolis and of the Acropolis from the top of some of the city’s several hills and from hotels and restaurants.
Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.
In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!
Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.
A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.
Syntagma Square or Constitution Square is the main square in Athens and has a metro station, the Greek Parliament building, hotels, cafes, and a post office.
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