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.
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
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.
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.
Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.
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 car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.
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.
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.
There's all kinds of entertainment in Athens whether you're interested in theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, Greek music, rock music, disco, opera or movies.
This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.
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.
Amusing children in Athens is easy as there is lots to do including a children’s museum, planetarium, beaches, and easy excursions to the nearest islands.
Athens Airport hotels include the luxury Sofitel at the terminals, Holiday Inn near the airport, and others close by like the Hotel Pantheon.
Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.
There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.
The Athens National Historical Museum is in the former Greek Parliament building and houses an archive of historical artefacts and documents.
The Pnyx hill near the Acropolis is one of Athens' true hidden gems, a place to wander freely away from the crowds and discover ancient places and mysteries.
The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.
Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athens guide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.
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.
In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
Athens in the rain isn’t something you’re likely to experience but here are suggestions for things to do in the rain in Athens including museums and shopping
This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..
This Athens dining guide doesn't list restaurants but gives practical advice on types of eating places, tipping, hotel breakfasts and picnics.
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