The Pnyx
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 Acropolis as seen from the Pnyx Hill in Athens
Photo by George E. Koronaios
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
This green and hilly retreat is across the road from the
Acropolis, yet few tourists take in this fascinating part of the city. Most
visitors are ferried to the Acropolis in coaches and do not have the time, or
inclination, to head in the opposite direction. It's a great shame as it's
dotted with ancient ruins and some curiosities.
It's a lovely place to just wander at random. To us it's one
of the truly hidden gems of Athens - sorry for the cliché, but it is. We've no
doubt that in years to come as more parts of it are excavated and explored,
more treasures will come to life and it will be one of the city's top
attractions. At the moment one of the pleasures is that it's definitely a place for the curious - it's not that well
signposted, and there's not much to tell you what the various places are. That
is bound to change.
View of the Pnyx from the Acropolis
Photo by Peulle
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
The Pnyx
The Pnyx (or Pnyka) itself is where, in the golden days of
Periclean Athens, the Athenian Assembly would meet in the amphitheatre, and
crowds would gather to hear the great orators of the day. The first meetings
known to have been held here were in 507BC. Quite how many people could meet
here is not known for sure, but estimates are anywhere from 6-13,000.
Many famous historical Greek names addressed the public here, including Pericles, Aristides, and Demosthenes. You can still see the Stepping Stone or Speaker's Platform from which the orators would speak. Use a little imagination and some incredible images will come into your mind while you look around here.
The Speaker's Platform at the Pnyx
Photo by Tomisti
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
You'll also understand why the name Pnyx derives from the Greek word pnyka, which means 'tightly packed together'. Today pnyka literally means 'suffocation'.
Prison of Socrates
To the left of the main path, as you walk up beyond the
entrance signs, a side path leads to the so-called 'Prison of Socrates'.
Visitors should not get too excited, as these two holes in the wall look more
like the entrances to a modern public lavatory and there is no historical
evidence whatsoever to suggest that this was the prison where the philosopher
Socrates was kept after being arrested for allegedly corrupting Athenian youth
with his teachings. He was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock and actually
died in the state prison in the Agora.
Deaf Man's Cave
Deaf Man's Cave
Not far from the Prison of Socrates is Deaf Man's Cave,
whose two entrances are gated off. The cave was only excavated in 2009, and
it's believed that this was originally a place of worship, then used as regular
homes, and finally as burial places. The dramatic name is simply because one of
the residents at one time was believed to have been deaf.
Ágios Demetrius
Loumbardiaris
To the right of the main entrance path to the Pnyx, almost opposite the Prison of Socrates, is a delightful, small church, Ágios Demetrius Loumbardiaris. This was originally built in 1460 and sympathetically rebuilt in 1955.
Behind the church a path leads to the Pnyx itself. Further on is the Hill of the Nymphs, fenced off at the top because it houses an observatory.
View of the Acropolis from the Pnyx Plateau in Athens
Photo by George E. Koronaios
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Philopappou
In the Pnyka and on top of the Hill of the Muses is the
Monument of Philopappou. This is south from the Prison of Socrates. Banished to
Athens by the Romans, Philopappou became the Roman Consul in Athens in 100AD.
He was popular here because of his generosity and was allowed to build this
grandiose tomb on one of the city's prime sites in 114–116AD.
View of the Acropolis from the Pnyx Plateau in Athens
Photo by George E. Koronaios
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Dora Stratou Dance
Theatre
On the western slopes of Philopappou Hill is this theatre,
also known as the Philopappou Theatre. Dora Stratou was a renowned Greek
dancer, who preserved traditional Greek dances, music and costumes, and later
founded her own dance school and dance company, which performs flamboyant shows
here every night throughout the summer months.
Dora Stratou Dance Theatre in Athens
To reach the theatre, take the entrance to the Pnyx which is opposite the Acropolis entrance on Areopagitou, and follow the signs which direct you to the far side of the hill.
Visiting the Dora
Stratou Dance Theatre
There are performances put on at the theatre but you can
also attend dance classes there, and improve your Greek dancing skills! Take a
class or two here and then the next time someone hauls you out of your seat at
a taverna to join in some Greek dancing, you'll amaze them. Find out more on
the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre website.
Check out our YouTube video above, with some impromptu Greek dancing in the village of Profitis Ilias on Crete. Of course we joined in! That's Donna in the denim jacket, while Mike was behind the camera, filming the great dancing and music.
Some other Athens pages
Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.
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.
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 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 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 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.
Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.
Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Athens with a month-by-month account of the weather, hotel prices and any special events that are happening.
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.
The Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum is housed in a beautiful villa with an underground wing and lovely gardens too.
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
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 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.
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.
If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.
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.
Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website
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 culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.
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.
Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.
This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..
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.
Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.
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