The 10 best hotels near monastiraki square in athens, greece. Start your exploration of athens from this monastiraki square and trace your own piece of history while choosing your way under the shadow of the acropolis hill dozens of small shops clustered in ifestou street right next to the station sell furniture. Monastiraki is a busy square in athens i think the busiest there are many shops for food for coffee for cloths and many others. The atmospheric neighborhood is crisscrossed by a network of narrow backstreets, lined by openair stands and cramped shops offering bargains on everything from vintage shoes and new furniture, to rare books and handmade instruments. One can easily access it on foot or with the metro, from syntagma or omonia. It is here this study of monastiraki converges with the broader spectrum of history. Monastiraki was a separate regional community up to 2010, when it was merged into the extended argosmykines. Athenian history at a glance tweet if you stand at the centre of monastiraki square and take a 360 degrees look around you, you get a pretty full representation of the athenian past and present facing you from within only a few square meters.
Monastiraki athens 2020 all you need to know before. Monastiraki square is where youth converges as the psrthenon and antiquity look on. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. For the best rummaging, come sunday mornings, when the bricabrac explodes out onto.
For centuries this square was the citys commercial center. Monastiraki is a flea market neighborhood in the old town of athens, greece, and is one of the. Monastiraki square with the tzistarakis mosque left and the metro station right. A visit to the monastiraki flea market in athens is a must. Shopping in athens is a favorite pastime for tourists and athenians and one of the best places to buy just about anything is the flea market at monastiraki.
The main objective of this book is to present an original guide of the city of athens through its multiple cinematic facets. Monastiraki flea market athens, greece shopping lonely planet. The monastery of monastiraki, after which the area is named, stands at the heart of the neighbourhood and a multitude of paved streets lined with all kinds of shops run from this central square. The whole history of the city is in this small area. You can also find old closets, bookshelves, frames, mirrors, secretaires, tables, gramophone records and music instruments. The neighborhood of monastiraki with its famous flea market is an amazing. Another mustvisit while in athens is its market of antiques found on avissynias square, only a few meters away from the monastiraki metro station. From ancient rivers and huge libraries to thousandyearold churches and cursed mosques, monastiraki square is arguably a place of wonder. For the best rummaging, come sunday mornings, when the bricabrac explodes out onto the pavements, including on astingos and even across ermou in psyrri. A cantmiss spot of the city of athens, monastiraki square was and still is a boiling cauldron of people, ideas, civilizations, and religions. A history of athens monastiraki in 60 seconds culture trip. Pandrossou is located in the heart of the city, just off monastiraki square. If you want to feel like youre in the center of it all, monastiraki square is the place to be.
Atticamonastiraki is a famous district of athens that extends from the monastiraki square at the end of athinas street until thission, monastiraki is a large part of the district of plaka. A blend of architectural styles, eras and cultures, monastiraki square allows visitors to view the full history of athens in 30 seconds and provides a 360 view. The filmic geography of this book will not be limited to the central historical districts and film locations, but will also include the periphery of athens popular neighbourhoods, poor suburbs or slums are often represented in the postwar neorealist films, garden. Its where so many aspects of athens come together, from the culture and people, to the ancient ruins and history. Today it is particularly crowded on sundays, when the nearby open air flea market attracts throngs of tourists. The area is named after monastiraki square, which in turn is named for the church of the pantanassa that is located within the square. Nov 20, 2012 outlet and balloon shopping at monastiraki square. The neighborhood of monastiraki in central athens is known for its bargain shopping, vibrant nightlife, and an array of historic ruins and monuments. Monastiraki square monastiraki square sights metro station to piraeus or athens airport ath monastiraki, which means small monastery, means several things at once for you as a visitor and is an important destination in athens. But it is the pedestrian section of the street, with. This fruit stand reminds me of my handson experience at a real greek market. Once the area was drained for construction works, vathi square was created in 1926. The official installment of the aten as egypts sole god, and what is known from the egyptian worship of the time, is demonstrated in the socalled great hymn to the aten, from which i quote a single all too familiar verse.
The 10 best bookstores in athens, greece culture trip. Monastiraki is one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods of athens with narrow streets and alleys crosssing. If you stand at the centre of monastiraki square and take a 360 degrees look. The back wall of the library was where the most precious books and scrolls. Adrianou street running north and south is the largest and most central street in plaka and divides it into two areas. Books to read for traveling to athens, greece and the greek islands, books about. Monastiraki athens 2020 all you need to know before you. I went to the monastiraki market and i think i might. Sure, there were tourists galore, but there was also history, yet another angle of the acropolis, the smell of fresh produce and baked goods, the sounds of traditional music, and color everywhere. Right after the declaration of athens as the capital of the. Monastiraki is a famous district of athens that extends from the monastiraki square at the end of athinas street until thission, monastiraki is a large part of the district of plaka. The square is the hub of the neighbourhood with a fountain at its centre surrounded by a metro station, ottoman mosque, orthodox church, and the entrance to the warren of streets that make up monastiraki flea market. Plaka is on the northeast slope of acropolis, between syntagma and monastiraki square.
Perhaps the oldest surviving square of the city, it has faced numerous changes and has surely. But the square is centrally located, the main shopping street ermou passes. The site includes history, travel guides and travelogues, modern and ancient. At monastiraki square are simultaneous present all the periods of athens. Mustvisit flea and food markets in athens truevoyagers. Art galleries in athens art museums in athens childrens museums in athens history museums in athens natural history museums in athens science museums. In the area, youll find bars, outdoor cafes, restaurants, tucked away artsy cafes, eclectic shops and souvenir shops. The streets over 100 stores are a veritable treasure trove of keepsakes, including magnets, jewellery and handmade leather sandals. The neighborhood of monastiraki with its famous flea market is an amazing area of ancent and roman ruins, hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and small shops, like a turkish bazaar, especially on sunday when people come from the hills to sell their wares and it seems like everyone in. Monastiraki news newspapers books scholar jstor december 2009 learn how and when.
Monastiraki is an beautiful and attractive neighbourhood situated west of syntagma square. At the square you will find the monastiraki athens metro station and the main entrance to the flea market. Visit monastiraki on your trip to athens or greece inspirock. Wikipedia omonia square is a busy intersection between panepistimiou, stadiou both these will take you to syntagma, athinas that will take you to monastiraki, peiraios will take you to the port, agiou konstantinou will take you to the national highway towards peloponnese and 3rd septemvriou streets. Omonia square is one of the oldest squares in the city of athens credits. In the old days the flea market it was called yousourum from the name of a rug and bones man that he first made his business there, stavros xarhakos made a wonderful greek popular song the famous yousouroum during the 60s. A small church is all that is left from the womens monastery that gave the area its name. Mar 23, 2015 a guide to the monastiraki area of athens things to see and do in monastiraki monastiraki square. Rare first edition books in all languages and the same paperback you thought. The true flea feel is on plateia avyssinias and in nearby small streets, where dusty palaiopoleia oldstuff sellers rule. Sep 25, 2019 from huge libraries to ancient rivers, cursed mosques, and millenniayearold churches, monastiraki square is undoubtedly a place of enormous historical importance and great beauty.
The main streets of this area are pandrossou street and adrianou street. Myth and history are intertwined with snapshots from the modern culture of. From huge libraries to ancient rivers, cursed mosques, and millenniayearold churches, monastiraki square is undoubtedly a place of enormous historical importance and great beauty. If theres one place where almost the whole history of greece and of athens throughout the years is hauntingly present, this is monastiraki square. Like in many cities, the monastiraki square seems to be the central square of athens. The greek capital has shopping options to suit all tastes and budgets, including antiques at the avissinias square market, greek art at tsantilis antiques and fine art, and books from free thinking zone. At night, buskers and musicians come to play, calling all athenians out. Monastiraki flea market athens, greece shopping lonely. The fascinating ancient history of athens monastiraki square. The square itself is not very interesting, although the small church of st. Monastiraki flea market avissynias square, athens, greece 37. After an actionpacked trip to athens taking in the citys nightlife, cuisine and cultural heritage, finding the ideal memento is a top priority.
Also in monastiraki there are a few used book shops and they all have a few. Monastiraki athens all you need to know before you go. English language bookstores in athens and books about greece. The neighborhood of monastiraki with its famous flea market is an amazing area of ancent and roman ruins, hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and small shops, like a turkish bazaar, especially on sunday when people come from the hills to sell their wares and it seems like everyone in athens is eating, drinking and shopping here.
On one corner of the square is a relic of the turkish occupation, the mosque, minus minaret, built by the athenian moslem, tsisdarakis in 1759. The monastery of pantanassa, in monastiraki square. Also 3 of the best cafeterias in athens which have rooftops and you ca. I went to the monastiraki market and i think i might have. Though inevitably crowded, this bustling thoroughfare is a mustvisit for picking up authentic souvenirs from athens. The moment i got out of my uber and stepped into monastiraki square, i thought to myself, this is greece.
Museums the traditional ceramics section of the museum of folk art on the left, housed in the mosque built in 1759 during the dark years of the turkish occupation by moustafa agas or tzistarakis. Open on saturdays and sundays, this is the place for those of you looking to find a piece of history hidden among the treasures sold in each shop, a piece of memory of the people that used to own. A small church is all that is left from the womens monastery that gave the area its. Ten unforgettable things to do around athens syntagma square. Situated over a large area from monastiraki square and metro station down to the end of ermou street, the flea market is open every day. A quintessential athenian attraction, the old town neighborhood of monastiraki draws visitors by offering a blend of history and shopping. Serving as a bookstore, a printing office, a cafebar and the companys offices, the multifaceted complex provides many quiet corners to read and enjoy a good cup of joe. Its all that remains of a oncegreat monastery in this area. Here is the flea market neighborhood in the old quarters of the city of athens and one of the principal shopping districts in athens. Aug 26, 2017 vathi square took its name from the lower ground, where the waters of the cycloborus stream ended. Monastiraki is one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods of athens with narrow streets and alleys crosssing each other occupied by numerous shops and street vendors. You can take the metro down here straight to monastiraki station, which is the eu renovated neoclassic building from 1895 right behind me and be right in the hub of souvenir shops.
The street starts at syntagma square, cuts through monastiraki square and ends in the gazi area. Top 10 things to see and do in athens greece bijuleni. The word monastiraki means little monastery, and refers to the small monastery in monastiraki square. Monastiraki, literally little monastery is a distinctive old athens area, with narrow, irregularly crisscrossing streets, and small buildings, typical of ottoman and, to some extent, byzantine urban planning. The building housed the library, which stored books and state archives. It is located adjacent to mykines ancient mycenae and the heraion of argos, with a view of the entire argolic plain. Monastiraki square is the hub of life around here and the main street leading off takes one to narrow streets with a thousand artifacts to buy and sell. Where did athens neighborhoods and squares get their names. A guide to the monastiraki area of athens things to see and do in monastiraki monastiraki square. It is situated north of plaka, the traditional neighborhood under the acropolis, and right next to the busy junction of two central streets, ermou and athinas. Vathi square took its name from the lower ground, where the waters of the cycloborus stream ended.