Athens
Athens
+ Athens
Sights
* Agía Aikateríni (Church of St Catherine)
* Agía Sotira (Church of St Sotira)
* Ágioi ApóstoloI (Church of the Holy Apostles)
* Ágios Nikodímos (Church of St Nikodimos)
* Ágios Nikólaos Ragavás (Church of St Nicholas Ragavas)
* Ágios Pávlos (Church of St Paul)
* Anafiótika
* Áreios Págos (Areopagos)
* Ebraïkó Mouseío tis Elláthos (Jewish Museum of Greece)
* Elliniko Paithíko Mouseío (Hellenic Children's Museum)
* Ethnikí Pinakothíki (National Gallery)
* Ethnikós Kípos (National Gardens)
* Exárcheia (Exarchia)
* Filopáppou (Philopappou)
* Gennádios Vivliothíki (American School of Classical Studies)
* Hephaisteion (Temple of Hephaistos)
* Istorikó Mouseío (National Historical Museum)
* Kapnikaréa
* Kentrikí Agorá (Central Market)
* Kéntro Ellinikis Paradosis (Centre for Hellenic Tradition)
* Kéntro Laikis Téchnis Kai Paradosis (Centre for Popular Arts and Traditions)
* Kéntro Meletis Ikoy Theatroy (Greek Theatre Museum)
* Keramikí Syllogí Apo to Mouseío Elliníkis Laografías (Ceramic Collection of the Museum of Greek Folk Art)
* Kerameikós (Keramikos Cemetery)
* Kolonáki
* Mitrópolis
* Mnimeío Lysikrátous (Monument of Lysikrates)
* Monastiráki
* Mouseío Athinón (Museum of the City of Athens)
* Mouseío Benáki (Benaki Museum)
* Mouseío Ellinikís Paithikis Téchnis (Museum of Greek Children's Art)
* Mouseío Kanellópoulos (Kanellopoulos Museum)
* Mouseío Kosmímatos Ilía Lalaoúnis (Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum)
* Naós Aiólou (Tower of the Winds)
* Odion (théatro) Iródou Attikou (Odeon of Herodes Atticus)
* Olympíeion (Temple of Olympian Zeus)
* Píli (Pýli) Adrianoú (Hadrian's Arch)
* Pinakothíki Tou Dímou Athinaïkoú (Municipal Art Gallery)
* Plateía Klafthmonos (Klafthmonos Square)
* Plateía Omonoías (Omonia Square)
* Plateía Syntagmatos (Syntagma Square)
* Pnýka (Pnyx)
* Polemikó Mouseío (War Museum of Greece)
* Proedrikó Mégaro (Presidential Palace)
* Prótoí Nekrotafío Athinón (First Cemetery of Athens)
* Romaïki Agorá (Roman Agora)
* Schliemann's House
* Théatro Dionýsou (Theatre of Dionysos)
* Théatro Filopáppou (philopappou Theatre)
* Vivliothíki Adrianoú (Library of Hadrian)
* Vizantinó Mouseío (Byzantine Museum)
Excursions
+ Excursions
Walk/Drive
Food&Drink
In The Know
Did You Know?
( Highly Recommended )
This principal cemetery of ancient Athens was in the Kerameikos, or potters' quarter of the city. Keramos was the patron saint of potters: hence, ceramics. The cemetery contains tombs and archaeological finds dating back to the 12th century BC, when it was first used for burial purposes. Many tombstones have been replaced as they were, lining the grand Street of the Tombs, which was reserved for the rich. One such, the Tomb of Dionysios of Kollytos, a wealthy Athenian treasurer, is marked by a fine statue of a powerful bull. Others range from the ostentatious to the simple but powerfully moving.
There is also abundant wildlife here, attracted by the stream that flows rather sluggishly through the grounds. Tiny terrapins can be seen in the grass, in the trees are chaffinches and black redstarts, while olive trees and other plants grow in profusion. It can be a peaceful haven from the traffic of the city, except on Sunday mornings when the noisy flea market takes place outside the walls.
The museum here is named after Gustav Oberlander, an industrialist who provided funds towards the excavation of the site in the 1930s. It contains good displays of the potter's art, as well as examples of ostraka, or voting tablets for Athenian elections, from which the term ostracism is derived. There are also some incredibly poignant gravestones, such as the one containing this message from a grieving father: 'This monument, Xenophantes, your father created for you on your death, Sophilos, for whom you, in parting, created sorrow'.
Address: Ermou 148
Phone: 346-3552
Open: Tue-Sun 8:30-3. Closed public holidays
Metro: Theseion
Accessible: None
Admission: Moderate
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