September 13 – The Agora

Greeted by clear cobalt skies, this morning we headed straight for the Agora, the ancient market and gathering place. Once the civic and commercial heart of ancient Athens, this was where Athenians gathered to buy and sell, trade and discuss. Loafers and philosophers alike convened here to opine, share gossip, and listen to orators.

It was here where ancient Greek democracy was born. Public services, courts of law, and religious temples could all be found in this broad corner of Athens resting at the foot of the Acropolis.

In the midst of the Agora sits a lone Corinthian column capital.  The leafy curly-cues represent fronds of the acanthus plant. 

On a small hill overlooking the Agora sits the Temple of Hephaestus, also known as Thesion, the best preserved monument in all of the Agora. The columns and pediments of this Doric temple are still intact and it even still has the original roof — the only ancient temple in Greece with that distinction. Constructed in 449 B.C., it is thought to have been dedicated to Hephaistos, God of blacksmiths and metallurgy, and to the Goddess Athena.

In the 7th century A.D., the temple was converted to a Christian church, which undoubtedly accounts for its excellent condition today. Richly painted in the days of the ancient Athenians, today its creamy peach marble contrasts with the manicured gardens surrounding it, just as they were in ancient times.

 

Everywhere you walk in Athens, pockets of digs pit the modern streets. Fences encircle mid-town lots where excavations are taking place below the street surface to reveal hidden treasures slowly emerging from the ground.

Ancient remains of the Agora were first discovered in 1890 when a deep trench was dug to set the Athens-Piraeus Railway. Close to 30 acres of the Agora still remain hidden; to complete the excavations, 400 modern buildings would have to be destroyed. The digging continues.

Down Ermou Street, just a short walk from the Agora, is the Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery of Athens.  Named after Keramos, hero of potters, this was where the most important Athenians of the day were buried.

More Random Sights

The nut man. Pretending to focus on something off to the side, I surreptitiously swung my viewfinder to capture this vendor and his nut cart. Immediately thereafter, he started yelling at me, apparently not wanting his picture taken. Too late!

Adjusting his colorful mounds of ripe fruit, this vendor didn’t seem to mind at all.

Still stately in its crumbling adornment, this building graces one of the many lively corners of Athens.

We found this phrase stenciled on several walls throughout the city. It is the title of a 1978 song written by George Clinton (“GC”) for his band Funkadelic. The lyrics include the line, “Here’s my chance to dance my way out of my constrictions.” But the line that could have been our motto is: “Feet don’t fail me now!”

I will never tire of the vivid splashes of color drenching doors and windows throughout Greece.

Changing of the Guard

Our next destination was Syntagma Square to watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Consulting the map, we headed in what we thought was the right direction. Passing another archaeological dig in progress, we eventually found ourselves in a distinctly industrial area. We had erroneously set off in the opposite direction from Syntagma Square, but following the advice of a friendly local, we skipped over to a nearby metro stop. Ascending from our short subway ride, we emerged into the dazzling daylight of Syntagma Square, just in time for the hourly show.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies in front of the Vouli’, formerly the royal palace, but now the neoclassical Greek National Parliament building which sits at the top of the square. The name of this square derives from the word syndagma, meaning constitution.

In 1843, Greece’s first monarch, King Otho, was pressured into proclaiming the country’s first constitution, pronouncing it from the balcony of the royal palace. Today, Syntagma Square is not only a transportation hub, but the venue for political demonstrations and campaign rallies.

 

The most dramatic and impressive ceremony of the changing of the guards occurs at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. This spectacle includes a parade of around 120 guards and an army band, in addition to the guard changing ceremony itself. Unfortunately, we would not be here this time on a Sunday, so we were satisfied at just seeing one of the hourly rituals, held 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Our timing was perfect — the show was just beginning. Strutting their carefully choreographed movements, two guards mesmerized us as we watched their intent, serious faces, never acknowledging the crowd of onlookers. These Evzones, elite members of the Proedriki Froura (Presidential Guard), take their position seriously even as tourists giggle at their elaborate, fanciful fustanellas. These kilts-like outfits are based on garb worn by the Klephts who fought against Ottoman rule and seem symbolic of the fierce independent spirit of the Greek people. For tourists, the changing of the guards is a wonderful show. To the Evzones, it is a solemn and honorable tradition.

To Market, To Market — Again!

From Syndagma square, it was an easy walk back to our hotel. We had arranged to meet up with Jan and Liisa and baby Mio at 2:00. Right on time, Jan led us all to the food market, another cultural tradition.

Encompassing a huge area, this market displayed fruits, olives, spices of every color, cheeses, and so much more. One section is devoted to meat and fish. It was a bit disconcerting to walk down the aisles of the meat market, looking at huge bloody limbs hanging from hooks, whole chickens still with feathers and dangling by feet, and skinned rabbits still sporting tiny tufts of fur to prove they were fresh. An entire pig lay next to an array of severed pig heads. I did not like that section. And certainly, this was not for squeamish vegetarians.

The fish part was much more palatable and even the sightless eyes staring from enormous fish heads and buckets of squirming eels did not bother me. Fish of every size and shape were displayed, just waiting for the sizzling pan. Jan explained how the whole fish and meat market area had gone through a major clean-up due to new stringent rules of sanitation. Still, I noted how nothing like this market would ever be allowed in the U.S., which I find rather ironic considering our too-frequent meat recalls and illness caused by tainted meat, despite our country’s supposedly strict controls.

Jan led us to a little side alley in the market area where only locals go and we sat down to a fabulous fresh lunch, sharing the various dishes in true Greek style: Greek salad, fried potatoes, and three kinds of little fish. And, of course, copious amounts of local white wine. Sometimes, Jan told us, there is live music here. We parted from our friends back at Syntagma Square as they headed off for home; we headed ourselves towards the Acropolis.