See Also
- Top-Rated Lodgings in Athens
- Places to Stay in Athens
- Top Dining Spots in Athens
- Prime Activities to Enjoy in Athens
- Complete Athens Travel Guide
Tours & Tickets:
• Athens Pass Mixed Ticket (7 archaeological sites + Acropolis Museum.
• Everyday Existence in Old Athens (private tour of Kerameikos, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Monastiraki & Plaka neighborhoods)
Roman Agora Hours and Information
- Operational Hours: Open daily. Summer (April to October) 8am – 8pm; last entry to the site at 7:40pm. Winter (November to March) 8am – 5pm; last entry to the site at 4:40pm. Closed 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Orthodox Easter Sunday, 25 & 26 December.
- Website: odysseus.culture.gr
- Location: Normanou Road
- Telephone: +30 210 324 5220
- Admission Price: Summer (April to October) entrance fee is 8€. Winter (November to March) entrance fee is 4€. Reduced admission is 4€. You can also buy a 30€ combined ticket for this site and 6 others: Acropolis, Ancient Agora of Athens, Hadrian’s Library, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos and Aristotle’s Lyceum. The combined ticket is valid for 5 days throughout the year. Tickets can be purchased on site or in advance online.
- No Cost Entry: March 6th (honoring Melina Mercouri), April 18th (International Monuments Day), May 18th (International Museums Day), the last weekend in September each year (European Heritage Days), October 28th, the first Sunday of each month from November 1st through March 31st.
- Parking: Street parking, nearby pay lots.
- Nearest Metro: Monastiraki.
The Roman Agora in Athens
- The Roman Agora (sometimes called the Roman Forum) is located in the Plaka neighborhood to the north of the Acropolis; the closest metro station is Monastiraki, about a 220 meter walk away.
- It is important not to confuse the Roman Agora with the older Ancient Agora of Classical Athens, which is situated about 100 meters away to the west.
- Constructed as Athens`s new commercial center in the 1st century BC under the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus, the Roman Agora was later expanded in the 2nd century by the emperor Hadrian.
- There are 3 major architectural structures located at the Roman Agora:
The Gate of Athena Archegetis was constructed in 11 BC by the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Augustus to mark the entrance to the site.
The Tower of the Winds (or Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes) was constructed by Adronicus of Cyrrhus, a Macedonian astronomer, in the 2nd century BC, and is virtually still intact. It was utilized as a clock tower and to predict the weather, and is considered to be the first weather station ever built. Each side of the tower includes a carved marble frieze depicting one of the eight Greek wind deities.
- During the Byzantine and Ottoman Eras, the area was covered with houses, workshops, churches and mosques. The Tower of the winds was used as a church in the 6th century.
- A three-section structure on the east side currently remains unidentified as the site has not been fully excavated and restoration initiatives are still ongoing.
The Gate of Athena Archegetis was constructed in 11 BC by the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Augustus to mark the entrance to the site.
The Tower of the Winds (or Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes) was constructed by Adronicus of Cyrrhus, a Macedonian astronomer, in the 2nd century BC, and is virtually still intact. It was utilized as a clock tower and to predict the weather, and is considered to be the first weather station ever built. Each side of the tower includes a carved marble frieze depicting one of the eight Greek wind deities.
