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The Ancient Agora in Athens

GreeceAthensArchaeological Sites › Ancient Agora
Updated: January 24, 2023
By Santorini Dave

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View across the Ancient Agora up to the Acropolis.

Athens’ sprawling Ancient Agora sits at the northwest base of the Acropolis and is one of the city’s top archaeological sites.

Tours and Tickets:
Athens Pass Combo Ticket (7 archaeological sites + Acropolis Museum. No tour.)
Athens Mythology Highlights Tour (Guided tour of Acropolis, Ancient Agora, and Temple of Olympian Zeus)
Mythology Tour for Families (Kid-centered tour of the Acropolis and Ancient Agora)
Private Group Tour (Ancient Agora, Plaka, & Monastiraki)
Daily Life in Ancient Athens (private tour of Kerameikos, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Monastiraki & Plaka neighborhoods)

Ancient Agora Hours and Information

  • Hours: Open daily. Summer (April to October) 8am – 8pm; last entrance to the site at 7:40pm. Winter (November to March) 8am – 5pm; last entrance to the site at 4:40pm. Closed 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Orthodox Easter Sunday, 25 & 26 December.
  • Website: odysseus.culture.gr
  • Location: Adrianou 24
  • Telephone: +30 210 321 0185
  • Admission Fee: Summer (April to October) entrance fee: 10€. Winter (November to March) entrance fee: 5€. Reduced admission 5€. Ticket prices include admission to the museum of the Ancient Agora of Athens. You can also purchase a 30€ combo ticket for this and 6 additional sites: Acropolis, the Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos, and Aristotle’s Lyceum. The combo ticket is valid for 5 days and offered year round. Tickets can be purchased on site or in advance online.
  • Free Entry: 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri), 18 April (International Monuments Day), 18 May (International Museums Day), the last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days), 28 October, every first Sunday from November 1st to March 31st.
  • Parking: Street parking, nearby pay lots.
  • Nearest Metro: Monastiraki, Thiseio.

Map showing locations of prominent structures within the Ancient Agora of Athens.

The Ancient Agora in Athens

  • The Ancient Agora is located on the border of Athens’ Plaka and Thiseio neighborhoods, at the northwest foot of the Acropolis. The closest metro stations are Monastiraki (Line 3 or Blue line) or Thiseio (Line 1 or Green line), both about 300 meters away.
  • The Ancient Agora of Athens is not to be confused with the Roman Agora, which is situated nearby, about 100 meters to the west.
  • The Ancient Agora served as a municipal marketplace and the political, cultural, and economic center of Ancient Athens. Later, under the Roman Emperor, Augustus, the marketplace moved over to the nearby Roman Agora.
  • There are 3 prominent structures at the site:
    Collonaded stone building with trees in the background
    The Stoa of Attalos is a typical building of the Hellenistic Period, built by and named after King Attalos or Attalus of Pergamon 269–197 BC. A faithful replica of the original building, it was reconstructed in the 1950s and is now home to the Museum of Ancient Agora (included in admission price).View of an ancient Greek temple from below, surrounded by greenery
    The Temple of Hephaestus (460-415 BC) is located on top of Agoraios Kolonos hill on the northwest side of the Agora. There were many potters and metal-working workshops in the area of the temple, and it is named after the patron god of metal working, craftsmanship, and fire. From the 7th century until 1834, it served as the Greek Orthodox church of Saint George Akamates. In the 19th century, the building was used as a burial place for many people who died in the Greek War of Independence in 1821. Consistent use has helped the building to remain intact.

    Old byzantine church, surrounded by stone ruins and greenery
    The Byzantine Church of Agioi Apostoloi (Holy Apostles), located next to the Stoa of Attalos, is one of the earliest byzantine churches in Athens, dating back to the late 10th century. A liturgy is held once a year on June 30th.

Entrance gate and ticket booth for an archaeological site.

The Ancient Agora of Athens is located at the foot of the Acropolis. Its entrance is a quick and easy walk from Monastiraki Square.

People in winter jackets walk by ancient stone pillars

The site is open year-round, with reduced hours and admission prices from November through March.

Crushed gravel path, leading past stone ruins of ancient pillars.

The Agora once served as the the political, cultural, and economic center of Ancient Athens. It’s cool to walk the ancient paths and imagine what once was.

Stone foundation ruins in front of a a long building lined with pillars

The largest structure on the site is the Stoa of Attalos, measuring in at 116 meters long.

A long building lined with pillars, with an olive tree in front.

Detail shot of the beamed portico ceilings and the marble columns on the Stoa of Attalos

The Stoa of Attalos we see today is a reconstruction from the 1950s, but is faithful to the style of the original, built in the 2nd century BC. It is thought to have been a sort of ancient shopping mall, lined with merchant stalls.

Colonnade with wood beamed ceiling and marble floors

Marble statues on pedestals under a wood beamed colonnade

The Stoa’s impressive colonnade features beautiful marble statuary.

Marble statue of a robed woman, missing arms and head, next to a stone wall and doorway

Marble relief of a chariot driver and horses

Marble statues of women atop pedestals, each missing various body elements

Marble bust of a man with curly hair and a beard, dressed in draping garments

Statue of a robed woman with her hand on her hip. The head is missing.

People look at artifacts in museum display cases

The Stoa now houses a museum that displays artifacts found in the Agora excavation site. The museum spans 10 of the Stoa’s original 42 shop spaces. Admission to the museum is included in the entrance fee to the site.

Ancient pottery in Museum display cases

Earthenware vessels displayed in a museum

Red and black Greek vessels in a museum display case

Marble busts and a statue of a dancing man in museum displays

Museum corridor lined with lit display cases, filled with ancient artifacts

View looking out of the Marble colonnade of the Stoa of Attalos, from behind the statue of a bust.

Marble colonnade of the Stoa of Attalos, as seen from below.

View to the Acropolis from the Ancient Agora of Athens.

View to the Acropolis from the Ancient Agora.

Old Byzantine domed church with pillars and stone ruins in front

Just south of the Stoa of Attalos lies the Byzantine Church of Agioi Apostoloi. Dating back to the late 10th Century, it is one of the earliest byzantine churches in Athens.

View of a Byzantine curch from the back

Detail photo of Byzantine church doors, featuring intricate stone and woodwork.

Rear view of a Byzantine church

The church is generally closed to visitors, but opens once a year for a liturgy on June 30th.

Ruins of marble columns are strewn on their sides

Path lined with stone ruins and old column bases

Ancient temple with marble colonnade and crumbling roof.

Across the Agora from the Stoa sit the beautiful ruins of the Temple of Hephaestus.

A small girl looks at a stray cat in front of a marble temple colonnade

The temple dates from the 5th Century BC, and is named after the patron god of metal working, craftsmanship, and fire.

Marble colonnade of an ancient Greek temple

View looking up at the pillars and roof of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens

View to the Acropolis of Athens across the stone ruins and gardens of the Ancient Agora

View across the Ancient Agora up to the Acropolis, as seen from the Temple of Hephaestus.

View of the Stoa of Attalos from the Temple of Hephaestus.

View of the Stoa of Attalos from the Temple of Hephaestus.

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.