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The Roman Agora in Athens

Greece › Athens › Archaeological Sites › Roman Agora
By Santorini Dave

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View from the Roman Forum in Athens, looking south through marble columns to the Acropolis

The Roman Forum, one of the most important archaeological sites in Athens, is located just north of the Acropolis

Tours & Tickets:
• Athens Pass Combo Ticket (7 archaeological sites + Acropolis Museum.
• Daily Life in Ancient Athens (private tour of Kerameikos, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Monastiraki & Plaka neighborhoods)

Roman 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: Polignotou 3
  • Telephone: +30 210 324 5220
  • Admission Fee: Summer (April to October) entrance fee: 8€. Winter (November to March) entrance fee: 4€. Reduced admission 4€. You can also purchase a 30€ combo ticket for this and 6 additional sites: Acropolis, Ancient Agora of Athens, 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.

Descriptive map showing the locations of the major structures at the Roman Agora in Athens.

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.
  • The Roman Agora is not to be confused with the older Ancient Agora of Classical Athens, which is situated about 100 meters away to the west.
  • Built as the new commercial center of Athens in the 1st century BC, the Roman Agora was commissioned by Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor, and expanded in the 2nd century by the emperor Hadrian.
  • There are 3 prominent structures at the Roman Agora:
    Ancient portico with doric columns, surrounded by fallen pillars
    The Gate of Athena Archegetis is located at the entrance to the site and was built in 11 BC by Roman emperors Julius Caesar and Augustus.
    Large stone octagonal tower with carvings around the top
    The Tower of the Winds (or Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes) was built by Adronicus of Cyrrhus, a Macedonian astronomer, in the 2nd century BC, and is practically still intact. It was used 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 features a carved marble frieze depicting one of the eight Greek wind deities.
    Byzantine-stile mosque near columnular cypress trees and ancient ruins.The Fetiye Mosque was built in the 17th century by the Ottomans and located on the northern side of the site. Nowadays it is still used for cultural exhibitions.
  • 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 triple arched building on the east side is unidentified at this time. The site has not been fully excavated and restoration projects are still in progress.

Sign for the Roman Agora in Athens, indicating rules, visiting hours, and admission fees.

The Roman Agora is located in Athens’ Plaka neighborhood, on the northern base of the Acropolis.

Large marble portico with doric fluted pillars and a broken pediment

At the entrance to the Agora is the prominent Gate of Athena Archegetis, built in 11 BC by Roman Emperors Julius Caesar and Augustus.

View from inside of the Roman Agora in Athens, looking out through the ruins of a marble portico.

Back view of the Gate of Athena Archegetis.

Detail view of the pediment of a marble portico gate.

Row of marble columns in various states of ruin.

Along the southern border of the Agora are the ruins of a marble colonnade. This area was once lined with shops and merchant stalls.

Marble pillars in various states of ruin, all in a row.

Marbe columns in front of a large octagonal marble tower.

The colonnade continues along the Agora’s western edge, situated in front of the Tower of the Winds.

Row of marble ionic columns with an entrance gate.

The eastern edge also features the Agora’s second gate. This one is somewhat simpler, being ionic in style, and non-fluted.

Ancient ruins of a simple marble entrance gate in front of a blue sky

Large ocuagonal marble tower with carvings around the top.

The Tower of the Winds predates the Agora. It was built in the 2nd century BC by the Macedonian astronomer Adronicus of Cyrrhus. It is considered to be the first meteorological station ever built, with both sundials and a water clock to read time, as well as a wind vane.

Open door in an octagonal marble tower.

The tower amazingly intact, and is open for visitors to peek into.

Marble interior walls with an open metal gate.

The interior of the tower is simple, but interesting.

Interior of an ancient, domed, and stained marble ceiling.

Marble floor with a hole in the middle and notches carved out.

Visitors exiting a large marble tower

At the top of each side of the tower, there is a carved marble frieze depicting one of the eight wind deities from Greek mythology.

Marble archway ruins, shored up with bricks.

On one side of the tower, there are the unidentified ruins of a marble archway. Excavations to the site are considered to be ongoing.

Byzantine mosque, with ruined columns sitting behind.

On the other side is the 17th century Ottoman-built Fetiye Mosque. This building is still used today for cultural exhibitions.

Ruined pillars casting long shadows at sundown.

The Agora’s ruined pillars are especially atmospheric at or around sundown.

Short, stubby ruins of marble pillars.

A cat perches beside old stone building ruins

Marble pillars casting long shadows at sunset

Stacks of carved stone rubble set along a stone wall.

Ancient, unidentified rubble is stacked around the Agora’s edges.

Tops of marble columns placed in a neat row along the ground.

Carved marble building details stacked in a corner next to a stone wall

Sidewalk of an empty street, with an iron fence on one side and a marble gateway at the end.

After exiting the Agora, take an immediate right turn onto Epaminonda Street, situated above the Agora.

Diners sit at outdoor tables on a sidewalk with views of the Acropolis.

From here you can enjoy a leisurely meal, enjoying views to the Agora ruins below and the Acropolis above.

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave I’m Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a quick guide on visiting Santorini with kids. Now, my small team and I provide guides to Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Crete, Athens, and all of Greece - as well as favorite places to stay in some of my favorite cities - like London, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Venice, and Florence. Email me at dave@santorinidave.com.