Kolonaki in Athens

We wanted to see two exhibitions in private galleries in Kolonaki, so we walked through the National Garden

and then onto Vasileos Georgiou Street.

This building is being gutted, so, for safety reasons,  they have covered it with plastic sheeting depicting what it will look like when it's finished. Clever!

This becomes clear once you reach the other side of the building

The Embassy of the Netherlands - a typical Neo-Classical building

We reached the site of the Athenian Gymnasia - they have finally finished with the excavations which seemed to go on for ever

across the road, the Cycladic Museum

and the small building that connects the two large buildings of the Museum

We decided on a detour, namely to walk through the gardens of the Byzantine Museum even though there was no exhibition we wanted to see this time. So, we got in through the back entrance

It's nice walking through these grounds

a new fountain has been installed

Quite a few antiquities dotted about the place - columns

inscriptions

pitchers, probably from the 19th century

and Lycabettus Hill in the distance

but we turned right, wanting to go and see the ancient tombs

In Antiquity, cemeteries were always located outside the city walls and often along major roads. In late Antiquity, they were indistinctly used for Christian and 'pagan' burials.

Part of a cemetery, in use from the Archaic (7th-6th century BC) to the early Byzantine period (3rd-6th century AD was uncovered in Koukaki in 1996-97, during the construction of the Athens Metro. Three of the 64 tombs found, dating from the early Byzantine era were removed to the Byzantine museum grounds.

Translating archaeological findings into museum exhibits demands scientific collaborations. In this case, before being removed, the tombs underwent specialised cleaning, stabilisation and conservation work; holes were drilled at a safe depth beneath each tomb in order to create a special metal grid, using sprayed concrete. 

The three rectangular vaulted tombs were probably family tombs. Their entrance was sealed off with a horizontal slab that opened for each subsequent burial. Three steps on the eastern side allowed descent into the tomb's interior. Clay vases, bronze buckles and a loom weight were found within the tombs, probably objects dear to the deceased during their lifetime.

We moved off after a while, past this very old olive tree

Lycabettus Hill on our right

and this sculpture by Konstantina Bolteraki on our left





We took the stairs that lead to the back of the main building

from here we had a clear view of the War Museum

walked around to the front of the main building

which stands on the south side of the main courtyard

walked towards the north side of the courtyard which is where the entrance is,

stopped to have a look at this sculpture

through the arch

and we were at the main entrance and Vasilissis Sofias Avenue.

We crossed the avenue and took one of the many streets of Kolonaki that lead to the Lycabettus Hill

Kolonaki is a mixture of wonderful neo-Classical buildings

some from the 30s

and some modern ones

lots of bars, cafes and restaurants that have tables on the sidewalks

it's all uphill, leading to Lycabettus Hill, so at times you have long vistas stretching down the city

After a while we reached Evangelismos Hospital, one of the largest ones in the city

past the teacher training academy

turned right into Souidias Street, and I had a pleasant surprise - Antonello, the wonderful flower shop that used to be on Skoufa Street and had closed down. They used to have the most wonderful flower displays and every time I went to Kolonaki I would stop, look and photograph their displays. You can see some here and here . Then, one day, I went by and it was closed. 

This new shop is tiny and they won't be able to apply their decorative talent in the same way, but I was so pleased to see the shop

I went in and had a chat with the owner, and it was a wonderful reunion for both of us. 

We continued on Souidias Street, and by then I was assaulted by masses of memories

This is the British School of Classical Studies

and next to it, the American School of Classical Studies.  I worked here in the library for four years - it was after I dropped out of University in New Jersey and before I went to Uni at Essex in England. Oh! so many memories

I had a peep through the railings, but did not go in - I doubt that there would be anyone I know working there now

across the road, Gennnadios Library, a part of the American School

We moved on, turned left into Anapiron Polemou Street

and reached the Gagosian Gallery.

After the exhibition we decided it was time for lunch, so we entered Kitsiki Park

it's a small park, but it's lovely

for some strange reason the children's playground was closed

we left the park

I've always wondered what this building is - I should try and find out

We walked along Xenocratous Street which is parallel to Souidias

past L'Abrevoir, a gourmet restaurant - we spent New Year's Eve here once, with my sister and friends

and here it is, 49, it used to be called Je Reviens, it's up the road from the American School, 

and I used to come here in our lunch breaks with Mimi and others who worked in the library - again, so many memories

We continued on Xenokratous Street

on our left, steps leading down to the centre of Athens

and we'd reached Phillippou, for our lunch

which was lovely.

Lots more places to eat on our way for the bus