Hadrian's Arch and Library, Athens

Next to the metro station of Monastiraki and just a little north of the Roman agora you will find Hadrians library, built in 132 AD by the Roman emperor.

The rectangular building of the Library comprises a Corinthian propylon on the west side, an open peristyle courtyard, three projecting conches (apse or semi dome of an apse) on each of the long sides, a library, study and lecture halls. It was destroyed by the Herulae in 267 BC and was subsequently incorporated into the Late Roman fortification wall.

It was repaired by the Roman eparchus Herculius in 412, and in the 5th century the quatrefoil building of the Early Christian church was constructed in the centre of the peristyle court. After its destruction, a three-aisled basilica was erected on its ruins in the 7th century, which was in turn superseded by the single-aisled church of Megali Panaghia, in the 11th century. During the Turkish occupation it became the seat of the Voevode (Governor) and in 1835, the barracks of king Otto were erected in the place of the Voevodalik.

The site is temporally closed to the public because of restauration. You will have the best view from Arios and Dexippou street.

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The first excavations on the site were carried out by W. Doerpfeld and St. Koumanoudis, in the central and eastern part of Hadrians library, after the great fire of 1885, which damaged the Agora and the church of Megali Panaghia.

Between 1942 and 1950 a second excavation campaign was conducted by the Italians, and later by A. Orlandos and I. Meliades. Between 1970 and 1980, J. Travlos carried out excavations at the NE auditorium and the quatrefoil building. Since 1987 the 1st Ephorate of Antiquities has been conducting systematic excavations in the west section of the monument.
In the years 1960-70 restoration work was carried out at the west facade and the colonnade of the basilica of Megali Panaghia, and in 1975-76 the Propylon was consolidated.

The 1st Ephorate is currently preparing a study for the reconstruction of the Propylon and the south wing of the facade of the building.

Hadrian’s Arch was constructed in 131 AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian as part of a wall separating the old and new cities of Athens. On the side of the arch facing the Acropolis is the inscription, "This is Athens the former city of Theseus," while the other side reads, "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus." The 18 metres gate was made of marble from nearby Mt. Pentelikon and decorated in the Corinthian order.

Hadrian was known for his peaceful reign and for being an extensive builder. He was very fond of Greek learning and had travelled in Achaea. He also rebuilt the fortification wall around Athens which had been torn down by Sulla and changed the Acropolis into a fort, which it had been before. Athens became somewhat of a second capital during Hadrian’s reign.

You will find Handrian's Arch at Amallias Avenue at the entrance of the site of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, just south of the National Gardens.

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Hight; 13m, Depth; 2.3m.
The gate is located the border of old city and new city of Athenai.
Hadrianus from Spain was devoted himself to Greek culture and made new city of Athens.
The gate has clean proportion and the light and excellent upper part is on the strong Corinthian order columns and pilasters.
Columns of upstairs are Corinthian Order and between them there had been marble walls and statues

The rectangular building of the Library comprises a Corinthian propylon on the west side, an open peristyle courtyard, three projecting conches on each of the long sides, a library, study and lecture halls.
It was built in A.D. 132 by emperor Hadrian.

The rectangular building of the Library comprises a Corinthian propylon on the west side, an open peristyle courtyard, three projecting conches on each of the long sides, a library, study and lecture halls.
It was built in A.D. 132 by emperor Hadrian, was destroyed by the Herulae in A.D. 267, and was subsequently incorporated into the Late Roman fortification wall. It was repaired by the Roman eparchus Herculius in A.D. 412, and in the 5th century the quatrefoil building of the Early Christian church was constructed in the centre of the peristyle court. After its destruction, a three-aisled basilica was erected on its ruins in the 7th century, which was in turn superseded by the single-aisled church of Megale Panaghia, in the 11th century.

During the Turkish occupation it became the seat of the Voevode (Governor) and in 1835, the barracks of king Otho were erected in the place of the Voevodalik.

The most important monuments of the site are:

Quatrefoil Building. The building with the four apses, dated to the 5th century A.D., was an Early Christian church with a peripteral narthex, exonarthex and a wide peristyle atrium on the west side.

Church of Megale Panaghia. The first church was a three-aisled basilica, built in the 7th century A.D. on the ruins of the quatrefoil building which had been destroyed in the 6th century A.D. The basilica was in its turn destroyed in the 11th century A.D. and a single-aisled church with a chapel to the north was erected in its place. It survived for centuries but was burnt down in 1885.
Ruins of a church. The north wall and remains of the sanctuary are preserved. The church lies to the north of the quatrefoil building and dates from the 17th century A.D.

Sorry no pics because it's temporarily closed due to restoration.

The triumphal arch lies on an ancient street that led from the old city of Athens to the new, Roman section, built by Hadrian. It was constructed by the Athenians in A.D. 131, in honor of their benefactor emperor. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave, one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus"; the second, on the other side, facing the new city reads "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".

The central arched opening of the monument is supported by pilasters crowned with Corinthian capitals. Similar, but taller pilasters flank the outer corners. The arch is crowned by a series of Corinthian columns and pilasters, with an Ionic architrave at the ends, and an entablature with a triangular pediment in the middle. The whole monument is made of Pentelic marble.

Sorry for the pic, it was in restauration...too bad!!

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The Arch of Hadrian is a monumental gateway resembling – in some respects - a Roman triumphal arch. It spanned an ancient road from the center of Athens to the complex of structures on the eastern side of the city that included the Temple of Olympian Zeus. It has been proposed that the arch was built to celebrate the arrival of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and to honor him for his many benefactions to the city, on the occasion of the dedication of the nearby temple complex in 131 or 132 AD.

There were two inscriptions on the arch, facing in opposite directions, naming both Theseus and Hadrian as founders of Athens. While it is clear that the inscriptions honor Hadrian, it is uncertain whether they refer to the city as a whole or to the city in two parts: one old and one new. The early idea, however, that the arch marked the line of the ancient city wall, and thus the division between the old and the new regions of the city, has been shown to be false by further excavation. The arch is located 325m southeast of the Acropolis.