Philopappos Hill and Monument, Athens

This picture was taken on a cold winter's day in January 2006, when the light was perfect. 4pm, when they were throwing people off the monument; early winter hours, guards anxious to find their ways down the winding paths of Plaka, on their way to a warm dish of hot Athenian food? We were the last to linger; waiting for the perfect light...the sliver of light that was slipping through the cloud as it sank into the the shining waters on the horizon. The sea looked like a mirror, reflecting the 'old' new sunlight as it flooded the Earth once again; The light shone on this sacred ancient monument. Captured on a digital space; transferred to the internet grid; viewed by anonymous virtual tourist for unmeasurable light years away. The epitomy of Athens, the old mingled with the new; forever changing; forever the same. Save the Earth for these precious visions. Respect our heritage and those who strived to create a lasting beauty. Join the Quest for Peace on this Earth. Rebuild the fallen monuments and make our unity as 'one' nation of 'human beings' forever lasting.

Terrorism tears apart our 'hearts' and leaves only tears.

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As you’ll enjoy the view from Acropolis you will notice at South West of the Acropolis the greenery Philopapos hill and a monument on it. Gaios Julios Antiochos Epiphanes Philopappos was the exiled prince of Commagene, grandson of the greek king Antiochos IV of Commagene and the greek queen Iotapa.

The monument (pic 2) was erected by his sister at 116A.D. after Philopapos’ death and in fact it’s the tomb of him. Its dimensions are 9.80mx9.30mx3.08m.

I still don’t understand why the Athenians allowed him to be buried there, right opposite the Acropolis rock. Ok, it was in honor of him as a great benefactor of Athens but it sounds strange for me though because if he was such a great benefactor what can we say about Pericles etc

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The Philopappos Monument is the tomb of a member of the royal family of a small Hellenistic kingdom in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. The Roman emperor Vespasian annexed the kingdom to the Roman Empire and the royal family was sent into exile. Philopappos lived in Athens and became an Athenian citizen.

Since the Athenians allowed him to be buried in this very elaborate mausoleum right opposite the Acropolis because he was an important benefactor of the ancient city of Athens.

You may watch my high resolution photo of Athens on the Google Earth according to the following coordinates 37º 58' 16.38" N 23º 43' 9.98" E or on my Google Earth Panoramio Filopapou Hill.

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I decided to break down the tips on Philopappos hill into two tips because finding the monument on the top is only part of the pleasure of this hill. The hill itself allows you one of the best views of the Acropolis from anywhere in the city. I took these pictures from the hill. Its a beautiful walk to the top. I did not read a lot about this hill in any of the guide books and only found it because it was close to my hotel. There were no crowds on the paths. The tourists are all over on the Acropolis. There were a few people walking their dogs and just a couple of tourists on the afternoon I climbed the hill. There is no admission charge to enter the park. However it does look like the park is closed and not open to the public when you approach it. There was rope across the path looking like you should not enter. But it is open to the public and well worth a few minutes just for the view of the city and the Acropolis alone.

If you tired, and need to escape go to this hill and get in touch with the Muses. Its a great break from the crowds.

This hill got its name from the monument on its peak. The monument was built to in 115 A.D as a memorial to Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappos who was a Roman leader of the day. The monument contains staues of Filopappos and his family.

Alos on the hill, there is the small Byzantine chapel of Agios Dimitrios which some really detailed frescoes.

Given my choice, I would chose to climb up Mt Filopappos Hill for a view of Athens, rather than Lycabettus. It has a wonderful rock outcropping down from the monument that gives a wonderful, quiet, serene view over the Acropolis and city. As with all hills, there is a bit of a climb. Once again, Filopappos wins over Lycabettus, as you begin your walk in a park and wind along a tree-lined path up to the scenic outlook or monument further up the hill.

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Philopappou Hill is located across from the Acropolis, to the southwest.
It offers magnificent views of the whole city, and also serenity and tranquility with hardly any tourist in sight.

I climbed Philopappou Hill on a June afternoon; the weather was not too hot, and walking up the trails and steps amongst pine groves was a pleasure.

At the bottom of the hill you can see the so-called 'Prison of Sokrates', which is an ancient cave dwelling; legend has it that Sokrates was imprisoned here.
At the summit there are the remains of the 2nd century AD Monument of Philopappos, a powerful Roman consul. Part of the frieze still remains.

No doubt, the best Philopappou Hill can offer are the sweeping views from the top. The Acropolis is clearly seen, and Lykavitos Hill appears in the distance behind it; the New Acropolis Museum, the National Gardens, the suburbs of Athens all the way to Piraeus and the Saronic Gulf, this panorama is just wonderful. Sitting at the top, admiring the view, with no sound except a bird here and there, feeling the gentle breeze on my face, was a real pleasure.

I guess my video conveys the messaage better than a thousand words:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/vv/3a68/

One note about the trails: they are not marked, and there are many of them all around the slopes of the hill, but if you keep climbing uphill you will get to the top with any trail, and the same goes for the way down.

To walk up the entire hill to reach the monument will take approximately 20 minutes of good exercise, but once up there, the view is magnificent! The Acropolis and the sprawling city all around you, the panoramic view is lovely! Halfway up, there is flat landing and cool, shady areas for you to stretch out on a bench and read a book. It's a wonderful way to relax-- how often can one relax with a view of 5000 years of history? :D

For the history buffs or plain curious: Philopappos Hill was named after Prince Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappos of Commagene. This kingdom in Upper Syria was overthrownby Romans in 72 AD and the prince was exiled to Athens to become the benefactor of the city. He spent several years (between 114 AD and 116 AD) building his own monument on this very hill. The monument, which can still be seen today, is made of Pentelic marble and shows Prince Philopappos himself alongside some of his ancestors. You can't miss it!

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Just behind my hotel was Philappapous Hill or The Hill of the Muses. There are trails leading up to the top of the hill where you will find a large monument to the memory of the roman consul Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappos. Like most things in Athens its quite old. It was erected in 115 AD.

The Hill of the Muses name comes from mythology. It was believed this hill was the home to 9 muses. There are beautiful trails leading up to the top of hill. Most are line with pine trees, so unlike other hills in Athens there is shade available to protect you from the sun. There are no roads so walking is the only way to reach the top of the hill.

In the pine forest area away from the bustle of the crowd is the hill which is crowned by the Monument to Philopappos. Few people come here yet the view of the Parthenon is excellent and it is a haven far from the madding crowd that you can watch milling on the Acropolis itself.