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The First Floor Of The Stoa Of Attalos To Reopen In Athens
Despite hard economic times in Greece, its capital city, Athens, is about to expand visitation to a major archaeological treasure -- the Stoa of Attalos. This ancient Greek colonnade and indoor market was built in 150 B.C. by Attalos II, King of Pergamum, as a gift to Athens in gratitude for the happy schooldays he spent there.
The Stoa was meticulously reconstructed in the 1950s by The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora. While visitors have been able to visit the ground floor, the first floor has been off-limits for thirty years. It will reopen in mid-May, just in time for the start of the peak tourist season. The floor will house a display of Greek sculptures that have never been shown to the public. Windows will allow visitors to get a good view of the rest of the Agora, the ancient city's social, spiritual and political hub.
Top photo courtesy Ken Russell Salvador. Bottom photo courtesy Tilemahos.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Richard S Mar 30th 2012 12:00PM
Americans need a little bit of translating. In the European system (and British), the first floor of a building is called the "ground floor," so the "first floor" is one story up, whereas Americans would call that the "second floor."
Sean McLachlan Mar 30th 2012 12:03PM
Hmmm. . .you're right. I do make a distinction in the article between the first floor that's reopened and the ground floor that's been open for years, but a little more clarity for our American readers (90% of our readers) would probably help.
Sean McLachlan Mar 30th 2012 3:22PM
I'm a Canadian who has lived in the U.S., England, and several places on mainland Europe, so I don't even use it consistently myself. I'm often caught calling potato chips "crisps" around my American friends. :-)
David Doerr Mar 30th 2012 12:03PM
There needs to be a review of the history of Athens, and its culture, in order that people might be given to understand that the original culture was termed "Javanian" (whence, "Ionian"), and that this name is supposedly that of a tribe of people that are descended from the biblical Noah. Of course the history of the Flood - like much in the Bible that has been subjected to various scribes of certain political persuasions (Jer 8:8) - has suffered from the distortion of particulars, yet the basic reality of the catastrophic event is beyond dispute. When the Greek population is given to know the truth of its early history, and its Biblical foundation, then perhaps that people will seek help more earnestly from the God of their original culture (Javanian), and will find relief from the many woes that have beset their ancient nation.
David Doerr Mar 30th 2012 3:21PM
According to the Stanford University scholar, George Hempl, who wrote of the origin of the Hittite-Greek culture during the second decade of the twentieth century, the people of Athens were descended from the original Hittite culture (termed "Javonian") that was over-run c. 1400 B.C. by the second "Hittite" culture (termed "Doric"). The Javonian Greeks were descended from their eponymous father, Javan, who was a grandson of the Biblical Noah. (Much has become distorted of the Flood record over five thousand years, yet Noah was a real person.) The name "Javan" is the origin of the later name, "Ionian" (Greek). Here, then, we reach the early history of the people of Athens. This Greek culture was originally that of the Javonians (Hempl), although this ancient history of the Greeks is now mostly lost on the population of the rest of the world.
Nocmaut Mar 31st 2012 2:15AM
Given a choice between Athens or Egypt? Hello Greece! Nice to see something really nice being opened.
Bill Mar 31st 2012 2:15AM
The first floor has been closed to the public for thirty years? What kind of idiots would hide world treasures from everyone for thirty years? Are the exhibits too dangerous or too great for the unwashed masses to enjoy? I guess only the elite intellectuals and politically connected got to enjoy the first floor. They should be ashamed
Mike Mar 31st 2012 2:15AM
The photo is taken from atop a nearby ridge. I have an almost identical shot from last October. The funny thing with the Greeks currently is they need tourists to help with the economy but they strike in protest so much that nothing is open for the tourists to see. The day we spent in Athens the Acropolis was locked closed and this complex above was also closed. I asked our cab driver, who struck two days before, whether it made sense to stay off work when you need the income and he sheepishly replied "not at all". The sanitation workers have been on strike forever so every corner of Athens has trash piled in huge heaps. If the museums are open the cabbies are on strike, if the cabbies are working the museums are closed, if the buses are on strike you can't get around anywhere.