ROMAN AGORA

 

n contrast to the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora developed less haphazardly.  It was planned to cover a rectangular area of only 367 x 315 feet and to include shops, offices, a fountain, and even a public toilet (its remains, with about 70 seats, can be seen to the right of the east entrance). The construction of the new agora was necessitated by the lack of available space in the Ancient Agora.  Today, not much is left of the agora's former glory (ill. 1-4).  The main attraction of the place is the famous Tower of the Winds, not far from the east entrance (ill. 6).  This relatively well preserved octagonal structure, 39 feet high, was built in the 1st century B.C. by Andronikos of Kyrrhos, with a dual purpose -- to serve as a weather-vane and a water clock.  The name of the structure relates to the representations of eight winds, Boreas (N), Kaikias (NE), Apeliotes (E), Euros (SE), Notos (S), Lips (SW), Zephyros (W), and Skiron (NW), sculpted on the eight facades.  In the early years of Christianity, the building was converted to a church, and in the 18th century it became a monastery of whirling dervishes.  At the north end of the agora, to the right from the Tower, stands Fethiye Camii (The Mosque of the Conqueror), built to commemorate the Turkish conquest of Athens in 1456 (ill. 5) and housing an archeology workshop.

 

Acropolis	Acropolis Museum	Byzantine Museum	Lykavittos Hill
Kapnikarea	Guards (Euzones)	Ancient Agora	Roman Agora
Plaka and Monastiraki	Academy of Athens	Churches in Athens	Iconographer's Studio

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