Athens - Hadrian's Arch

Hadrian's Arch Description

To the west of the Olympieion, immediately adjoining the Leofóros Amalías, one of Athens' busiest traffic arteries, is Hadrian's Arch, erected in A.D. 131-132, when the gigantic temple of Olympian Zeus was finally completed. It is thought to occupy the position of an earlier city gate of the sixth century B.C., and was later incorporated by the Turks in the circuit of walls with which they surrounded the town in 1778 and which was pierced by seven gates.





The arch is a plain structure of Pentelic marble, bearing two inscriptions: on the west side, facing the Acropolis. "This is the ancient city of Theseus", and on the east side, facing the Olympieion, "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".