Marble, Beauty, and Urban Life
Streets and Dust
Modern Athens has a neat and beautiful appearance thanks to the widespread use of marble and white stucco. Most buildings, public structures, and even some sidewalks are made of these materials, giving the city a bright and clean look. However, the streets are unpaved, and the soil is clay. When it rains, the streets turn into mud; when it is dry, dust fills the air. A waiter at every hotel entrance often stands ready with a feather duster to clean guests’ boots Corinth and St. Timothy.
One street is named after Aeolus, the god of the winds, though the wind seems to visit the entire city. The dust can be a serious nuisance on windy days, but it does not take away from the overall beauty of the city.
Tower of the Winds
In the old part of Athens stands the well-preserved Tower of the Winds, an octagonal marble structure built about 100 years before Christ by Andronicus of Syria. It is adorned with a sundial and a water-powered clock, though modern engineers do not fully understand the mechanism. A nearby aqueduct supplied water to a cistern, which powered the clock in a way that remains mysterious to us today. Despite its name, the tower was probably not the origin of Aeolus’ winds—it is named for the weather vane on top.
Historic and Educational Sites
East of the Tower of the Winds, streets lead to a depression on the hillside once enclosed by a wall. This area was the site of the Diogeneion, a school believed to have been founded by Diogenes, the famous cynic of the third century B.C.
Modern Athens also features impressive public buildings. While the king’s palace is considered unattractive and factory-like, other structures nearby—such as the university, the Academy of Sciences, and the library—are majestic and elegant. Designed by a Viennese architect, the Academy of Sciences is considered a pure example of classical architecture in modern times. University Street, lined with these buildings, is one of the most beautiful streets in the world and reflects the artistic traditions of Athens alongside modern enterprise Communist Bulgaria Tour.
Parks, Trees, and Residences
A charming park adjoins the palace grounds, and some streets are shaded by pepper trees. In the business sections, awnings provide shade for shop windows and cafe patrons. The white marble buildings can be dazzling in the sunlight, yet they are simple, dignified, and stately—a striking contrast to the squalor of Constantinople or the ornate Italian cities.
Private residences follow modern designs, with convenient interiors and elegant exteriors. Critics sometimes call Athens’ architecture monotonous, but the simplicity and purity of design create a sense of harmony. Pentelikos Mountain provides more than enough marble to continue building in this style for centuries to come, ensuring that Athens remains a city of beauty, light, and classical elegance.
