What attracted us to the Agora was the fact that it was the centre of political and public life in Athens in ancient times, and I wanted to see the Temple of Hephaestus. We went in the evening, passing endless restaurants where waitresses and waiters were eagerly pounding on passers-by, almost like pray mantis springing on their preys. This was an aspect that I really disliked about Athens. When I was looking at jewelry shops, I was almost dragged into them a couple of times until I finally gave up looking at shop windows.
Once passed the hordes of restaurants, we could see the restored Stoa of Attalos, resplendent in the remnants of daylight. We climbed to the first floor and had saw the Temple of Hephaestus in the distance. Even in the quietness of the evening, I almost could hear the noise of days gone by when merchants gathered here to sell their goods and artists came here to display their artwork. Today, the Stoa is but an empty shell, displaying some marble statues. But we welcomed the relief from the hustle and bustle of the tourist crowd.
In the fading daylight, we went up the hill to see the Temple of Hephaestus. Up close, the building, constructed of Pentelic marble, is less impressive than it is from a distance. Everywhere we go these days, tourist attractions are swamped by visitors taking selfies, and this place was no exception. Eventually, a local attendant told us that the place was closing and it was time to go. At a distance, the lights of the Acropolis shone in the dusk.
I end this blog with one of the beautiful sculptures from the Stoa. The handsome face of a young man, with smiling and intelligent eyes, surpassed all those heads of senators, generals, and philosophers that litter the museums.
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| Restaurants lined the path to the Agora |
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| The restored Stoa of Attalos, Athens |
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| Ionic columns inside the Stoa |
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| Temple of Hephaestus, Athens |
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| View of Athens from the Temple of Hephaestus |
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| Stoa of Attalos, seen from Temple of Hephaestus |
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| The Acropolis, seen from Temple of Hephaestus |
I end this blog with one of the beautiful sculptures from the Stoa. The handsome face of a young man, with smiling and intelligent eyes, surpassed all those heads of senators, generals, and philosophers that litter the museums.
