Akadimia Platonos: Where modern Athens embraces its ancient past
Akadimia Platonos (Ακαδημία Πλάτωνος) is an area in the northwestern part of Athens. It owes its name to the hero Akadimos (Ακάδημος), and the school of philosophy, the Academy, founded by Plato (Πλάτωνας). This area was defined by the hill Ippios Kolonos, near today’s Lenorman Street, and by the ancient banks of the river Kifissos.
Today the site is an open archaeological park, where the visitor could walk among ancient monuments and modern recreation areas. As you wander through the park, you can see a children’s party at the same place where the ancient athletes practiced or two elderly gentlemen talking on the stones where the ancient philosophers sat. Young couples, groups of children playing ball, cyclists and modern graffiti coexist with important ancient monuments.
