Kolonaki

Kolonaki ( Greek Κολωνάκι , literally 'small column') is a district in the center of the Greek capital Athens . Kolonaki is an affluent, elegant district, a meeting place for the Athenian “ chiceria ”, intellectuals and artists.

Kolonaki Square

location

The small pillar in Kolonaki Square

The place in the 1920s

Kolonaki is located east of Syntagma Square at the southwestern foot of Lykavittos Hill, southeast of the Exarchia district .

The center of the district is Kolonaki Square ( Greek Πλατεία Κολωνακίου , officially: Filikis-Eterias -Platz), on which the inconspicuous ancient column is located, after which the district is named. The square is surrounded by cafes and restaurants, a popular meeting place for the 'beautiful and rich' and Athens' promenade. In the neighboring streets of Tsakalof, Skoufa and Voukourestiou , numerous fashion and jewelry stores, upscale boutiques, galleries, cafes and bars are concentrated. A number of international haute couture labels have branches here.

At the upper end of the district, the Platia Dexamenis ( Greek Πλατεία Δεξαμενής , water storage place ') forms another center. The square is named after an ancient cistern that was part of an aqueduct built by Emperor Hadrian in the second century and which was put back into operation in the 19th century. There is an open-air cinema and the luxurious St. George Lykabettus Hotel here. Nearby, the Lykavittos funicular connects Kolonaki with the summit of Lykavittos .

character

Functionalist apartment buildings (“classic modern”) from the 1920s and 1930s characterize the district

Kolonaki was previously considered the embassy district of Athens. On Leoforos Vasilissis Sofias , which borders the district to the south, the Egyptian, French and Italian embassies are located next to the Foreign Office in magnificent classical buildings, not far from them are the British and American embassies, and only 50 meters away in a side street, Loukianou , also the German embassy. The Benaki Museum in a classicist mansion and the Museum of Cycladic Art (Goulandris Museum) are also located here, as are several other museums such as the Byzantine Museum, the War Museum and the Museum of Costume in the Odos Dimokritou.

In the 1920s and 1930s, numerous modern apartment buildings were built in Kolonaki, which introduced functionalism to Athens. With high ceilings, large balconies, lifts , concierge boxes, etc., they were far more comfortable and luxurious than the later apartment buildings in other parts of the city.

Kolonaki was once considered a residential area for writers, artists and students. Having become increasingly fashionable, it is now the most expensive residential area in central Athens; it competes with the elegant suburbs of Kifissia in the north and Glyfada in the south of Attica . Numerous celebrities have an apartment in the district. Numerous bars, ouzeries and taverns with outdoor seating create a lively atmosphere in the evening.

Web links

Commons : Kolonaki  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 37 ° 59 '  N , 23 ° 44'  E