Thission is a small district of Athens, located northwest of the Acropolis between the district of the National Observatory (south), of Petralona (southwest), Keramikos (west), Psirri (north) and west of Monastiraki. It has been designated a traditional neighborhood.
It was named after the close by Temple of Hephaestus but is known as Thission, because in earlier times it was believed that the temple was presented to Thisseas, this theory has today been revised. Every road, every monument and each building holds a story. A story which begins thousands of years ago with the Municipality of Melitis, one of the municipalities that constituted ancient Athens.
The Temple of Hephaestus
The Temple of Hephaestus in the ancient Agora is known as Thission, due to the glyph reproductions representing the labors of Theseus. It is the best preserved ancient temple of Athens, which has given its name to the entire surrounding area. It is considered to be older than the Parthenon, since experts have calculated that it was designed and built around 450 BC, the period of Kimonas.
The Ancient Agora
Surrounding the Temple of Hephaestus lays the site of the Ancient Agora of Athens, for thousands of years it was the heart of the city. Besides being a selected trading place, it was the center of political and public life of the Athenians, as well as the religious and cultural center. Most importantly, it was considered the head administration and head judiciary of Athenian democracy. It is remarkable that this region has been utilized continuously from the Neolithic Period (3000 BC) until today, without any interruption.
Exploring the area
The area hosts the two Jewish Synagogues of Athens. The Benaki Museum (Arabic Art) is housed in the Evtaxia Residence, then there are the Makronissou Museum, the Herakleidon Museum, the Athenaeum Conservatory which has been dedicated to Maria Callas, and the historic church of Aghion Asomaton at the square of the same name.
The Hill of the Nymphs
Overlooking the area of Thission stands the ancient Hill of the Nymphs, where the National Observatory can be found. It was founded in 1842 and is considered to be the oldest Research Institute of modern Greece and the Balkans.
Particularity: Thission is an area with a strong sense of neighborhood feeling, with friendly, mannered people who will greet you by your name in the morning, thus creating a sense of familiarity and security. The incredible view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon, in combination with the magnificent Attic light, creates a feeling of serenity and delight. The pedestrian walk of Apostolou Pavlou is certainly one of the most beautiful walks in the city. This neighborhood is full of life and a lot of young people prefer this quarter for its entertainment.
Nature: The Acropolis, The Muses Mount, the Hill Of Nymphs, the Filopapos Hill
Average property purchase and rental rates: Here we also see a wide variety of prices, like in all other touristic areas of the city. This is due to the high demand and limited offers of property. Some of the factors affecting the prices are the proximity to archaeological sites and Apostolou Pavlou, the view of the Acropolis, the individuality and the history of the property, as well as its condition. The old buildings in the area have officially been declared maintainable and have building restrictions. We will see prices ranging from EUROS 2,500 up to 10,000 per square meters for purchase and EUROS 11.00 to 25.00 per square meter for rent.
Transportation: Close to the train station ISAP, Metro stations Thission, Monastiraki and Acropolis. Many bus lines serving the area.
Market: Thissio has a lot of small local shops serving all the needs of its residents. It is also close to Monastiraki and Ermou Street.
Culture/Entertainment: The oldest open air cinema of Athens, theaters in the area of Psirri, numerous cafes and restaurants, bars, clubs a variety of traditional tavernas, restaurants and eateries, galleries and museums.
Spots: The National Observatory, the ancient Roman Market, the Herakleidon Museum, the Acropolis Museum, the Acropolis, the pedestrian walk of Apostolou Pavlou, as well as the pedestrian walk of Eptachalkou Street with the beautiful neoclassical houses and the picturesque post byzantine Chapel of Aghios Athanasios Kourkouris.
