Kolonaki ( Greek Κολωνάκι - “small column, column”) is a district in the center of Athens , located south and west of Lycavitus Hill. Sina Street serves as the border of Kolonaki with the Neapolis area located north. From the west, Kolonaki is bounded by University Avenue (λεωφόρος Πανεπιστημίου), from the south and east by the avenues of King Constantine (λεωφόρος Βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου) and Reina Sofia (λεωφΒΒςςς). The extreme northeastern point of the region is Athens Concert Hall Megaron. Kolonaki got its name from the square of the same name, on which there is an ancient marble column 2 m high and 30 cm in diameter. Local people erected such monuments in the Middle Ages at the place of the rituals to get rid of epidemics of diseases and other disasters.
In the 19-20 centuries, the proximity of the Royal Palace (which later housed the Greek Parliament) contributed to the settlement of the area by representatives of the upper strata of the population. Kolonaki turned into the most fashionable area of Athens, full of boutiques of fashionable clothes, jewelry stores and expensive restaurants. The main shopping street Vukurestiu (Bucharest) was named in honor of the Bucharest Peace Treaty of 1913 , under the terms of which Epirus and Macedonia became part of Greece.
In Kolonaki, there are the Benaki Museum , located in the neoclassical estate of Goulandris, the Museum of Cycladic Art , the Museum of the History of Greek Costume, and the Theater Museum . On the Avenue of Reina Sofia , the Byzantine and Christian Museum , the War Museum , the Athens Concert Hall "Megaron" , as well as the metro stations "Evangelismos" and "Megaro-Musikis" are located. In ancient times, Likey acted on the territory of the Kolonaki district, in which Aristotle taught. During the December events of 1944, Kolonaki served as a base for the British troops, which, under the command of General Ronald Skoby, fought against armed EAM units. The great social difference that exists between the two Athenian regions with similar names - the aristocratic Kolonaki and the proletarian Colon , created the conditions for the appearance of numerous anecdotes on this topic.
Links
- Χαρτης της Αθηνας (Greek)