Stoa of Attalos

Athens, Greece

The Stoa of Attalos was a covered walkway or portico in the Agora of Athens. It was built by and named after King Attalos II of Pergamon, who ruled between 159 BC and 138 BC. The current building was reconstructed in 1952–1956 by American architects along with the Greek architect Ioannis Travlos and the Greek Civil Engineer Yeoryios Biris.

Typical of the Hellenistic age, the stoa was more elaborate and larger than the earlier buildings of ancient Athens. The stoa's dimensions are 115 by 20 metres and it is made of Pentelic marble and limestone. The building skillfully makes use of different architectural orders. The Doric order was used for the exterior colonnade on the ground floor with Ionic for the interior colonnade. This combination had been used in stoas since the Classical period and was by Hellenistic times quite common. On the first floor of the building, the exterior colonnade was Ionic and the interior Pergamene. Each story had two aisles and twenty-one rooms lining the western wall. The rooms of both stories were lighted and vented through doorways and small windows located on the back wall. There were stairways leading up to the second story at each end of the stoa.

History

The stoa is identified as a gift to the city of Athens for the education that Attalos received there. A dedicatory inscription engraved on the architrave states that it was built by Attalos II, who was ruler of Pergamon from 159 BC to 138 BC.

The stoa was in frequent use until it was destroyed by the Heruli in 267. The ruins became part of a fortification wall, which made it easily seen in modern times. In 1952-1956, the stoa was fully reconstructed and the Ancient Agora Museum was created by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, with funding donated by the Rockefeller family.

Museum of the Ancient Agora

The Stoa of Attalos houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora. Its exhibits are mostly connected with the Athenian democracy. The collection of the museum includes clay, bronze and glass objects, sculptures, coins and inscriptions from the 7th to the 5th century BC, as well as pottery of the Byzantine period and the Turkish conquest.

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Athens, Greece
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Founded: 159 BCE (1952-1956)
Category: Museums in Greece

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Marco Rossi (13 months ago)
Amazing renovated structure, with also nice view of Athens and the Acropolis. Better go there early in the morning at 8.00 am because it gets crowded very fast and very easily!
Shane Kruse (13 months ago)
So. Many. People. Coming in around 1015am and it took almost 15 minutes just to get up stairs and on acropolis (after passing ticket booth) but only because HUNDREDS of selfish idiots were using the entrance as an exit (last photo). By the time we exited grounds crew had finally put a stop to this. The Parthenon is still amazing!! but you cannot go right up and in it like I did in 1993… there is scaffolding and ongoing repairs that you will have to crop out of your photos. The museum costs extra! Even if you bought the “combo“ ticket pass.
Samuel Whatley (Sam) (14 months ago)
A brilliant structure that is adjoining the Ancient Agora. It's a complement to the surrounding area. The inside is very well maintained and is very clean. The artifacts on show here are primarily sculptures of which some are in great condition!
Anne Nguyen (14 months ago)
This place is underrated. I would definitely recommend to come down here for a stroll and further learn about the Temple of Hephaitos, ancient Agora and their Gymnasium for the Titans. It has great artifacts on display and easy pathway to stroll through.
Nadja (16 months ago)
A fantastic piece of Greek history. There was a very small queue to enter if you hadn’t bought tickets. However if you pre book a ticket you can virtually walk straight in. There was a large museum on site with lots of artefacts and explanations. The site was vast, with lots of statues and buildings to look at. A definite recommendation to visit.
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