View of Athens cityscape and the Philopappu Monument through ancient stone theatre seeing lowrise white buildings architecture, mountain, trees and clear blue sky background, Greece

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Filopappou Hill

Athens


Also called the Hill of the Muses, Filopappou Hill – along with the hills of the Pnyx and the Nymphs – is a somewhat wild, pine-shaded spot that's good for a stroll, especially at sunset. The hill also gives some of the best vantage points for photographing the Acropolis, and views to the Saronic Gulf.

The hill is identifiable by the Monument of Filopappos crowning its summit; it was built between AD 114 and 116 in honour of Julius Antiochus Filopappos, a prominent Roman consul and administrator. The marble-paved path, laid out in the 1950s by modernist architect Dimitris Pikionis, starts near the periptero (kiosk) on Dionysiou Areopagitou. After 250m, it passes the excellent Church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris, which contains fine frescoes. There's a detour to Socrates' prison, and the main path leads to the Shrine of the Muses, cut into the rock face just below the top of the hill.

Inhabited from prehistoric times to the post-Byzantine era, the area was, according to Plutarch, the area where Theseus and the Amazons did battle. In the 4th and 5th centuries BC, defensive fortifications – such as the Themistoclean wall and the Diateichisma – extended over the hill, and some of their remains are still visible.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Athens attractions

1. Shrine of the Muses

0.07 MILES

Just below the crest of Filopappou Hill, the ruined shrine to the goddesses of creative inspiration is carved into the bedrock.

2. Monument of Filopappos

0.1 MILES

This 12m-high marble monument at the top of Filopappou Hill was built between AD 114 and 116 in honour of Julius Antiochus Filopappos, a prominent Roman…

3. Socrates' Prison

0.16 MILES

On the slopes of Filopappou Hill, follow the path to this warren of rooms carved into bedrock. It's said to have been the place Socrates was imprisoned in…

4. Church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris

0.19 MILES

At the foot of Filopappou Hill, this 16th-century church may not be the oldest in Athens, but it is certainly one of the loveliest, with a heavy timber…

5. Hill of the Pnyx

0.29 MILES

North of Filopappou Hill, this hill was the official meeting place of the Democratic Assembly in the 5th century BC – really, the first site of democracy…

6. Acropolis Main Entrance

0.36 MILES

The main Acropolis entrance is used by tour groups so can be very busy. Come here for the disabled accessible lift.

7. Odeon of Herodes Atticus

0.36 MILES

This large amphitheatre was built in AD 161 by wealthy Roman Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife Regilla. It was excavated in 1857–58 and completely…

8. Hill of the Nymphs

0.36 MILES

Northwest of Hill of the Pnyx, this hill is home to the old Athens observatory, built in 1842.