Archaeological Sites of Athens
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Temple of Hephaestus:

✍️ The temple of Hephaestus is located between Thissio and Monastiraki area, in the west side of the Ancient Agora of Athens, on the top of Agoraios Kolonos hill, overlooking the Stoa of Attalos and from a beautiful location the Acropolis, the area of Thissio, Monastiraki neighborhood and Lycabettus hill.

The Temple of Hephaestus, more widely known as 'Thissio' is one of the best preserved ancient doric temples of the Greek space (helped a bit in this that later turned into a Christian church, which the believers were protecting through the years) while initially there was a place of worship both of Hephaestus god and of goddess Athena.

Originally attributed to the (erroneous point of view) use as a temple and place of worship of Theseus god, it had been named Thiseio and gave that name to the place where it was located.

The Temple of Hephaestus is located (as mentioned above) in the same place as:
◉ The ancient market of Athens,
◉ The Stoa of Attalos.

The temple was probably built between 460-420 BC by an unknown architect who had built similar temples in Attica at that time.

In the 7th century. A.D. the temple was transformed into a church of Saint George of Akamas and thus operated until the liberation of Greece from the Turks.

During the 18th century, many prominent Protestants were buried in the temple of Hephaestus and in 1834 the temple hosted the reception ceremony of King Othon.

Since then the temple has functioned as an archaeological museum until the excavation of the American School in the Ancient Agora in 1930.

Temple of Hephaestus | Archaeological Sites Athens

Temple of Hephaestus • Athens

Temple of Hephaistos • Athens

Find more information about the Temple of Hephaestus at the Minister of Culture and Sports.

Lily's tips:

✍️ The Temple of Hephaestus is located is located between Thissio and Monastiraki area, within the archaeological site of the Ancient Agora (market) of Athens.

The route is mild, but you'll need comfortable shoes and there are stairs.

You can not reach the ancient Athenian market and the Temple of Hephaestus from the small park that is in front of Thissio Station, as it is fenced with railing and the reason for that - beyond the issue of protecting it from possible vandalism - is because the area of the Ancient Athenian Market has an entrance ticket.

Entrance ticket prices:

Ancient Market of Athens - Temple of Hephaestus - Stoa of Attalos - Museum of Ancient Agora (market)
Individual Ticket:

Price of full ticket: €8
Price of reduced* ticket: €4

From 01-11 to 31-03 every year there is only the reduced price on the individual ticket for your entrance to the site.

Ancient Market of Athens - Temple of Hephaestus - Stoa of Attalos - Museum of Ancient Agora (market)
Special ticket package:

Price of full ticket: €30
Price of reduced* ticket: €15

The single entry ticket has a validity period of 5 days.

* Reduced entrance admission for:
· Escorting parents on educational visits of primary schools,
· Greek citizens and citizens of other Member - States of the European Union who are over 65 years old, upon presentation of their ID card or passport for verification of their age and country of origin,
· Students of University - Higher Education Institutes, Technological Educational Institutes or equivalent Schools of countries from outside the European Union, upon presentation of their student ID cards.

In the Ancient Athenian Market

Free admission days days:
(free entrance for all the visitors)

✔ 6 March - In memory of Melina Mercouri,
✔ 18 April - International Monuments Day,
✔ 18 May - International Museums Day,
✔ The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days),
✔ 28 October - National day
✔ Every first Sunday from 1st to March 31st.

Free entrance admission for:

· Escorting teachers during educational visits of schools and institutions of primary, secondary and tertiary education and of military schools,

· Holders of a free pass,

· Holders of a solidarity card.

· Holders of a valid unemployment card,

· Journalists upon presentation of their journalist identity card,

· Members of Societies and Associations of Friends of Museums and Archaeological Sites, upon presentation of their certified membership card,

· Members of the ICOM-ICOMOS, upon presentation of their membership card,

· Official guests of the Greek State, after approval from the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage,

· Parents of families with three children and their children up to the age of 23 or 24 if they are students and regardless of age if they have disability, upon presentation of a family status certificate issued by the Municipality,

· Parents of multi-child families and their children up to the age of 23, up to the age of 25 if they are doing their military service or studying and regardless of age if they have disabilities, upon presentation of a certified multi-child pass from the Supreme Confederation of multi-child parents of Greece (ASPE),

· Persons with disabilities (67 % or over) and one escort, upon presentation of the certification of disability issued by the Ministry of Health or a medical certification from a public hospital, where the disability and the percentage of disability are clearly stated,

· Single parent families with minors, upon presentation of a family status certificate issued by the Municipality. In the case of divorsed parents, only the parent holding custody of the children,

· Students of University - Higher Education Institutes, Technological Educational Institutes, Military Schools or equivalent Schools of EU member states, as well as Schools of Guides, upon presentation of their student identity card,

· The employees of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Archaeological Receipts Fund, upon presentation of their service ID card,

· The police officers of the Department of Antiquity Smuggling of the Directorate of Security,

· Young people, up to the age of 18, upon presentation of their Identity Card or passport for age confirmation,

· Tourist guides upon presentation of their professional ID card.

Temple of Hephaistos • Athens

e-Ticketing:

For the online ticket purchase service for the archaeological site of the Ancient Agora of Athens - Temple of Hephaestus - Stoa of Attalos - Arios Pagos, visit the following e-mail address:
etickets.tap.gr

Ticket valid for: Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens - Temple of Hephaestus - Stoa of Attalos - Museum of Ancient Agora (market), Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Archaeological Site of Lykeion, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of the Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis.

Temple of Hephaistos • Athens

Temple of Hephaestus • Athens

How do I go to the
Temple of Hephaestus:

Temple of Hephaestus • Ancient Athens Market:

Address:
24 Adrianou St., Athens (Prefecture of Attiki) P.C. 105 55, Greece.

Visiting hours:
Monday to Sunday
08:30 - 15:30
(last entry 15:15)

For the period from 1.3.2019 to 31.3.2019 the opening hours of the Archaeological Site with the Temple of Hephaestus and the Museum will be slightly modified and will be shaped as follows: 08: 30-16: 00
Last entry: 15:45

Holidays Day:

January 1: closed
March 25: closed
May 1: closed
Easter Sunday: closed
Christmas, December 25: closed
December 26: closed

Amenities for the physically challenged:

The area is accessible to people with disabilities from the entrance on Adrianou Street (and from the entrance to Thiseio Square, Apostolou Pavlou Street, only by the telephone: 0030 210 3214825).

During the winter months (November to March), the entry to Thiseio Square remains closed on weekends and public holidays.

There is specially designed ramp leading to the Ancient Agora Museum and W.C. for people with special needs.

Access to the Archaeological Site:

1. METRO: Stop to Monastiraki station,
2. Electric Rail: Both Monastiraki and Thiseio station-stops,
3. Blue public buses (ETHEL-OASA):
025 (Route: Prophet Daniel-Hippocrates street),
026 (Route: Votanikos-Hippocrates street),
027 (Route: Orfeos street-Hippocrates street)
Stop: Monastiraki square.

Contact Info:

Phone number:
(0030) 210 3210185,
(0030) 210 3214825,
(0030) 210 3210180.

e-mail: efaath@culture.gr
Official webpage:
odysseus.culture.gr

Map: Temple of Hephaestus • Athens