Hadrian’s Library

Just behind the Tzistarakis mosque, you’ll find some amazing remains dating all the way back to Roman times, between 300 BC and 400 AD. Yet another historical era! I told you, this city’s history goes back millennia! And here’s another proof. This wall you see, with those towering columns reaching 8 meters high, was once part of Hadrian’s library. Hadrian was an important Roman emperor of the 2nd century AD, renowned for his administrative prowess and his commitment to peace. He reshaped the Roman Empire and, above all, put an end to the expansionist policies of his predecessors, choosing to focus on internal stability. He is one of the world’s best-known Roman emperors and we owe him a great deal! And clearly, he was also quite powerful and wealthy. Just look at the ruins of his library; this thing was huge! Built in 132 AD, it once boasted 100 columns, stretching over an impressive 122 meters in length and 80 meters in width. The building itself was over 8 meters tall! Hadrian thus gave Athens an important cultural centre right at the heart of the city; according to historians, his library housed over 20,000 papyrus manuscripts! These ruins are therefore part of the legacy left to us by one of the greatest Roman emperors. You can buy a ticket at the entrance to tour the archaeological site and admire up close the remains of this important cultural centre from the Roman era.