athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works

Athens Architecture Guide by designboom and archdaily

 

Athens stands as a city where the legacy of Antiquity is woven into its modern and vibrant urban landscape. World-renowned landmarks of Ancient Greece like the Acropolis and the Parthenon stand as enduring symbols of classical architecture and the city’s storied past. These structures reflect the foundational principles of symmetry and balance that have influenced generations of architects and continue to attract scholars from around the world. Yet, Athens is also a thriving metropolis where contemporary architecture coexists with its historical counterparts. Recent developments, led by international firms and local architects, focus on sustainability and innovation while respecting Athens’ rich cultural heritage. This duality—preserving the old while embracing the new—reflects Greece’s broader urban aspirations, making Athens a focal point in global architectural discourse. The city’s architectural evolution also extends to its contemporary architecture and interior design scene, which is gaining international recognition.

 

To celebrate this architectural evolution, this city guide features Athens’s historical landmarks alongside designboom’s curation of innovative interior designs and ArchDaily’s selection of projects focusing on contemporary architecture. Together, they highlight Athens’ role as a hub of design innovation.

 

Moreover, this December 7-8, The Architect Show in Athens will spotlight the city’s architectural growth. The event brings together professionals in architecture and design for seminars, conferences, and exhibitions that promote innovation, knowledge exchange, and collaboration.

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
aerial photo taken by drone of iconic new modern Acropolis museum, Acropolis hill and the Parthenon at the background, Athens historic centre | image © Aerial-motion via Shutterstock

 

 

Historical Cultural Landmarks

 

 

Acropolis and Parthenon

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Flickr via Konstantinos Dafalias | Acropolis

 

 

Ancient Agora and the Stoa of Attalos

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Shutterstock via isidoros andronos

 

 

Benaki Museum of Islamic Art

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Shutterstock via brunocoelho | Benaki Museum

 

 

The National Library of Greece/ Theophil Hansen

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image courtesy of a view on cities | National Library of Greece

 

 

The Greek Parliament Building

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Wikimedia | The Byzantine and Christian Museum

 

 

Panathenaic Stadium

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Wikimedia | Panathenaic Stadium

 

 

The Byzantine and Christian Museum

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Wikimedia | The Byzantine and Christian Museum

 

 

The Zappeion

athens-architecture-city-guide-from-historical-landmarks-to-contemporary-works-designboom-full-01

image © Wikimedia | A.Savin | The Zappeion

Contemporary Works

 

 

The New Acropolis Museum / Bernard Tschumi Architects

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image by Danica O. Kus

 

 

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) / Renzo Piano

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image courtesy of SNFCC / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre

 

 

Athens Tower Complex / Ioannis Vikelas

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Wikimedia | Andrzej Otrębski | Athens Tower

 

 

National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) / TAKIS ZENETOS

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Panos Kokkinias | national museum of contemporary art

 

 

Piraeus Tower Revitalization / PILA

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
image © Nikos Daniilidis | Piraeus Tower

 

 

Three Object Apartment / DeMachinas + Elina Loukou

athens-architecture-city-guide-from-historical-landmarks-to-contemporary-works-designboom-full-02

image © Vassilis Makris | Three Object Apartment / DeMachinas + Elina Loukou © Vassilis Makris

kois-associated-architects-snfcc-delta-restaurant-stavros-niarchos-foundation-cultural-center-athens-designboom-21800

image courtesy of Jérôme Galland

fuddy-duddy-pizza-restaurant-athens-saint-of-athens-icd-designers-designboom-1800-1

image by Giagkos Papadopoulos

 

Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens / firm ciguë

athens architecture guide: 23 highlights from historical landmarks to contemporary works
Courtesy of DePasquale+Maffini | Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens

 

 

This article was originally written by Nour Fakharany and published by Archdaily

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