Monastiraki Square

Monastiraki Square (Plateia Monastirakiou) is a free, always-open public square in the historic center of Athens, set below the Acropolis between Plaka, Psyrri and the Ancient Agora. Three landmarks frame it: the small Pantanassa church, the 1759 Tzistarakis Mosque and the Roman walls of Hadrian’s Library. Monastiraki metro station, served by Line 1 and Line 3, opens straight onto the square, so for many visitors this is the first place they see in central Athens.

The Official Athens Guide describes Monastiraki Square as a place that rarely sleeps, with all of Athenian history at your feet, from Classical and Roman to Ottoman and modern. In practice, a Byzantine church, an Ottoman mosque and a second-century Roman library stand a few steps apart, with flea-market streets, souvlaki grills and rooftop bars on every side.

Monastiraki Square at a glance

Why it is called Monastiraki

Monastiraki means “little monastery.” The name comes from a monastic compound that once occupied the site, and according to the Official Athens Guide’s Monastiraki and Psirri guide, the only part left is the small 10th-century Pantanassa church on the square. It was once the katholikon, or main church, of that monastery.

Landmarks on and around the square

Pantanassa Church

The low Byzantine church of the Virgin Mary Pantanassa sits almost level with the square, and it is easy to walk past without noticing it. Stand in the middle of the square facing south and you get one of the classic Athens views: the church in front, the ruins of Hadrian’s Library to the side and the Parthenon on the hill behind.

Tzistarakis Mosque

The domed building with the arched porch at the south corner of the square is the Tzistarakis Mosque, built in 1759 by the Ottoman official Mustafa Agha Tzistarakis. Athens metro operator STASY records that he removed a column from the Temple of Olympian Zeus to make the lime needed for construction. It is one of the few Ottoman buildings still standing in central Athens.

Today the mosque is an annex of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture and houses an exhibition on the museum’s own history, which began here in 1918. The museum’s main complex at Areos 10 lists general admission at €15, with hours of 09:30-16:30 on Monday and Wednesday to Sunday (closed Tuesday and on public holidays). Check the museum website before you go if seeing inside the mosque matters to you, since annex access has changed over the years.

Hadrian’s Library

The long Roman wall and columns along the square belong to Hadrian’s Library, inaugurated around 132 AD when Emperor Hadrian visited Athens. You can see a good deal of it free from the square and Areos Street, but the enclosed site is ticketed. Hellenic Heritage lists these details:

• Entrance: 3 Areos Street, about two minutes on foot from the metro
• Tickets: €10 full, €5 reduced
• Summer hours: 08:00-20:00 from 1 April to 31 August, then closing gradually earlier through September and October
• Winter hours: 08:00-15:00 from 1 November to 31 March, with last admission 20 minutes before closing
• Free days: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March

Monastiraki metro station

The neoclassical station building dates from 1895 and is one of the oldest in the Athens network. Next to the platforms, a 300-square-meter space shows the bed and banks of the ancient Eridanos River, which has been mostly covered since antiquity. You can also look down on it from the square through the excavation pit.

Monastiraki flea market

The market starts right off the square. Ifestou Street, named after Hephaestus, the god of metalworkers, is the main market lane. Locals also call it Yousouroum, and its shops sell sandals, bags, jewelry, souvenirs and backgammon boards every day of the week.

For older objects, head to Avyssinias Square, a short walk west of the station. Restored furniture, crockery, records and home goods are sold there all week, but it is busiest on Sunday mornings, when dealers set up a full antiques market across the square and nearby lanes. Published times vary from source to source, and most vendors start packing up in the early afternoon. If you want to buy, go early. If you only want to browse, late morning is fine.

Where to walk from the square

Monastiraki is a good starting point for exploring the historic center on foot, because several of the city’s main streets begin here.

• Southeast along Adrianou Street to Plaka, about 10 to 15 minutes uphill, with Anafiotika above it
• West along Adrianou to the Ancient Agora of Athens and the Temple of Hephaestus
• Along Pandrossou Street past Hadrian’s Library to the Roman Agora and the Tower of the Winds
• Up Ermou Street, the city’s main shopping street, to Syntagma Square, passing the small Byzantine Kapnikarea church about five minutes from Monastiraki
• Along Mitropoleos Street, where several of the city’s oldest-known souvlaki restaurants put their tables out, toward the Metropolitan Cathedral
• North along Athinas Street to the Varvakeios Central Market, with the side streets of Psyrri branching off to the west
• Uphill to the Acropolis of Athens, whose timed-entry tickets are best booked ahead

To build a full day around these stops, use our guide to things to do in Athens.

Practical information

Getting there by metro

Monastiraki station is on Line 3 (blue) between Syntagma and Kerameikos, and on Line 1 (green) between Thiseio and Omonia. Line 3 runs directly from Athens International Airport. According to STASY’s Monastiraki station page, the first Line 3 train from Monastiraki toward the airport leaves at 05:49 and the last at 23:14. Schedules can change, so check before an early flight.

Accessibility

The Official Athens Guide lists Monastiraki Square as wheelchair accessible and notes that it is mostly paved with tiles. The surrounding cafés and food outlets have outdoor tables, but their interiors usually do not meet accessibility standards. The guide also notes two free disabled parking spaces nearby, at 86 Ermou Street and 133 Ermou Street. The narrow market lanes get very crowded on Sunday mornings, which makes getting around harder.

When to visit

Because Monastiraki is a public square, there is no admission fee and no opening time. The square is busy from morning until late at night, especially on weekends, when street performers draw crowds around the metro exit. Sunday brings the fullest market, while weekday mornings are calmer if you mainly want to see the monuments.

Local tip: Visit Monastiraki twice if you can. Go once in daylight to work out how the market streets and ruins fit together, and once after dark, when the rooftop bars fill up and the square becomes a meeting point for the night.

Frequently asked questions

Deciding where to base yourself? Our guide to where to stay in Athens compares Monastiraki, Plaka, Syntagma, Koukaki and Kolonaki.