Philopappos lived in Athens and was the grandson of Antiochus IV, the last king of Commagene. In 109, Philopappos was elected as consul. In return for his beneficence, the people of Athens built him a magnificent tomb on the hill of the Muses. Later, it became known as the Hill of Philopappos. The statue of Philopappos and the sculptures of his royal ancestors are set up on the marble tomb.
In fact, the hill is not one, but three: the hill of the Pnyx, the hill of the Nymphs, which is called the Observatory, and the hill of the Muses. Many guests of Athens come up here to see the panorama of the sights.
Due to its convenient location near the Acropolis, it has been long used as a stronghold of great strategic importance in various military operations.
In the 4th-5th century BC, the Athenians included the hill in the strengthening of the Athenian city walls. In 294 BC, Demetrius the Conqueror built a small fort known as the Macedonian fortress into the old walls and set up guards to protect the city.
Between 1954 and 1957, Philopappos hill in Athens was reconstructed by the architect Dimitris Pikionis in collaboration with his students and local stonemasons. They preferred to improvise, and therefore they did not use preliminary schemes. Here the endemic plants of Attica were planted, a pavilion was built, and the paths were paved with stones that had been preserved after the destruction of local buildings, including the neoclassical ones.
There is a monument to Philopappos, which is 10 metres high. The statues on its facade depict Philopappos himself, his father and his son.
The Socrates prison is located on this historical site. It is alleged that here a convicted murderer was held. The entrance to the cave where he was remanded in custody was locked with an iron door. And the cave itself was large enough to hold a human.
At the foot of Philopappos hill there is the church of St. Demetrius Loumbardiaris. This is a one-storey building with a dome. According to legend, in 1658, on the eve of the feast of the Saint, Agha Yusuf wanted to blow up the church. But his plans were thwarted when a lightning from a sudden thunderstorm blew up a barrel of gunpowder that killed Yusuf. The path to the temple leads travelers along a beautiful cobblestone path, built by the famous architect D. Pikionis (1887-1968).
In addition to seeing the historical sites located on the Philopappos hill, from its top you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Acropolis and the entire city of Athens all the way to Piraeus, and even beyond.
It also offers the best view of the Parthenon, both during the day and at night.
The Philopappos hill in Athens (Greece) is a forest green territory, which it is not possible to see in the capital. Here it is pleasant just to to walk and to breathe fresh air in the shade of trees. Often travelers and locals come here early in the morning or, conversely, late in the evening.
It is believed that a wish made at the sunrise on the Philopappos hill will come true. And at the sunset, you can make incredibly beautiful images on the Philopappos Hill in Athens: the nature force blends with the panorama of the city.
The Athenian Philopappos hill is located to the south-west of the Acropolis. And the fastest way to the hill is from the main entrance to the Acropolis. The sidewalk will lead you to the back of the hill, which offers a magnificent view, one of the best views in Athens.
How to get to the Philopappos hill on foot: you can walk to it along various paths. They are quite picturesque. The most famous path is the one that goes up the stairs, which start from the street Akamantos Tiseion to the hill of Nymphs.
If you use the metro, get off at the Acropolis station (red line) or Monastiraki station (green line).
If you are driving, the nearest parking area is located near the Acropolis and below the Acropolis museum. We recommend leaving your car on Metropolis Street and walking from there.
