Working Remotely in Athens: The Temple of Hephaestus

We arrived in Athens on a Saturday, and it was rather late for sightseeing. So we just found our apartment, checked in, and went out for grocery shopping and then dinner. But we did go sight-seeing the day after, on Sunday. And the first thing we decided to see was the Temple of Hephaestus, in the Ancient Agora.

The Temple of Hephaestus is one of the most significant and remarkably well-preserved monuments of ancient Greece. Located on the Agoraios Kolonos hill at the northwest edge of the Ancient Agora in Athens, it remains nearly intact, including its original roof and many of its columns. This classic Doric temple was built in the 5th century BC, likely between 449 and 415 BC, during the "Golden Age" of Pericles. It was dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking, and Athena Ergane, the goddess of crafts. This was an appropriate choice given its location overlooking the district of Athens that housed many potteries and metalwork foundries.

I was here back in 2005. But frankly, if I didn't look at my old photos, I wouldn't remember it. So it was great to see it again, up close and personal. We spent some time gazing at this very intact structure from all sides. And thankfully, as it was winter, it was not crowded at all.

After exploring this temple, we continued and checked out the rest of the Ancient Agora. Stay tuned.