Monastiraki, the place to be in Athens!

February 17, 2020

You’ve probably heard of it, and if you’ve ever been to Athens, you have probably been there a lot. But do you know its history? When you are in Monastiraki, you are literally in the centre of Athens’ history. No matter where you turn, you will find ancient monuments and historical ruins and an atmosphere that will transport you back in time.
The name Monastiraki dates back to the time of the Greek Revolution. The name comes from the Pantanassas Monastery, a small convent built in the area in the 10th century. It was built in the 10th century. Before this name, the area had many other nicknames, such as “Ambatzidika”, “Tzertzidika” and “Square of the Old Barracks”, for many reasons, but Monastiraki is the name that has stuck.
In 1759, there was a mosque called Tzistaraki, which took its name from the Ottoman head of the city, Moustafa Aya Tzistaraki. It was also known as the Mosque of the Lower Well because of the nearby well which was fed by the River Iridanos. It is said that Aya used columns from the sanctuary of Olympus for the construction of the mosque. This was considered sacrilege and many linked it to an epidemic which struck the city the following year. The mosque was not rebuilt until 1915 and since 1975 has housed an important collection of ceramics from Greece, Cyprus, the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey.
During the Ottoman period, there was an open food market in the square, which played an important role in trade. It was sometimes called Yousouroum because of the famous bazaar on Ifestiou Street. This name is still sometimes used today. The neighbourhood with the second-hand stores was named after the Jewish merchant Elia Yousouroum, the first owner of such a store in Athens and chairman of the association until the end of the 19th century.
The history of Monastiraki is so rich that we could fill an entire book! Monastiraki has always been one of the liveliest areas of Athens, a place where cultures have met for more than a thousand years and where you can imagine the true history of the capital.