Hill of the Nymphs

Hill of the Nymphs

Introduction The Sacred Hill is located to the north of the ancient assembly site in Athens' Old Town. The hill stands about 104 meters high and is home to a lookout park, where a rock inscribed with dedications to the nymphs gave the hill its name. In Greek and Roman mythology, the nymphs were beautiful goddesses who lived in forests and woods. The Greeks built altars at the sites believed to be their dwellings and regarded them as sacred grounds.

The hilltop lookout tower rises prominently and is only open to visitors on the last Saturday of each month. The slopes feature ruins of ancient structures, including the small Chapel of Saint Marina, an ancient multi-domed building. The hill also houses a large telescope built in 1905 and a seismological observatory constructed in 1957.

Athens, Greece