Athens Agora

If the Acropolis was the showpiece of the ancient capital, the Agora was its heart and soul. It served as the city's marketplace, administrative center, and focus of daily life from the sixth century BCE through the sixth century CE. Socrates, Demosthenes, Aristotle, and St. Paul all debated democracy in its hallowed stalls. The 500-person Boule, or senate of ancient times, met in the Bouleuterion to make decisions for this city, and the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes functioned as an ancient tabloid, where the government posted honors and lawsuits. Following its heyday, the Agora, like the Acropolis, passed through the hands of various conquerors. The ancient market emerged again in the 19th century, when a residential area built above it was razed for excavations. Today, the Agora is a peaceful respite from the bustling Athens around it.

Temple of Hephaestus, The impressive temple atop Kolonos Agraraiso Hill is dedicated to Hephaestus, the Greek god of metal working. The temple is made mostly of Pentelic marble in the Doric style and has friezes that depict the battle between Athenian hero Theseus and the Pallantids along its ceiling. Built from 460-415 BCE, the temple was in use through 1834 but is now the best-preserved Classical temple in all of Greece.
Skias, Civic offices that held the polis' official weights and measures were managed in 35-day segments by each of Athens' different factions in the round building now known as the Tholos—Greek for “circle”—on the left side of the Agora beneath the Temple of Hephaestus. Next to the altars to the gods and across from the gymnasium, the Skias' location is a prime of example of what the Agora was in its heyday—a mix of everything Athenian.
Stoa of Attalos, This multi-purpose building was filled with shops and was home to informal philosophers' gatherings. Attalos II, King of Pergamon, built the Sota in the second century BCE as a gift to Athens. Reconstructed between 1053 and 1056, it now houses the Agora Museum, which contains relics form the site. The stars of the collection are the black figure paintings by Exekias and a calyx krater— a flower-like vase used to mix wine that depicts Trojans and Greeks quarreling over the body of Patroclus, Achilles' closest companion and possible lover.
Odeion of Agrippa, Designed for performances, this structure originally had a thatched roof, orchestra pit, and seating for nearly 1000 people—no small feat for a building in 15 BCE. Like many other structures in the Agora, the original was destroyed by the Herulian invasion of 267 CE.
Church of the Holy Apostles, On the left immediately after walking into the Agora, this church is the only remaining medieval monument in the Agora and was built in 1000 CE before being restored in 1954. Make sure to turn your flash off when taking photos of the 17th-century paintings in this gem.
Roman Agora, When the Ancient Agora filled with administrative buildings and crowded out vendors, the shop owners picked up their commerce and moved to the Roman Agora. The structure was built from 19-11 BCE and had two propyla, or Doric vestibules at the entrance, one of which was given by Julius Caesar himself. Today, all that remains beyond the five imposing columns at the entrance is an open, grassy expanse ringed by white marble pieces. In the far end of the Agora stands the Tower of the Winds, built by Andronikos, an astronomer from Macedonia. Also, the far side of the Agora is the foundation of the Vespasianae, or public latrines, that showcase Greece's advanced sewage system.