Hadrian's Library — Attraction in Athens

Hadrian's Library is an absolute gem in the heart of Athens, offering not only a glimpse into the grandeur of ancient Roman architecture but also a profound connection to the city's rich historical tapestry. As a seasoned traveler and history enthusiast, I found this site to be nothing short of extraordinary.

Commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 132 AD, this magnificent structure was originally built as a library and cultural center, serving as a hub of learning and intellectual exchange in ancient Athens. The library was part of Hadrian’s broader efforts to integrate Greek culture with the Roman Empire, reflecting his deep admiration for Greek civilization. The site once housed a vast collection of papyrus scrolls, reading rooms, lecture halls, and even a courtyard with a beautiful ornamental pool, which must have been a serene spot for reflection and study.

Walking through the ruins today, one can still sense the grandeur that once defined this space. The towering Corinthian columns and the remnants of the imposing façade speak volumes about the architectural prowess of the period. The layout of the site, with its central courtyard and surrounding porticoes, gives a fascinating insight into the design principles of the time.

What makes Hadrian's Library particularly captivating is the layers of history that have unfolded here over the centuries. After its initial use as a library, the site saw various transformations, including its conversion into a Christian church in the Byzantine period and later into a residential area during the Ottoman occupation. These successive layers add depth to the experience, making it a living monument to the city's enduring legacy.

For anyone with an interest in ancient history, Hadrian's Library is a must-visit. The site is well-preserved, and the information provided on-site helps bring its rich history to life. Standing amidst these ancient ruins, you can’t help but feel a deep connection to the scholars and thinkers who once walked these grounds. It’s a five-star historical site that offers a profound appreciation of Athens’...

I’m a Chinese student studying Classical Literature in Italy and love exploring history and culture. I visited Hadrian’s Library in Athens, but unfortunately experienced racial discrimination for the first time at this site.

The €10 entrance fee isn’t really worth it since the whole site can be seen from outside, but I paid to support restoration efforts. I brought a small tripod to take photos because I was told by ticket staff that tripods were allowed here

While taking photos in Area A, I wanted to get a shot from Area C, so I crossed a platform (Area B) with no signs forbidding it, just like several European visitors did. A guard blew a whistle to warn us but only focused on me. When I returned, he aggressively demanded I delete all my photos and accused me of filming videos, which I did not.

Despite my polite apologies and showing him my phone deleting photos, he ignored me and kept repeating threats to call the police if I didn’t delete a non-existent video. He even demanded I delete photos I took at other nearby sites, which made no sense. The guard assumed I was Korean, even though I was speaking English the whole time. When I confronted him about racial discrimination and questioned why he ignored Europeans who crossed the platform, he became unsettled.

I reported the incident to the ticket office staff, who were very kind and apologized, but the guard refused to listen and pressured me to accept his apology by shaking hands, which I declined.

This was a humiliating experience and felt like clear racial discrimination. Visitors should be treated respectfully and fairly, especially at historic cultural sites. I have already shared the full details of what happened on my social media, and I will continue to stand up...

Located just outside the northern corner of the Roman Agora, the library was built on the site of Late Hellenistic and Early Roman housing. Becoming the largest library in Athens it was built to house not only books but also as a repository for the officia state archives. Several important schools of learning and philosophy also occupied the building.

Libraries in antiquity were not generally used as lending libraries but rather as places of study and storage. Documents were usually in the form of papyrus scrolls which were kept in partitioned wooden cupboards (armaria) set in niches in the walls of the room. Libraries were also a place to hear lectures and orators, and discuss intellectual matters with fellow visitors in the tranquility of the library garden. The Library of Hadrian was famously described by Pausanias as "the building with 100 columns of Phrygian marble, with halls with painted ceilings, alabaster walls, and niches with statues, in which books were kept" (Attica).

During the invasion by the Heruli in 267 century CE, the library suffered notable damage and in 277 CE, when the city sought to better protect itself, the library was made part of a fortification wall. The library was renovated by Herculius (407-12 century CE), the Prefectus (Eparch) of the Illyricum, and a statue of him was erected at the building’s entrance. The inscription related to this statue is still visible on the left side of the entrance. It is possible that at the same time an early Christian church was built in the central garden space, although this four-apse structure may have been built in the mid-5th century CE. This Christian church, Athens’ first in fact, was destroyed in the 6th century CE and so replaced by a large...