Ermou Street (Athens)
Encyclopedia
Ermou Street is an approximately one and a half kilometer-long road in central Athens
connecting Kerameikos archaeological site with the Syntagma Square
through Monastiraki
, Psiri
and Thiseio
. It consists of three sections: The east (from Filellinon Street to Aiolou Street
, app. 700m long) which is a pedestrian zone and the city's best-known and busiest shopping street, the middle (from Aiolou Street to Agion Asomaton str.) and the west (from Agion Asomaton to Peiraios Street) a pedestrian zone also.
Ermou street has traditionally been a consumer paradise for both Athenians and tourists. Complete with fashion shops and shopping centres
promoting most international brands, it now finds itself in the top 5 most expensive shopping streets in Europe, and the tenth most expensive retail street in the world. Nearby, the renovated Army Fund building in Panepistimiou Street
includes the "Attica" department store
and several upmarket designer stores.
One of the oldest churches in Athens, the Byzantine Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea
is in a small square, on the east section of Ermou Street.
The western section of the road which was remodeled for the 2004 Olympic Games constitutes the ending of the Grand Promenade, the pedestrian walkway around the Acropolis
, part of the city's Archaeological Unification Project.
which until now is a base for retail trade, public services and a range of places for recreation (cafes, hotels etc.) and a pedestrian zone since 1997 (the pedestrianization started in 1996), the section of the street from Agion Asomaton street to Peiraios Street was linked with the industrial land use of Peiraios Street in the 19th and 20th century, with wholesale
, the operation of Athens and Piraeus Railway and the arterial roads Peiraios Street and Iera Odos Street.
(Vasilissis Olgas Av.) and continues through Dionysiou Areopagitou and Agiou Pavlou streets.
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
connecting Kerameikos archaeological site with the Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square , is located in central Athens, Greece. The Square is named after the Constitution that King Otto was forced to grant the people after a popular and military uprising, on September 3, 1843....
through Monastiraki
Monastiraki
Monastiraki is a flea market neighborhood in the old town of Athens, Greece, and is one of the principal shopping districts in Athens. The area is home to clothing boutiques, souvenir shops, and specialty stores, and is a major tourist attraction in Athens and Attica for bargain shopping...
, Psiri
Psiri
Psiri ; formerly known as Ψύρα, Psyra or Ψυρίη, Psyrii) is a gentrified neighbourhood in Athens, Greece, today known for its restaurants, bars, live music tavernas, and small number of hotels....
and Thiseio
Thiseio
Thiseio, also Thisseio, Thisio and Thissio is the name of a neighborhood in downtown Athens, Greece, northwest of the Acropolis, 1.5 km southwest of downtown, and 1 km southwest of city hall; its name derives from the Temple of Hephaestus, also known as Τhiseio, as it was, in earlier times,...
. It consists of three sections: The east (from Filellinon Street to Aiolou Street
Aiolou Street
Aiolou Street is a street in downtown Athens, the Greek capital. It is named after Aeolus, the god of winds in Greek mythology. The street is one-way and originally ran entirely southbound but since the closure of Athinas Street in the late-1990s as part of the renovation plan, the part north...
, app. 700m long) which is a pedestrian zone and the city's best-known and busiest shopping street, the middle (from Aiolou Street to Agion Asomaton str.) and the west (from Agion Asomaton to Peiraios Street) a pedestrian zone also.
Ermou street has traditionally been a consumer paradise for both Athenians and tourists. Complete with fashion shops and shopping centres
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
promoting most international brands, it now finds itself in the top 5 most expensive shopping streets in Europe, and the tenth most expensive retail street in the world. Nearby, the renovated Army Fund building in Panepistimiou Street
Panepistimiou Street
Panepistimiou Street is a major street in Athens that runs one way for non-transit vehicles since 2002 from Amalias Avenue, Syntagma Square and Vassilissis Sofias Avenue to Omonoia Square in which is now a pedestrian crossing and before an intersection...
includes the "Attica" department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
and several upmarket designer stores.
One of the oldest churches in Athens, the Byzantine Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea
Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea
The Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea or just Kapnikarea is a Greek Orthodox church one of the oldest churches in Athens.- History :It is estimated that the church was built some time in the 11th century, perhaps around 1050...
is in a small square, on the east section of Ermou Street.
The western section of the road which was remodeled for the 2004 Olympic Games constitutes the ending of the Grand Promenade, the pedestrian walkway around the Acropolis
Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens or Citadel of Athens is the best known acropolis in the world. Although there are many other acropoleis in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification...
, part of the city's Archaeological Unification Project.
History
The street was one of the first roads designed in modern Athens and one of the main axes of Athens’ first town plan made by the architects Kleanthis and Schaubert in 1833. In contrast to the section from Syntagma Square to Aiolou StreetAiolou Street
Aiolou Street is a street in downtown Athens, the Greek capital. It is named after Aeolus, the god of winds in Greek mythology. The street is one-way and originally ran entirely southbound but since the closure of Athinas Street in the late-1990s as part of the renovation plan, the part north...
which until now is a base for retail trade, public services and a range of places for recreation (cafes, hotels etc.) and a pedestrian zone since 1997 (the pedestrianization started in 1996), the section of the street from Agion Asomaton street to Peiraios Street was linked with the industrial land use of Peiraios Street in the 19th and 20th century, with wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
, the operation of Athens and Piraeus Railway and the arterial roads Peiraios Street and Iera Odos Street.
2003 section remodeling
In order to improve the image of the surrounding area and enhance the archaeological site of Kerameikos and its integration with city life, the section from Agion Asomaton street to Piraios street was remodeled into a pedestrian way as part of the Grand Promenade project, which is subsumed under the general work for the unification of the archaeological sites of Athens. The remodeling started by the Unification of Archaeological Sites of Athens S.A. on Wednesday 9 July 2003, and now the section constitutes the ending of the Grand Promenade that begins at Panathinaiko StadiumPanathinaiko Stadium
The Panathinaiko or Panathenaic Stadium , also known as the Kallimarmaro , is an athletic stadium in Athens that hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896...
(Vasilissis Olgas Av.) and continues through Dionysiou Areopagitou and Agiou Pavlou streets.
Intersections
Major intersections in order, from west to east:- Peiraios Street
- Agion Asomaton (Agion Asomaton Square)
- Athinas StreetAthinas StreetAthinas Street is a street in downtown Athens in Greece. It is named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The street runs from Ermou Street north to Omonoia Square through the Psiri neighborhood. Its total length is nearly 1 km of which 80 m is a walkway since 1999...
- Aiolou StreetAiolou StreetAiolou Street is a street in downtown Athens, the Greek capital. It is named after Aeolus, the god of winds in Greek mythology. The street is one-way and originally ran entirely southbound but since the closure of Athinas Street in the late-1990s as part of the renovation plan, the part north...
- Filellinon Street (Syntagma SquareSyntagma SquareSyntagma Square , is located in central Athens, Greece. The Square is named after the Constitution that King Otto was forced to grant the people after a popular and military uprising, on September 3, 1843....
)
External links
- "Ermou Street: The commercial heart of Athens" Kathimerini feature in Greek languageGreek.
- Online guide for stores in Ermou Street