Benaki Museum

So the Benaki was my third museum of the day. Its basically the collection of one man, Antonis Benakis, contained in his elegant neo-Classical mansion. Its a collection of everything Greek, from prehistoric to modern. The way I would describe it is that there is nothing to particularly draw you to it, but if you get there you will have a perfectly good time.

the only irritation when I was there is that to feel "relevant" they had a series of recordings of interviews with artists on video screens in each room. Inane chatter.

 They also had a couple of full rooms displayed.

 But the best part for me was that they also had an exhibition of art nouveau objects from across Europe. These were few, but sublime.

But a good claim for Pseuds Corner. Did you know that the Vienna Secession is mainly distinguished for its static-geometric morphoplastic vernacular formed upon structural elements? Well, no I didn't at least not in so many words.

Museum of Cycladic Art

This surprisingly modern museum is housed in an old villa. It looks like it should be an embassy.

Now one ofthe more bizarre aspects is that the ancient exhibits are in a modern annex, while the older part is used for totally unrelated modern art. And when I was there, modern art f the most ridiculous kind. I give you - shelves of shoes. Yup, feast your eyes, search for the hidden depths...

the proper galleries are well set out. Its not a huge museum.  liked the attempt to exhibit items against a backdrop of photos, like these below.

 It's prime collection, as the title suggests, is in Cycladic art, particularly these unmistakable little idol sculptures. Enigmatic.

War Museum

This should not be high on anyone's list of Athenian attractions. I only went because of its proximity to a couple of museums which I DID want visit. I also thought it would have some interesting exhibits on ancient warfare. It largely didn't.

 Models of triremes. As good as it got.

All I could draw from the stuff on the Greek War of Independence was that they won liberty by the impressiveness of their moustaches.

 All encased in an eye-sore of a building.

Ancient Agora

The Ancient agora or market-pl;ace was the prime public face of Greek life. It was excavated by the American School of Classical studies in the 1930s and there are a very fair amount of ruins to mooch around, all under the gaze of the Acropolis.

 

In the 1950s, they  had no hesitation in rebuilding the Stoa of Attalos, the shopping centre, on its original base. Which is terrific as it really gives an impression of what the place would have been like. In addition to housing a museum.

 There is a small byzantine church in the precinct, notable if only to show the artistic degeneration from Ancient times.

 

But the most picturesque part of the site is up the hill to the Hephaesteion, the best preserved temple in Athens.

Statue of Hadrian. Alas headless.