Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Miss
Stoa of Attalos
A stoa is a covered walkway or portico, and the grand Stoa of Attalos served as the first-
ever shopping arcade. Built by namesake King Attalos II of Pergamum (159-138 BC),
this majestic two-storey stoa has 45 Doric columns on the ground floor and Ionic columns
on the upper gallery. The stoa was destroyed in 267 AD by the Heruli (a Germanic tribe),
but reconstructed between 1953 and 1956 by the American School of Archaeology, and,
originally, the facade was painted red and blue.
Agora Museum
The excellent Agora Museum is housed inside the Stoa of Attalos. It is a great place to
start, as it gives context to the site and has a model of the Agora to help get an overview.
The museum displays an excellent collection of finds from the site, with a special emphas-
is on early Athenian democracy. Artefacts range from early voting ballots and an ancient
clock to coins and terracotta figurines. Some of the oldest finds date from 4000 BC.
