Athens and around - The Rough Guide to Greece - page 79

1 NOVEMBER 17: THE STUDENT UPRISING

In November 1973, students at Athens Polytekhnío launched a protest against the
repressive regime of the colonels, occupying the building and broadcasting calls for mass
resistance from a pirate radio transmitter. Large numbers came to demonstrate support. The
colonels' regime was determined to smash the protest and, on the night of November 17,
snipers were positioned in neighbouring houses and ordered to fire into the courtyards while
a tank broke down the entrance gate and the buildings were stormed. Even today nobody
knows how many of the unarmed students were killed - estimates range from twenty to three
hundred. The protest arguably marked the beginning of the end for the colonels; its
anniversary is still commemorated by marches and sombre remembrance ceremonies and the
date is an iconic one, used for example by the November 17 terrorist group, which was active
in Greece from 1975 to 2002. The Neoclassical Polytekhnío itself, alongside the National
Archeological Museum, is not open for visits.

cheese. A clear sign of Athens' increasing multi-ethnicity is to be seen in the streets
around Evripídhou just west of here, where a growing community from South Asia,
predominantly Bengalis, gather around spice-rich minimarkets.

Odhós Eólou: the flower market
Pedestrianized Odhós Eólou is far less frantic than parallel Athinás and benefits from
café tables in the street and benches to rest on. Its gentler nature is also reflected by
the goods sold here: where Athinás has power tools and raw meat, Eólou offers
clothes and the flower market . The latter, gathered around the church of Ayía Iríni at
the southern end of the street, has stalls through the week but really comes alive on
Sunday morning.
Eólou itself follows the line of an ancient road, and the sight of the Acropolis as you
approached Athens in ancient times must have been awe-inspiring. The views remain
impressive today, with the Erechtheion's slender columns and pediment peeking over
the edge of the crag at the bottom of the street.

Platía Kótzia
At the northern end of Odhós Eólou, Platía Kótzia is a far more formal enclave, and
one of the city's more impressive examples of Olympic refurbishment. Surrounded by
the town hall and the weighty Neoclassical buildings of the National Bank, it's a rare
glimpse of elegant old Athens, spoilt only by the crumbling modern blocks above the
post office. In the middle of the square a large section of ancient road has been
uncovered and can be seen in a fenced-off site - numerous tombs and small buildings
lie alongside it. Also on display, by the new Stock Exchange is an ancient city gate
discovered during building work; nearby more sections of the ancient road and a
drainage system are visible under glass pyramids in the middle of Eólou.

North of the centre
North of the centre there's just one sight of any note, the fabulous National
Archeological Museum , the finest collection of ancient Greek artefacts anywhere, and
one of the world's greatest museums. Otherwise it's a rewarding part of the city for a
wander - restaurants, bars, cafés and bookshops abound, while Exárhia and
neighbouring Neápoli are among the city's liveliest neighbourhoods. Traditionally the
home of anarchists, revolutionaries, artists and students, Exárhia is pretty tame these
days, but it's still the closest thing in central Athens to an “alternative” quarter. On
Saturdays, locals flock to the colourful street market on Kallidhromíou from early