Athens
Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the most famous cities in the world. Modern Athens is a bustling, cosmopolitan metropolis. Ancient Athens was a powerful city-state and a renowned centre of learning. It was named after goddess Athena.
The Athens metropolitan area is home to some 3.7 million people and it is currently growing both northwards and eastwards across Attica (Greater Athens). Athens is the dominant centre of economic, financial, industrial, cultural and political life in Greece today. The city is also rapidly becoming a leading business centre in Europe.
Ancient Athens is considered to have been the cradle of Western civilisation. This is largely due to the immense impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 4th and 5th centuries BC on the rest of the then known world. This heritage is still evident in the city, portrayed through a number of spectacular ancient monuments and artworks, the most famous of all being the Parthenon on the Acropolis, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Classical Greek architecture.