Hadrian's Library

The Hadrian's Library was a large library in ancient Athens. It is named after its founder, the Roman emperor Hadrian.

The Hadrian's library consisted of a 100 × 70 m wide, surrounded by a peristyle courtyard and the actual library building with two reading and lecture halls. The entire system is also called the Athens University. The library hall probably had three stories, of which there are two receive. In the three floors would accommodate 66 closets with more than 20,000 scrolls. Today, the west facade of the peristyle is obtained with pre- hidden Corinthian columns. The ruins of Hadrian's Library are located near the modern Monastiraki Square in the north of the Acropolis located in Athens Old Town ( Plaka ). Located next to Hadrian's Library is the former Tsidarakis mosque from 1759, in which the ceramic department of the People's History Museum is housed.

History

Hadrian was an outspoken Philhellene and visited during his reign ( 117-138 ) repeatedly Athens. Here, the art-loving emperor of the city donated several buildings: He who extended the Roman Agora, the v. early as the 6th century BC consummate started Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Gate, built in the year 132 and the Hadrian's Library. Already 267, the building was the invasion of the Heruli victim. Later it was incorporated into the city walls of Athens. Only 412, the library was restored at the behest of the Roman governor. Also in the 5th century was built on the courtyard an early Christian church, which was replaced by a three-aisled basilica in the 7th century. In their place, turn the Megali - Panagia Church was built in the 11th century. This was destroyed in 1885 by fire. After the destruction of the church archaeologists began excavations that continue to this day.