 A new archaeological site is now open at Monastiraki Metro Station
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 The archaeological site at the Monastiraki Metro Station opened up on Monday 3rd of March 2007.
Thousand of passengers using this station will have the chance to see one of the most important technical works of antiquity. It is the bed of River Iridanos, which dates back to the 2nd AC, the times of Erodes the Atticus.
This unique river bed was discovered accidentally during the construction of metro station southeastwards of the square. In this domelike stone construction are found remains of three different periods of time, two of the Roman period and one of the paleochristianic.
The river begins from Lycabettus Hill, passes through the Syntagma Square and then goes down to Monastiraki through Mitropoleos Street. It afterwards comes to Kerameikos – the only part visible today – and falls to Ilissos River.
The Ministry of Civilization gave major importance to this discovery. For this reason the Attico Metro Company had to change the plans for the station’s construction, as it coincided with the river bed of Iridanos.
The Minister of PEHODE Georgios Souflias declared “A new archaeological site was found today at Monastiraki Station, in the historic center of Athens.
It is one of the most important technical works of antiquity, the bed of river Iridanos. All passengers have now the chance to see it along with the rest of the antiquities found in the same area”.
The archaeological site has an extension of 300 sq. m. A glass bridge passes through the archaeological site and the bed of River Iridanos.
The visitors have also the chance to see the station’s archaeological site through a specially designed glass casing.
Date: 27/3/2007
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