Athens,
historic city and capital of Greece. Athens is generally considered
to be the birthplace of Western civilization, and many of classical
civilization's intellectual and artistic ideas originated there.
 Athens
lies 5 miles (8 km) from the Bay of Phaleron, off the Aegean Sea,
where its port, Piraeus, is situated. The Hymettos Mountains separate
it from Petalion Bay to the east. The seasonal Kifisos River flows
through western Athens, and the Ilisos River crosses the eastern
half. Greater Athens forms a region of modern Greece.  The
climate is temperate, with mild winters and hot, dry summers.
Athens
is the hub of Greek merchantile business, both import and export.
Tourism, shipping, and publishing are of major importance, as
are the production of textiles, pottery, and alcoholic beverages.
The mining of marble and bauxite in the area is significant.
Athens
is best known for its temples and public buildings of antiquity.
Chief among these is the Parthenon, a columned, rectangular temple
built for the city's patron goddess, Athena; it is considered
to be the culmination of the Doric order of classical Greek architecture.
Also located on the Acropolis are the Erechtheum, originally the
temple of both Athena and Poseidon, and the Propylaea, the entrance
of which is through the wall of the Acropolis. At the foot of
the Acropolis, to the south, are the theatres of Herodes and Dionysus,
while to the northwest is the Agora, the ancient marketplace of
the city. 
Old
Athens is still evident in the streets near the excavated Agora
and in the colourful Plaka district on the northern slope of the
Acropolis. Near the Parliament building is the National Garden
and Syntagma (Constitution) Square, which caters to tourists with
its luxury hotels and cafes. Important museums include the Acropolis,
the National Archeological, and the Byzantine museums.Among the
city's academic institutions are the University of Athens (refounded
in 1837), the Greek Academy, and the National Library.
Athens has long been a transportation centre. The city is connected
by rail with the rest of the country, and Piraeus, the country's
major port, is the centre of the Greek shipping industry. Modern
roads surround Athens, and the Ellinikon Airport lies due south.
Area, city proper, 15 square miles (39 square km); metropolitan
area, 167 square miles (427 square km). Pop. (1981) city, 885,737;
metropolitan area, 3,027,331.
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