Kolonaki (, ), literally "Little Column", is an upscale neighborhood in central

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

. It is located on the southern slopes of Mount Lycabettus. Its name derives from the two metre column (located in Kolonaki Square) that defined the area even before the area's urbanization.

Description

Kolonaki is a wealthy and upmarket district. As one of the capital's leading shopping areas, it includes a number of high-end boutiques from young adult to casual fashion to prestigious

haute couture ''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...

from Greek and international designers. One of its main shopping streets, Voukourestiou Street, is now known for its jewelry. Museums and galleries also abound in Kolonaki. The

Benaki Museum The Benaki Museum, established and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, is housed in the Benakis family mansion in downtown Athens, Greece. The museum houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the ...

, inside a preserved neoclassical manor house, and the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art and are two of the finest private collections in the country. Two smaller museums to be found in Kolonaki are the Museum of the History of Greek Costume and the Theater Museum, both highly specialized in their respective areas. A walk across the street from Vasilissis Sofias Avenue are the

Byzantine Museum The Byzantine and Christian Museum ( el, Βυζαντινό και Χριστιανικό Μουσείο, links=no) is situated at Vassilissis Sofias Avenue in Athens, Greece. It was founded in 1914, and houses more than 25,000 exhibits with ra ...

, and the

War Museum of Athens The Athens War Museum ( el, Πολεμικό Μουσείο Αθήνας), established on July 18, 1975, is the museum of the Greek Armed Forces. Its purpose is the exhibition of weapon artifacts and the relevant research in the history of war. It ...

. There is a plethora of available options for nightlife, including bars, ouzeries, and tavernas. Outdoor seating on pedestrian walks is typical, creating a lively atmosphere at night. The main Kolonaki Square (with the small column) is surrounded by cafes and restaurants. The Lycabettus Funicular, a

funicular railway A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...

, links Kolonaki to the summit of Mount Lycabettus. Kolonaki also hosts two metro stations, Evengelismos and Megaro Mousikis.

Parks & Squares

Besides nearby Lycabettus, the residents benefit from other small parks and open spaces: * Kolonaki Square * Dexamini, named after Hadrian's Reservoir. Dexamini has a small square where young children often play football, a playground and a popular cafe. * Plateia Katsiki * Parko Eleftherias * Garden of Megaro Mousikis

Gallery

File:Colonne1852.png, Detail from "Plan d'Athènes" 1853. Origins of the name of Kolonaki shown, with the location of the Column (Colonne) now in Kolonaki Square File:Kolonaki Kolonakiou.jpg, The little column in Kolonaki Square File:Athina kosciol sw Mikolaja.jpg, St. Nicholas church File:Kolonaki_Square_3.jpg, View of Kolonaki Square File:Athens earlymodernism01.JPG, Early modern buildings

Notable people

Miranda Xafa Miranda Xafa ( el, Μιράντα Ξαφά, ) is a Greek economist, formerly Greece's representative at the IMF Executive Board and chief economic adviser to the Prime Minister of Greece, and currently CEO of an Athens-based advisory firm. She is ...

References

{{Athens Shopping districts and streets in Greece Neighbourhoods in Athens Museum districts Art gallery districts