Odeum of Herodes Atticus

Herodes Atticus was an aristocratic and wealthy Greek who funded several great building projects in ancient Athens, including the Odeum (also Odeon or Herodeion), which he commissioned in 161 BC in memory of his wife. Found at the bottom of the southern slopes of the Acropolis, it was a concert hall with 32 rows of seating around a semi-circular, tiled stage and covered with a wooden ceiling to aid acoustics. Able to accommodate an audience of 5,000, the Odeum’s three-story exterior was adorned with four vast arches and decorated with statues of the muses. 
Destroyed in 267 AD by Germanic invaders, the Odeum was neglected until the 1950s, when refurbishment saw the seating and stage restored. It is today a popular open-air venue thanks to its spectacular setting underneath the Acropolis and the venue for many magical summertime open-air concerts and staging of classical plays as well as the Athens & Epidarus Festival from June through August.

Practical Info

Dionysiou Areopagitou. Concert opening times and prices vary according to event, otherwise open daily Apr–Oct 8am–8pm; daily Nov–Mar 8am–3pm. Admission (also to the Theater of Dionysus) is €2 or free as part of the €12 (€6 for concessions) Acropolis ticket. Take the metro to Monastiraki or Acropoli.