Choragic Monument of Lysicrates

The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates is an ancient structure in Plaka, the oldest neighborhood of Athens, built from Pentelic and Hymettian marble. The circular form rests on a square base and supports six slender columns that carry a continuous frieze decorated with relief carvings.

Lysicrates commissioned the structure after winning a theatrical contest in 334 before the common era. Capuchin friars later incorporated it into their monastery and used the interior as a study room.

The monument stands along the ancient Street of Tripods, where wealthy sponsors displayed bronze tripods received as prizes for theatrical performances.

The structure stands in a small square at the junction of three lanes southeast of the Acropolis. Visitors reach it on foot through the narrow streets of Plaka, passing shops and taverns.

A bronze tripod that Lysicrates received as his prize once crowned the roof. That element disappeared over the centuries, while the marble structure has survived to this day.

Location: Athens Municipality

Inception: 4 century BCE

Architectural style: ancient Greek architecture, Corinthian order, Ionic order

Accessibility: Wheelchair inaccessible

Made from material: Pentelic marble, Hymettian marble, tuff

GPS coordinates: 37.97104,23.72990

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:30