Athens Klepsydra well, Archaeological spring at the northwest slope of Acropolis, Greece
The Klepsydra spring is a stone-built water house at the northwest slope of Acropolis, fed by natural springs flowing from a cave above. The rectangular chamber was designed with an L-shaped platform and carved stairway, allowing people to collect water directly from ground level into the reservoir below.
This water source served ancient Athens as a crucial supply point, discovered when the city expanded its fortifications in antiquity. The spring house demonstrates how essential reliable water access was to the early development and defense of the settlement.
The spring takes its name from the Greek word meaning stolen water, reflecting how its flow was often interrupted by natural shifts in the hillside. Visitors can still observe this unpredictable character of the water supply that gave the site its distinctive name.
The site is accessed by stone-carved steps located near the ancient Panathenaic Way in central Athens and is easily reached on foot. The compact location makes it possible to combine with nearby archaeological sites when visiting the Acropolis area.
The spring house features an unusual L-shaped platform that allowed people to draw water from multiple levels within the same structure. This design was a clever solution for water distribution across the hillside terrain.
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