Messologiou Street
Messologiou Street is a central pedestrian road of Exarchia with cafes and the monument of Alexandros Grigoropoulos.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
Ottoman era (1453- 1821)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
A pedestrian road of only 160m, is considered by many to be the “heart” of Exarchia, as the constant mobility and its socio-political footprint and load are intense. In the part between Tzavella and Lontou Streets are the cafes frequented day and night by students and young people. In addition to cafes, we find bookstores, all surfaces covered with graffiti and socio-political slogans, which give an ideological tone to the urban space. At the corner of Tzavella and Messologiou Streets is the monument of Alexandros Grigoropoulos.
What I can't see
On December 6, 2008, 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos and his friends were at the spot where a police patrol car passed and was attacked verbally and with light objects. Two police guards got out of the patrol car and headed on foot towards the young friends. One of them, Epaminondas Korkoneas, aimed straight with his gun and fired twice, killing Alexandros Grigoropoulos in cold blood. This event triggered social anger and the most violent reactions the country had seen in decades throughout its territory, which lasted for several days (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su4rCuAN_dw). At first instance, one of the police officers was sentenced to life and the other to ten years in prison. Grigoropoulos is commemorated every year on December 6, with marches and demonstrations.
Bibliography
https://web.archive.org/web/20190731223534/https://www.tanea.gr/2008/12/09/greece/tin-en-psyxrw-dolofonia-toy-15xronoy-epibebaiwsan-oi-ergastiriakes-eksetaseis/
Last visit 20/2/2024
Field observation by scientific editors
Romanos N., (2015), Ρέκβιεμ για ένα ταξίδι χωρίς επιστροφή, [Requiem for a journey of no return], in Lifo,
https://web.archive.org/web/20190731223529/https://www.lifo.gr/now/society/82541
Last visit 20/2/2024