Monopteros
Monopteros is a small circular building in Ancient Agora.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
1936 Excavated.
Ottoman era (1453- 1821)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Constructed at the beginning of the 2nd century AD.
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
In front of the Stoa of Attalos, there was the Monopteros, a circular building with a diameter of 8.14m. Today, we see part of the toothed and ornate architrave.
What I can't see
Part of its foundation was made of tufa stones. It had 10 marble columns of green and white colour, an elaborate architrave of Pentelic marble, and a brick dome, with the bricks arranged horizontally, a rare technique for the time. The name Monopteros comes from the descriptions of Vitruvius, but the building may not have been a temple after all, but a fountain.
Bibliography
Camp J., (1990), The Athenian Agora, A guide to the excavation and museum, Athens
