Hadrian’s Library was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 132AD. The building followed a typical roman style, with one entrance through a propylon with Corinthian columns. There was an inner courtyard surrounded by large columns with a decorative pool in the middle. The building was surrounded by high walls and the library itself, with its rolls of papyrus, were kept in rooms on its eastern side, while the western side was used for reading rooms and lecture/exhibition halls. Like much of Athens the library was seriously damaged by the Herulian invasion of 267. The library was repaired by Herculius of Illiricum between 407-412.
In the 5th century a tetraconch church was built at the centre of the interior courtyard. Tetraconch derives from the Greek for ‘four shells’ and is usually a building with four apses (semi-circular recesses covered with a dome) of equal size. This architectural style would be familiar to anyone who has seen the early churches of many parts of the Mediterranean and essentially the floor plan replicates the Greek cross. This early church only lasted around 100 years and was destroyed in the late 6th century. It was rebuilt in the second half of the 7th century into a three-aisled basilica. In the 12th century this basilica was replaced with a Byzantine church known as the church of Megali Panaghia, which lasted until 1885 when it was demolished. At the same time another church was built against the north façade, also now demolished, known as Agios Asomatos sta Skalia. Excavations at Hadrian’s Library continue to bring up items of serious significance, for example a colossal statue of the goddess Nike was uncovered in 1988.
Hadrian’s Library is situated to the north of the Acropolis and quite near Monastiraki Square and as such is well worth a short diversion if heading towards the Acropolis.
GPS: 37.9755, 23.72629