Athens Herodes Atticus theatre

Location: Acropolis

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens: Built at the foothills of the Acropolis, the ancient amphitheatre of Herodium, also known as the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, is one of the best places to experience a live classical theatre performance.
This ancient Theatre was built in the Roman Times, in about 161 AD by the philosopher, teacher and politician Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife Regilla who died in 160 AD.
It was the third Theatre constructed in ancient Athens - the first was the Odeon of Pericles, built during the 5th century BC, and the second was the Odeon of Agrippa, built in 15 BC.

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The Theatre used to be covered and had a seating capacity of 5,000 individuals. Like all ancient Theatres, it consisted of three main parts - the theatron, the orchestra and the skene.
The theatron is the area where the spectators used to sit, the orchestra (stage) is the area in front of the seats where the dance performed and the skene is the building located behind the orchestra.
In the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, the theatron is semi-circular, has a diameter of 76 meters and was divided into two sections by a corridor with a width of 1,2 meters. The sections had 32 rows of seats made of marble. The orchestra is also semi-circular, has a diameter of 19 meters and was paved with marble. Lastly, the skene was elevated and three-storied.

Testimonies from the past state that a lot of money was given for the Theatre's construction, taking into consideration that cedar wood was used for the creation of the roof.
The Odeon was linked to the stoa of Eumenes II on its eastern side.

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More information about the Theatre of Herodes Atticus

Unfortunately, the Theatre of Herodes Atticus was destroyed during a raid of the Heruli in 267 AD and was never restored.
However, the Archaeological Society and archaeologist Kyriakos Pittakis carried out excavation at the site and removed tones of soil during the 19th century.
The Odeon was restored in 1952-1953 and, since 1957, it has hosted several artistic events. Up until this day, you can attend the Athens Epidaurus Festival and enjoy musical concerts and classical tragedies under the night sky with a marvelous acoustic experience thanks to the Theatre's ideal structure.
All events are held between May and October when the weather allows the theatre to be open and accommodate spectators.

The Herodium is located on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, right under the Acropolis.

How to get there

There are many ways to reach the Theatre of Herodes Atticus from any location in Athens.

Tours: Discover the Theatre of Herodes Atticus with an organized tour.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: (0030) 18288, (0030) 18222, (0030) 18180. You can also book your taxi online.

On foot: As the Theatre of Herodes Atticus is located in a central area of Athens, it can be easily reached on foot from the Akropoli (Red Line) metro station, in approximately 10 minutes.

By metro: The closest metro station is Akropoli (Red Line). Note that the Theatre of Herodes Atticus is located within a 10-minute walking distance from the metro. Get a map of the metro here.

By bus/trolleybus: The closest bus stop is "Akropoli" (Bus line 230). The Acropolis Museum is located within a 2-minute walking distance from the bus stop. Check the routes and the official timetables on OASA Telematics.