Arch of Hadrian

This is our entry in Lost in Translation’s Black & White Sunday: Structure.

In ancient times, the Arch of Hadrian (or Hadrian’s Gate) spanned a road leading from the center of Athens, Greece, to the Temple of the Olympian Zeus (Olympeion). Constructed in 131 AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, it measures approximately 19.5 feet high, 14.6 feet wide, and 2.5 feet thick. Originally, the arch separated the new and old cities of Athens, as indicated by an inscription on each side: on the Acropolis (old Athens) side, the inscription is “This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus,” while on the Temple (new Athens) side, the inscription is “This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus.”

The Arch of Hadrian, sitting beside the modern Amallias Avenue, is an easy walk (less than 2/10 mile) from Syntagma Square, and its main function today seems to be to signal to visitors that they have reached the temple complex.  (The photo below is taken from the Temple side of the Arch, facing Amallias Avenue.)

Arch of Hadrian

This photo was taken on September 21, 2016. Specs are:

Canon 100D, ISO 100, f/8.0, 1/100 sec, 18 mm