Ruins of the Ancient Sanctuary of Athena Pallenis

In the spring of 1994, during construction work on Zalongou and Androutsou Streets, the foundations of the sanctuary of Pallenis Athena, dating back to the 5th century BC, were discovered by the Second Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. The dimensions of the temple are 16.35m x 32.25m. It had 13 ribbed columns on the long sides and 6 on the short sides. Many (~200) pieces of clay bird figurines have been found in connection with the archaic phase of the sanctuary, attesting to the worship of Athena. However, no parts of the superstructure have been found in the surrounding area, suggesting that the temple was dismantled and moved elsewhere. Architraves from the sanctuary have been found embedded in the Byzantine church of St Ioannis the Theologian. An Ionic capital and an inscription from the sanctuary are kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. A part of the foundation (about 65 sq.m) was destroyed after it was already built, before the legislation for an autopsy by the Archaeological Service on every building was implemented.