Exarcheia

Exarcheia, alternatively spelled as Exarchia, Exarheia and Exarhia (in Greek: Εξάρχεια), is the name of a neighborhood in downtown Athens, Greece close to the historical building of the National Technical University of Athens. The Exarcheia region is famous as a lair of Greek anarchists. It took the name from a merchant named Eksarhos (Greek: Έξαρχος) who opened a large general store there. Exarcheia is bordered on the east by Kolonaki and is framed by Patission, Panepistimiou and Alexandras Avenues.

Features

Located in Exarcheia is the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, the National Technical University of Athens and Strefis hill. The central square features many cafes and bars with numerous retail computer shops located mainly on Stournari street, also called the Greek Silicon Valley. Located on Exarcheia square is one of the oldest summer cinemas of Athens, called "Vox", as well as the Antonopoulos apartment building, known as the "Blue Building", because of its initial color, which is a typical example of the modernist movement of Greek architecture in the inter war period. Due to the political and intellectual character of the region, many bookstores, fair trade shops and organic food stores are also located in Exarcheia. ["City of Athens Portal", Accessed August 23 2007. [http://www.cityofathens.gr/portal/site/AthensPortalEN/menuitem.f0798745dfc51027e9a510102d4a76e3/index79ff.html] ] Exarcheia is also known for having comic book shops.

History and political significance

The district of Exarcheia was created between 1870 and 1880 at the confines of the city and has played a significant role in the social and political life of Greece. It is there the Athens Polytechnic uprising of November 1973 took place. Exarcheia is a place where many intellectuals and artists live and an area where many leftist and anarchist groups are accommodated. Police stations and other symbols of authority (and capitalism) such as banks are often targets of anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups [" [http://english.pravda.ru/news/hotspots/26-04-2007/90534-police_station-0 Greek anarchist youths throw petrol bombs at cars outside central Athens police station] ", "Pravda", April 26, 2007. Accessed August 23, 2007.] . Exarcheia is also an art hub where theatrical shows and concerts take place around the central square. Despite the efforts of the latest governments to remove the political character of Exarcheia by accusing the leftist and anti-authoritarian groups of being drug dealers in order to marginalize them, much of the "Exarcheian" style still survives.

References

External links

* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=37.988181,23.736906&spn=0.044511,0.080338&z=14 Map And Aerial Photos (Google)]