Anafiotika is a scenic tiny neighborhood of Athens, part of old historical neighborhood called Plaka

Plaka

Pláka is the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens...

. It lies in northerneast side of the Acropolis

Acropolis

Acropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citadel . For purposes of defense, early people naturally chose elevated ground to build a new settlement, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...

 hill. First houses were built in the era of Otto of Greece

Otto of Greece

Otto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...

 when workers from the island of Anafi

Anafi

Anafi is a Greek island community in the Cyclades. In 2001, it had a population of 273 inhabitants. Its land area is 40.370 km². It lies east of the island of Thíra...

 came to Athens in order to work as constructor workers in the refurbishment of King Othon's Palace. The first two inhabitants were G. Damigos, carpenter and M. Sigalas, construction worker. Soon, workers from other Cycladic islands also started to arrive there, to work as carpenters or even stone and marble workers, in a further buildings reconstruction period in Athens, but also in the following era after the end of the reign of King Otto.
In 1922, immigrants from Minor East also established here, altering the population that was up to that time only from Cycladic islands. In 1950, part of this neighborhood was destroyed for archeologic research and in 1970 the state started to buy the houses. Nowadays there are only 45 houses remaining, while the little streets from Stratonos to the Acropolis rock are still unnamed and the houses are referred to as "Anafiotika 1", "Anafiotika 2" etc
The neighborhood was built according to Cycladic architecture and even nowadays gives to visitors the feel of Greek islands in the heart of the city, with white walls and small spaces, usually with the presence of Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina . Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus...

 flowers. Houses are small and mostly cubic, small streets that often end up to ladders or even deadends at terraces, where one can sit and enjoy the night view of the city. "In this oasis of tranquility, nestled beneath the walls of the Acropolis, the intensity of Athens seems miles away"...

External Links

• [Archaeology of city of Athens http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/gr/arxeio_more.aspx?id=243 In Greek]
• [The historic districts of Plaka and Anafiotika http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=843550 In English]
• [Athens info (tourist) guide http://www.athensinfoguide.com/wtsplaka.htm In English]
• [Anafiotika, A touch of the Aegean http://www.breathtakingathens.com/node/5000554 In English]
• [ National Technical University of Athens
  National Technical University of Athens
  The National Technical University of Athens , sometimes simply known as Athens Polytechnic, is among the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions of Greece....
  
  http://courses.arch.ntua.gr/111712.html In Greek]