Ilissos
Encyclopedia
The Ilissos or Ilissus (Ιλισός) is a river in Athens
, Greece
. Originally a tributary of the Kifissos River
, it is now largely channeled underground.
: Plato
wrote in Critias
that the river was one of the borders of the ancient walls. Its banks -in the busy intersection that today features the Hilton Hotel and the National Gallery
- were grassy and shaded by plane trees, and were considered idyllic in antiquity; they were the favored hangouts of Socrates
for his walks and teaching. The temple of Pankrátēs, a local hero, was located there, giving its name to the modern suburb of Pagkrati
. Ilissos was also a demi-god, the son of Poseidon
and Demetra, and was worshipped in a sanctuary on the Ardittos Hill, next to the current Panathinaiko Stadium
. This area was called Cynosarges
in antiquity, and the spring of Kallirrhóē was located there.
survivals.
, and originates from multiple converging seasonal creeks. As urban Athens expanded in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the river became a source of pollution and was gradually converted into a rainwater runoff conduit, covered with streets that track its original, twisting route along the lay of the land. Its bed proper flows under Mesogeion Avenue
at the Old Gendarmerie Academy, runs under Michalakopoulou (the modern-day Ilissia
suburb) and Vasileos Konstantinou Avenues, and passes in front of the Panathinaikon Stadium, where it was bridged in the 19th century. It then flows to the southeastern flank of the ruined Columns of Olympian Zeus, where it is still visible amidst reed bed
s, next to the Byzantine chapel of Saint Photeini "of the Ilissos". In older times the river at this point would expand into shallow marshland, called "Vatrachonisi"" ("Frog Island") in the vicinity of the ancient spring of Kallirrhóē, now submerged under Kallirois Avenue. It then flows under Theseos Avenue, in the suburb of Kallithea
, its original course turning sharply northwest to join the Kifissos River, of which it was once a tributary. The Ilissos is now routed straight to sea, coming to surface and running into the Saronic Gulf
in the middle of Phaleron Bay
.
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Originally a tributary of the Kifissos River
Cephissus (Athenian plain)
Cephissus , Kifissós) or Cephisus Kifisos), a river flowing through the Athenian plain.In his summary of Greek mythology Apollodorus declares that Erechtheus' wife Praxithea was daughter of Phrasimus by Diogenia daughter of Cephissus.This river is found in the western part of the...
, it is now largely channeled underground.
Ancient Athens
During antiquity, it ran outside the defensive walls of AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
: Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
wrote in Critias
Critias (dialogue)
Critias, one of Plato's late dialogues, contains the story of the mighty island kingdom Atlantis and its attempt to conquer Athens, which failed due to the ordered society of the Athenians...
that the river was one of the borders of the ancient walls. Its banks -in the busy intersection that today features the Hilton Hotel and the National Gallery
National Gallery (Athens)
The National Art Gallery and Alexander Soutzos Museum is an art museum in Athens devoted to Greek and European art from the 14th century to the 20th century. It is directed by Marina Lambraki-Plaka.-History:...
- were grassy and shaded by plane trees, and were considered idyllic in antiquity; they were the favored hangouts of Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
for his walks and teaching. The temple of Pankrátēs, a local hero, was located there, giving its name to the modern suburb of Pagkrati
Pagkrati
Pangrati or Pagkrati is a neighborhood in the Municipality of Athens, Greece. It is bordered by the Kolonaki neighborhood to the north, the Kaisariani Municipality to the east, the Vyronas Municipality to the south, and the Mets neighborhood to the west. It is not to be confused as a separate...
. Ilissos was also a demi-god, the son of Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
and Demetra, and was worshipped in a sanctuary on the Ardittos Hill, next to the current Panathinaiko Stadium
Panathinaiko Stadium
The Panathinaiko or Panathenaic Stadium , also known as the Kallimarmaro , is an athletic stadium in Athens that hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896...
. This area was called Cynosarges
Cynosarges
Cynosarges was a public gymnasium located just outside the walls of Ancient Athens on the southern bank of the Ilissos river.Its name derives from Cynos-argos and means white or swift dog...
in antiquity, and the spring of Kallirrhóē was located there.
Etymology
Its name is in all probability pre-Greek: it features the -ssós/-ttós ending, which it shares with many other toponyms in Attica and other rivers in Greece, all of which are considered linguistic substratumSubstratum
In linguistics, a stratum or strate is a language that influences, or is influenced by another through contact. A substratum is a language which has lower power or prestige than another, while a superstratum is the language that has higher power or prestige. Both substratum and superstratum...
survivals.
Modern route
The stream drains the western slopes of Mount HymettusHymettus
Hymettus, also Hymettos is a mountain range in the Athens area, East Central Greece. It is also colloquially known as Trellos or Trellovouno , a name of uncertain origin...
, and originates from multiple converging seasonal creeks. As urban Athens expanded in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the river became a source of pollution and was gradually converted into a rainwater runoff conduit, covered with streets that track its original, twisting route along the lay of the land. Its bed proper flows under Mesogeion Avenue
Mesogeion Avenue
Mesogeion Avenue, also is an avenue connecting to Feidippou Street with service access with Kifissias, Vassilissis Sofias and Alexandras Avenue and with Marathonos Avenue at the Gerakas Street/GR-81 junction between Glyka Nera and Gerakas with an overpass. It is rarely a part of Greek National...
at the Old Gendarmerie Academy, runs under Michalakopoulou (the modern-day Ilissia
Ilissia
- Notable people :*Nikko Patrelakis, musician...
suburb) and Vasileos Konstantinou Avenues, and passes in front of the Panathinaikon Stadium, where it was bridged in the 19th century. It then flows to the southeastern flank of the ruined Columns of Olympian Zeus, where it is still visible amidst reed bed
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
s, next to the Byzantine chapel of Saint Photeini "of the Ilissos". In older times the river at this point would expand into shallow marshland, called "Vatrachonisi"" ("Frog Island") in the vicinity of the ancient spring of Kallirrhóē, now submerged under Kallirois Avenue. It then flows under Theseos Avenue, in the suburb of Kallithea
Kallithea
Kallithea is the 8th largest municipality in Greece and the 4th biggest in the Athens urban area...
, its original course turning sharply northwest to join the Kifissos River, of which it was once a tributary. The Ilissos is now routed straight to sea, coming to surface and running into the Saronic Gulf
Saronic Gulf
The Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus.-Geography:The gulf includes the islands of; Aegina, Salamis, and Poros along with...
in the middle of Phaleron Bay
Phaleron Bay
Faliron Bay, is a bay almost 8 km directly SW of Athens overlooking Andreas Syngrou Avenue...
.