The urban planning history of Athens

Surveying the urban planning history of Athens, we encounter the traces of multiple forces—forces which have sometimes amplified and sometimes cancelled out one another—recorded like the readings on a seismograph.

The attempts at organized construction, the production of surplus value, the institutional and political shifts, the social reception of issues relating to the city’s cultural heritage and environment, the natural disasters, and the influxes of immigrant and refugee populations have all fed into the ever-changing urban landscape.

Ultimately, the citycape is the face of Athenian society, which is why the history of the formation of Athens’ urban fabric has so much to tell us about Greek society as a whole.

This discussion forms part of the “Greek thought in dialogue: Experiential learning programs” project, which is itself part of the “Academy of Plato: the State and the Citizen” Action implemented within the framework of the Education and Lifelong Learning Program co-funded by the EU (European Social Fund) and national funds.