Empty. That’s the word that comes to mind every time I walk through Makriyanni–regardless of the time of day or day of the week. It’s a particularly odd feeling as I usually have to weave and bob my way through packs of tourists or schoolchildren arriving either via the Akropolis metro station or from tour buses parked at the edge of the pedestrian section. But I can’t shake this feeling of emptiness. Makriyanni isn’t a neighborhood any more; it’s a neighborhood’s hollow shell.
I remember Makriyanni when cars still trundled down Dionysiou Areopagitou and buses exhaled plumes of black petrol-scented fumes as they waited impatiently for the light to change at the intersection with Makriyanni or Amalias. A different cacophony permeated the air from the bruit emanating from the bored school kids dragged to the sights on class outings. But the neighborhood was alive. And it felt so.
The first big change for Makriyanni came with the conversion of Dionysiou Areopagitou into a pedestrian walkway–the core of a plan for unifying the Greek capital’s main archaeological sites. The second was the construction–and completion–of the new Acropolis Museum, a structure ingeniously designed by Bernard Tschumi. The museum’s opening put paid to the controversy that had raged from the time the site and design were chosen throughout construction. Yet every time I visit the area–and though awestruck by both the museum’s form and contents–I do wonder if some critics may have had a point when expressing misgivings over whether such a massive, modern structure would fit into the landscape. It’s proved a valid point. Inserted into the neighborhood, the museum has yet to develop an organic relationship with it. Indeed, its dominance has elbowed out many of the small shops that served residents’ needs, supplanting these souvenir shops selling plastic replicas of ancient figurines, ashtrays with Greek keys painted around the rim in gold, and t-shirts with clichés like “Greeks do it better” emblazoned across the chest. It’s this turn towards tourism that has denuded the neighborhood, making it seem deserted despite the throng of tourists milling about Dionysiou Areopagitou and the metro station.
Makriyanni is named after one of the heroes of the Greek independence revolt, General Ioannis Makriyannis. His home once stood at the point where Makriyanni and Athansiou Diakou streets intersect, although its garden is described as extending nearly all the way to the walls enclosing the Temple of Zeus or Olympeion. In modem history, Makriyanni is known as the site of a particular vicious battle during the Dekemvriana–protracted clashes between right and left forces in December 1944 that essentially signaled the start of the Greek Civil War. The former gendarmes barracks, the target of the clashes, has been incorporated into the museum’s grounds, while the Weller Building which housed the military infirmary has been beautifully renovated to house the Museum of the Center for the Acropolis Studies.
Odos Makriyanni, which runs along the length of the museum on its eastern side, is lined with a hybrid of shops–an old-fashioned bakery, sandwich shops, stores selling souvenirs, but also some interesting gift boutiques. Sagianos (Makriyanni 3, tel.: 210 362 5822) is perhaps the most upmarket–and a welcome departure from the gold Greek gods charm bracelets. Yellow and white gold, silver, hand-cut gemstones are combined with precious metal wires and ordinary items like buttons or pebbles into sleek, stunning one-of-a-kind pieces that more accurately reflect contemporary Greek style. A few doors down, Trenotheatro (Makriyanni 5, tel.: 210 924 3609) is the place to go for a quirky keepsake. The shop cleverly takes advantage of its elongated shape to mimic a train compartment, not-so-subtly underscoring the sole theme of its ware: trains. Cufflinks, brooches, model engines, and books and just about any souvenir a train aficionado could imagine wanting. Careful window shopping along Makriyanni also yields other treasures, like small paintings that combine iconography techniques with a folk art style reminiscent of Theofilos’s style and–my favorite–Greek-themed chessboards complete with pawn sets of figures from the Greek independence revolt or mythology.
Just around the corner, Ellinika Kaloudia (Hatzichristou 8, tel.: 210 922 4060) stocks gourmet Greek products. Root around the colorful jars of spoon sweets and packages of hand-rolled pasta for little treasures like beans from the Prespa Lakes area, tuna from Alonissos, and pastelli bars made from figs–great to take home but also for a boost of energy while sight-seeing. For foodies, the area harbors another treat: Takis (Misaraliotou 14, tel.: 210 923 0052). Queues form outside the bakery early in the day when locals drop by to pick up a crusty baguette or chewy whole-wheat peasant-style loaf. There’s a dizzying array of savory pies and breads, from sesame-covered bread hoops or koulouri to baps with olives, feta, and tomato. For a sweet tooth, opt for a tsoureki, the traditional holiday bread–plain, with dried fruits and nuts, or chocolate swirls.
South of Rovertou Galli and Hadjichristou streets, Makriyanni flows into the Veikou quarter, which, in turn, past its square dissolves into Gargaretta; likewise, a square marks the boundary between Gargaretta and Koukaki. Except for the shops along the Veikou and Dimitracopoulou streets–the two main arteries running through this district–all three neighborhoods are mainly residential. And, like Makriyanni, they’re named after local figures: Veikou after Lambros Veikos, a Souliot fighter killed nearby in battle during the Greek War of Independence; Gargaretta, after a family whose farm stretched over most of the district; and, Koukaki after a local businessman, Georgos Koukakis whose bed factory was located at the corner of Dimitracopoulou and Georgaki Olympiou streets.
No matter how much the area’s face along Dionysiou Areopagitou and Makriyanni has changed, behind it all the side streets remain the same–and ripe for exploration. I love taking more solitary walks around here, observing the mix of architectural styles that is so typical of Athens–a crumbling pre-war home, a beautifully restored neoclassical home, a modern minimalist apartment building, an art deco façade all in the space of a few meters. Some of older treasures are no longer to be found, like Socrates’ Prison, a home taverna on Mitseon that invariably inspired the most intense discussions, yet some still stand, like Duende (Tziraion 2, tel.: 210 924 7069), a bar-restaurant known for its combination of food and music that inspire good conversation. The Lalaounis Museum (Kallisperi 12, tel.: 210 922 1044) remains a favorite sight, albeit in the shadow of the formidable Acropolis Museum. This repository of the designs of Ilias Lalaounis, the jeweler world-renowned for his extravagant gold necklaces inspired by ancient Greek designs, helps bring Classical culture in line with modern times through its impressive displays.
Yet the area’s focal point is the museum. And a magnet this strong has an opposite pole. The heart and soul of any neighborhood’s life is in its tavernas, and perhaps the absence of any such places that makes me think of Makriyanni as a neighborhood deserted. The Oenomageirion ton Theon (Makriyanni 3, tel.: 210 923 3721) and, a little further away, Strofi (Rovertou Galli 25, tel.: 921 4130) try to walk the line between their Greek and foreign patrons, but ultimately it’s the tour crowd to whom they cater. Ah, Socrates, I so miss the lively discourse you inspired.