Hill of the Nymphs Acropolis North Slope

the Observatory of Athens

At the crest of the Hill of Nymphs rests the Observatory of Athens whose garden contains an anciently inscribed rock alluding to the Nymphs.

In this view We are looking at the hill from the Acropolis' (high city) west side.

Nymphs were associated with, among other things, whirlwinds of dust to which the hill is prone. These are its only known connection to the hill itself and as good a name as any if not better for the hill but you can be pretty darn sure that, in 1627, it was from these and near by Phillopappu hills which opposing Venetians forces fired the artillery shells that blew up the powder magazine the Turks had secreted in the Parthenon.

The Observatory was constructed in 1842 with grant money from Baron Simon Sinas by Danish architect Theophilus Hansen.

The Observatory is open to visitors the last friday of every month.

Nearby is another building with a large telescope to which a seismological station was added in 1905.

The slopes of the hill are covered with ancient foundation ruins and the 6th C BC Precinct of Zeus was near the summit.