The ancient Agora of Athens was a meeting place of the polis, used assemblies of free citizens. It has existed since around the 5th century BC. The agora represents a significant step in the development of Athenian democracy.

In 480 BC, the Persians conquered Athens, destroying much of the city and the agora. Sooin after the reconstruction began. Therefore, many new buildings were built during this period.

In the 2nd century BC, Athens increasingly became the spiritual center of the Mediterranean world. Rulers of various countries began to demonstrate their power and culture by constructing buildings in Athens.

The Stoa of Attalos was covered walkway in the Agora. It was built by and named after King Attalos II of Pergamon, who ruled between 159 and 138 BC. This was a gift to the city for the education that Attalos received there. The building was constructed on the east side of the agora and was used from approximately 150 B.C. onwards. The stoa's dimensions are 115 by 20 metres and it is made of marble and limestone.

The stoa was in use until its woodwork was burned by the Heruli in AD 267. The ruins became part of a fortification wall. In the 19th century he ruins of the Stoa were cleared and identified. The building was reconstructed from 1952 to 1956 and currently houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora.


The solemn signing of the accession treaty for the EU enlargement to include ten countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus) took place in the Stoa of Attalos on 16 April 2003.