Athens, the southernmost capital on the European mainland, is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years. According to Greek mythology the city was named after Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom. Classical Athens was one of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece. It was a centre for democracy, the arts, education and philosophy, and was highly influential throughout the European continent, particularly in Ancient Rome. For this reason it is often regarded as the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy.
The Panagia Gorgoepikoos (aka Mikrí Mitrópoli - Little Metropolis) is located next to the cathedral.

Although local tradition considers the church to be the foundation of Empress Irene, most experts date the church building to the 12th or 13th century. From the middle of the 7th century, the predecessor building of the current church belonged to the monastery of Agios Nikolaos. However as the monastery was later given to the Archbishop of Athens as a benefice, the church was used as a private chapel.

The cross domed church is almost entirely built of reused spolia from earlier buildings, ranging from Classical Antiquity to the 12th or even 13th centuries.

The various reliefs of the spolia were only discovered in the 19th century. Until then, a layer of painted stucco covered the exterior of the church.