Plateia or Platia (''πλατεία'') is the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

word for

town square A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Relat ...

. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding. In traditional societies like villages and provincial communities, plateies are the central places for feasts, celebrations, events and meetings.

Ancient Greek Cities

The original ancient Greek word (plural ''plateiai'') meant one of the (usually 3) main streets in an ancient Greek city such as

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

.La pianta greca della città di Napoli https://www.visitnaples.eu/napoletanita/percorri-napoli/la-griglia-regolare-della-citta-di-napoli-castra-cardi-e-decumani The ''stenopoi'', narrower, mainly north-south, streets were placed between the ''plateia'' in the orthogonal town plan to form rectangular blocks for buildings.

Notable squares (''plateies'') in Greece

Athens - Kotzia square and city hall - 20060508

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

: **

Amerikis Square Amerikis Square (, ''Plateia Amerikis'', "America Square") is located in central Athens, Greece. It is an open area adjacently to Patision Street, on the western borders of Kypseli. Formerly called Agamon Square, literally "square ''of the unm ...

Patissia Patisia or Patissia () is a neighbourhood of Athens, Greece. It is split in two neighbourhoods: ''Ano Patisia'' (Upper Patisia) and ''Kato Patisia'' (Lower Patisia). The main streets of Patisia are Patision Av. and Acharnon Av. Ano Patisia Ano P ...

Eleftherias Square Eleftherias Square (, ''Platía Eleftherías'', ) is a central square in downtown Thessaloniki, Greece. It takes its name from the Young Turk Revolution, which began in the square in 1908. The square is currently a car park, but a public competit ...

** Exarcheion Square -

Exarcheia Exarcheia ( ) is a neighbourhood in central Athens, Greece close to the historical building of the National Technical University of Athens. Exarcheia took its name from a 19th-century businessman named Exarchos () who opened a large general store t ...

** Iroon Square -

Psyri Psyri or Psiri or Psyrri or Psirri ( or Ψυρρή,Probably derived from Ψυρής "inhabitant of Psara" (formerly known as Psyra or Psyrii). ) is a gentrified neighbourhood in Athens, Greece, today known for its restaurants, bars, live music ta ...

Karaiskaki Square The Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium (), commonly referred to as the Karaiskakis Stadium (, ), is a football stadium in Piraeus, Attica, Greece, and the home ground of the Piraeus football club Olympiacos. It is named after Georgios Karaiskakis, a m ...

Metaxourgeio Metaxourgeio or Metaxourgio ( ), meaning "silk mill", is a neighbourhood of Athens, Greece. The neighbourhood is located north of the historical centre of Athens, between Kolonos to the west and Plateia Vathi to the east, and north of Kerameikos. ...

** Klauthmonos Square ** Koliatsou Square **

Kolonaki Square Kolonaki Square (, ) is located in central Athens, Greece. Kolonaki itself is named after the small ancient column in the center of the square; the modern official name of this square is Plateia Filiki Eteria, Filikis Etaireias (Πλατεία Φ ...

Kolonaki Kolonaki (, ), literally "Little Column", is an upscale neighborhood in central Athens, Greece. It is located on the southern slopes of Mount Lycabettus. Its name derives from the two metre column (located in Kolonaki Square) that defined the area ...

Kotzia Square Kotzia Square () is a square in central Athens, Greece. The square retains several characteristics of 19th-century local neoclassical architecture, such as the City Hall of the Municipality of Athens and the National Bank of Greece Cultural Cent ...

(by the city hall of Athens) ** Koumoundourou Square ** Kypselis Square -

Kypseli, Athens Kypseli (, ) is a neighbourhood in central Athens, Greece. It occupies much of the 6th municipal department of the municipality of Athens, and has a population of around 65,000. Ντίνα Βαΐου''Το αστικό τοπίο της πολυε ...

** Lysikratous Square -

Plaka Pláka () is the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ...

** Mavili Square ** Mitropoleos Square (by the

Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation (), popularly known as the Metropolis or Mitropoli (), is the cathedral church of the Archbishopric of Athens and all of Greece. History Construction of the cathedral began on Christmas Day, 1842 ...

) ** Monastiraki Square **

Omonoia Square Omonoia Square (, ''Plateía Omonoías'', , "Concord Square", often simply referred to as ''Omónoia'' ) is a central square in Athens. Forming the centre of Omonoia. It marks the northern corner of the downtown area defined by the city plans of ...

(''Plateia Omonoias'', Concord Square) ** Pagratiou Square -

Pagrati Pagrati () is a neighborhood in Athens, Greece, having an estimated population of 35,173 residents. Named after the ancient sanctuary of Hercules Pancrates ("All Powerful"), its frontage runs from Vasilissis Sofias Avenue along to Vasileos Kon ...

Syntagma Square Syntagma Square (, , "Constitution Square") is the central square of Athens, Greece. The square is named after the Greek Constitution of 1844, Constitution that Otto of Greece, Otto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular a ...

(Constitution Square,

: ''Plateia Syntagmatos'') ** Viktoria Square *Suburban Athens: **

Agia Paraskevi Square Agia, ayia, aghia, hagia, haghia or AGIA may refer to: *''Agia'', feminine form of ''Agios'', 'saint' Geography Cyprus *Agia, Cyprus *Ayia Napa Greece *Agia, Chania, a town in Chania (regional unit), Crete, Greece *Agia, Larissa, Greece *Agia (Met ...

Agia Paraskevi Agia Paraskevi (, ''Agía Paraskeví'') is a suburb and a municipality in the northeastern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is part of the North Athens regional unit. Agia Paraskevi was named after the main church of the town, which ...

** Iroon Square -

Ano Liosia Ano Liosia () is a town and a former municipality in the northern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Fyli, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal un ...

** Agia Triada Square -

Argyroupoli Argyroupoli () is a town and a suburb in the southern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the Elliniko-Argyroupoli municipality, of which it is the seat and a municipal u ...

** Chalandriou Square -

Chalandri Chalandri (, Ancient Greek: Φλύα, ''Phlya'', also ''Halandri'', ''Khalandri'') is a town and a suburb in the northern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is a municipality of the Attica region. Geography Chalandri is a suburb in No ...

Dourou Square Dourou (''Dúrù'') is a village and Communes of Mali, rural commune in the Bandiagara Cercle of the Mopti Region of Mali. The commune contains 28 villages along the Bandiagara Escarpment which together at the time of the 2009 census had a populat ...

- Chalandri **

Ilioupoli Ilioupoli (, " Sun City") is a suburban municipality and a town in Central Athens regional unit and located in the central-southern part of the Athens agglomeration. Its name is the modern form of the ancient name of Heliopolis in Egypt ...

** Davaki Square ''Plateia Davaki'' -

Kallithea Kallithea (Greek language, Greek: Καλλιθέα, meaning "beautiful view") is a suburb in Athens#Athens Urban Area, Athens agglomeration and a municipality in South Athens (regional unit), south Athens regional unit. It is the eighth larges ...

, SW of Athens **

Plateia Othonos Plateia or Platia (''πλατεία'') is the Greek language, Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding. In traditional societies like villages and ...

Neo Irakleio Irakleio, Attica () is a suburb in the northeastern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece, and a municipality of the Attica region. Geography Irakleio is located about 8 km northeast of Athens city centre. The municipality has an area ...

** Aristotelous Square, Athens -

Thrakomakedones Thrakomakedones (Greek: Θρακομακεδόνες from Thrace and Macedonia), is a town in the regional unit East Attica, in Attica region, Greece. It is a northern suburb of Athens. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the munic ...

** Iroon Square (''Plateia Iroon'') -

Vrilissia Vrilissia () is a suburban town and a municipality of the North Athens regional unit, in the Attica region. It is located in the Athens basin, at the southwestern foot of the Penteli Mountain. At the 2021 census, the municipality had 32,417 res ...

* Pavlou Mela Square ''Plateia Pavlou Mela'' -

Axioupoli Axioupoli (), known until 1927 as Boymitsa (Боймица, Μποέμιτσα), is a small town and a former municipality in the former Paionia Province of Kilkis regional unit, Greek Macedonia. Since the 2011 local government reform it is par ...

*Central Square ''Kentriki Plateia'' -

Didymoteicho Didymoteicho ( ) is a town located on the eastern edge of the Evros (regional unit), Evros regional unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, in northeastern Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name. The town (pop. 8,681 in 2021 ...

* Egon Square -

Edessa Edessa (; ) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, in what is now Urfa or Şanlıurfa, Turkey. It was founded during the Hellenistic period by Macedonian general and self proclaimed king Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Sel ...

- Feres *Central Square ''Kentriki Plateia'' -

Filiatra Filiatra (), is a town and a former Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is a muni ...

*Central Square ''Kentriki Plateia'' -

Fyli Fyli (, ), formerly known as Chasia (), is a town and a municipality in the northwestern part of Attica, Greece. It lies in the northeastern corner of the West Attica regional unit, and is a suburb of Athens. The seat of the municipality is the to ...

* Agia Triada Square -

Glyka Nera Glyka Nera (Greek: Γλυκά Νερά , meaning "sweet waters", named after an underground water source) is a suburb in the northeastern part of Athens Metropolitan Area. Since the 2011 local government reform it belongs to the East Attica regio ...

* Marathonas Square -

Grammatiko Grammatiko () is a village in East Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Marathon, of which it is a municipal unit. It is part of the Athens metropolitan area. Geography Grammatiko is situated in t ...

* Bakogiannis Square - Heraklia * Daskalogiannis Square ''Plateia Daskalogianni'' (named after

Daskalogiannis Ioannis Vlachos (), better known as Daskalogiannis (; 1722/30 – 17 June 1771), was a wealthy shipbuilder and shipowner who led a Cretan revolt against Ottoman rule in the 18th century. Life and activity Ioannis Vlachos was born in Anopolis ...

) -

Heraklio Heraklion or Herakleion ( ; , , ), sometimes Iraklion, is the largest city and the administrative capital city, capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion (regional unit), Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in G ...

* Elefterias Square - ''Plateia Elefterias'' -

Katerini Katerini (, ''Kateríni'', ) is a city and municipality in northern Greece, the capital city of Regional Unit of Piera in Central Macedonia, Greece. It lies on the Pierian plain, between Mount Olympus and the Thermaikos Gulf, at an altitude ...

* Agoras Square (meaning Market Square) ''Plateia Agoras'' -

Kilkis Kilkis () is a city in Central Macedonia, Greece. As of 2021 there were 24,130 people living in the city proper, 27,493 people living in the municipal unit, and 45,308 in the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital city of the regional un ...

* Vizyinou Square -

Komotini Komotini (, , ), is a city in the Modern regions of Greece, region of East Macedonia and Thrace, northeastern Greece and its capital. It is also the capital of the Rhodope (regional unit), Rhodope. It was the administrative centre of the Rhodope- ...

Nikis Square Nikis Square (Greek: ''Plateia Nikis'') is Kozani's central square. It is approximately in the middle of the town, 470 km north-west from Athens, 120 km south-west from Thessaloniki. Koventaron street is to the north, Tsontza street is t ...

- ''Plateia Nikis'' -

Kozani Kozani (, ) is a town in northern Greece, capital of Kozani (regional unit), Kozani regional unit and of Western Macedonia. It is located in the western part of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, in the northern part of the Aliakmonas, Aliakmonas riv ...

* Lassani Square - ''Plateia Lassani'' - Kozani * Laou Square -

Lamia Lamia (; ), in ancient Greek mythology, was a child-eating monster and, in later tradition, was regarded as a type of night-haunting spirit or "daimon". In the earliest myths, Lamia was a beautiful queen of ancient Libya who had an affair with ...

* Agiou Dimitriou Square -

Lechaina Lechaina () is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andravida-Kyllini, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 9 ...

* Christos Elkomenos Square -

Monemvasia Monemvasia (, or ) is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located in mainland Greece on a tied island off the east coast of the Peloponnese, surrounded by the Myrtoan Sea. Monemvasia is connected to the rest of the mainland by a ...

*Sapphous Square -

Mytilene Mytilene (; ) is the capital city, capital of the Greece, Greek island of Lesbos, and its port. It is also the capital and administrative center of the North Aegean Region, and hosts the headquarters of the University of the Aegean. It was fo ...

*Plateia Syntagmatos and Trion Navarchon Square -

Nafplio Nafplio or Nauplio () is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important tourist destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the Middle Ages du ...

Patras Patras (; ; Katharevousa and ; ) is Greece's List of cities in Greece, third-largest city and the regional capital and largest city of Western Greece, in the northern Peloponnese, west of Athens. The city is built at the foot of Mount Panachaiko ...

: ** Agia Sofia Square (in the Agia Sofia neighbourhood) **

Georgiou I Square Georgiou I Square () is the central square of Patras, Greece. The square is named after King George I of Greece. It is crossed by Maizonos, Korinthou and Gerokostopoulou streets. The neoclassical Apollon Theatre is situated on the northeast s ...

(Dimokratias) ** Marouda Square - a square featuring the statue of

Konstantinos Giannias Konstantinos Giannias (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Γιαννιάς, c. 1760–1805) was a Greek klepht who operated in the Peloponnese. Giannias was born in Prostovitsa, a village now known as Drosia in Achaia. He was the brother of ...

** Olga Square ''Plateia Olgas''(Ethnikis Antistasis) ** Pyrosvesteio Square (in the Pyrosvesteio neighborhood) **A square in the Agios Andreas neighborhood by Trion Navarcheion Street **A square in the Agios Dionyssios neighborhood **A square by Agiou Nikolaou Street near the Port of Patras **A square at the east end of Dimitri Gounari Street near the

Drosia Drosia (, meaning "dew", before 1947: Ρωσσοχώρι - ''Rossochori'') is a town in the East Attica regional unit and a suburb of the Athens agglomeration, Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality ...

neighbourhood **A square in the Tsivdi neighborhood **A square on Akrotiriou Street by Damaskou **A square by Akrotiriou Street near Evvoias Street **A square on

Georgiou Olympou Street Georgiou (Greek: Γεωργίου) is a Greek language, Greek surname. Notable people with the name include: * Alex Georgiou (born 1990), Australian athlete in Australia rules football * Andreas Georgiou (born 1960), Greek economist and former chie ...

*Two squares on Lontou Street ** Ypsila Alonia Square ''Plateia Ypsila Alonia'' - all in

* Korai Square ''Plateia Korai'' -

Piraeus Piraeus ( ; ; , Ancient: , Katharevousa: ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens city centre along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf in the Ath ...

Rhodes Rhodes (; ) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the island forms a separ ...

- Servia * Agias Mimas Square -

Spetses Spetses (, "Pityussa") is an island in Attica, Greece. It is counted among the Saronic Islands group. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolis and Corinthia Prefecture, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia. In ancient ...

Aristotelous Square Aristotelous Square (, ), is the main city square of Thessaloniki, Greece, and is located on Nikis Avenue, Nikis avenue (on the city's waterfront), in the city center. It was designed by French people, French architect Ernest Hébrard in 1918, b ...

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

- Thessaloniki *

Kennedy Square ''Kennedy Square'' is a lost 1916 silent film historical drama directed by S. Rankin Drew and starring Antonio Moreno, Muriel Ostriche and Charles Kent. It was produced by the Vitagraph Company of America and released through V-L-S-E.''Pictor ...

, and two others -

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to: Places Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...

* Riga Fereou Square -

Volos Volos (; ) is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about north of Athens and south of Thessaloniki. It is the capital of the Magnesia (regional unit), Magnesia regional unit of the Thessaly Region. Volos ...

Kampana Square Kampana Square (Greek: Πλατεία της Καμπάνας, "Bell Square") is a square in the town of Argostoli, Kefalonia in the Ionian Islands prefecture of Greece. Historians mention that it was built during the reign of the Republic of Veni ...

Kefalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia (), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallonia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th-largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It is also a separate regio ...

In Cyprus

Eleftheria Square Eleftheria Square (; ); literally meaning Liberty Square, is the main square in central Nicosia, the capital city of Cyprus, in Europe. It forms the intersection of Ledra and Onasagorou streets with Stasinou, Omirou, Kostaki Pantelidi, Konstand ...

Nicosia Nicosia, also known as Lefkosia and Lefkoşa, is the capital and largest city of Cyprus. It is the southeasternmost of all EU member states' capital cities. Nicosia has been continuously inhabited for over 5,500 years and has been the capi ...

Faneromeni Square Faneromeni Square (; ) is an important historical square in Nicosia, Cyprus. It is in an ancient part of Nicosia, within city walls built when it was under Venetian rule. It hosts a number of historical buildings and monuments including Fanero ...

* Solomos Square -

Larnaca Larnaca, also spelled Larnaka, is a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. With a district population of 155.000 in 2021, it is the third largest city in the country after Nicosi ...

* Troodos Square -

Troodos Mountains Troodos or Trodos is the largest mountain range in Cyprus, located in roughly the center of the island. Its highest peak is Mount Olympusalso known in Greek as at . Covering a third of Cyprus's area, the Troodos mountain range stretches across ...

; used as a point of reference for meteorological, (time) distance and altitude purposes.

Gallery

File:20160516 218 thessaloniki.jpg, Agias Sofias Square,

File:20140417 corfu435.JPG, Spilias Square,

Corfu (city) Corfu (, also ) or Kerkyra (, ; , ; ; ; ) is a city and a former municipality on the island of Corfu, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2019 local government reform, it is part of the municipality Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands. It is the c ...

File:Ipsila Alonia Square, Patra.JPG, Psilalonia Square,

File:Kavala centar.jpg, Kapnergati Square,

Kavala Kavala (, ''Kavála'' ) is a city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia and the capital of Kavala regional unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across from the island of Thasos and on the A2 motorway, a one-and ...

File:Syros emoupolis rathaus 240707.jpg, Miaouli Square,

Ermoupoli Ermoupoli (), also known by the formal older name Ermoupolis or Hermoupolis ( < "Town of Hermes"), is a town and former Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality on the island of Syros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 loca ...

File:Rodi, piazza ippocrate 02.JPG, Ippokratous Square,

Rhodes (city) Rhodes (, ''Ródos'' ) is the principal city and a former municipality on the island of Rhodes in the Dodecanese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is part of the municipality Rhodes, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. ...

File:Rhodos137.JPG, Square of the Jewish Martyrs,

File:Πλατεία Συντάγματος, Ναύπλιο 7985.jpg, Syntagma Square,

Nafplion Nafplio or Nauplio () is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important tourist destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the Middle Ages du ...

References

{{Architecture of Greece * Lists of city squares

Ancient Greek Cities

Notable squares (''plateies'') in Greece

In Cyprus

See also

Gallery

References