
The Sacred Gate (, ''Hiera Pyle'') was a gate in the
city wall of
Classical Athens
The city of Athens (, ''Athênai'' ; Modern Greek: Αθήναι, ''Athine'' ) during the classical period of ancient Greece (480–323 BC) was the major urban centre of the notable '' polis'' ( city-state) of the same name, located in Attica, ...
, in the modern neighbourhood of
Kerameikos
Kerameikos (, ) also known by its latinization of names, Latinized form Ceramicus, is an area of Athens, Greece, located to the northwest of the Acropolis, Athens, Acropolis, which includes an extensive area both within and outside the ancient ci ...
. Its name derives from the
Sacred Way that led from it to
Eleusis
Elefsina () or Eleusis ( ; ) is a suburban city and Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality in Athens metropolitan area. It belongs to West Attica regional unit of Greece. It is located in the Thriasio Plain, at the northernmost ...
, the site of the
Eleusinian Mysteries
The Eleusinian Mysteries () were initiations held every year for the Cult (religious practice), cult of Demeter and Persephone based at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Eleusis in ancient Greece. They are considered the "most famous of the secret rel ...
. The site is uniquely well preserved for Athens, and shows clear evidence of the successive building phases from the 5th century BC to the 1st century AD. The
Eridanos river passed through the gate in a channel.
References
Sources
* {{cite book , last = Knigge , first = Ursula , title = Der Kerameikos von Athen. Führung durch Ausgrabungen und Geschichte , trans-title = The Kerameikos of Athens. Tour through Excavations and History , language = German , year = 1988 , publisher = Krene Verlag
External links
3d reconstruction of the city wall in the Keremikos area by Ancient Athens 3D
City gates in Greece
Classical Athens
Ancient Greek buildings and structures in Athens
Kerameikos
City walls of Athens