Modern Architecture

Athens today is a hodgepodge of different architectural styles. In many cases you can find styles ranging from modern to Greco-Roman to neoclassical all in the same neighborhood. In the 1950's and 60's, Athens experienced a huge expansion as Greece transitioned from an agricultural to an industrial nation. Because so many people were moving to the city, many neoclassical buildings were torn down at the time to make way for the new concrete apartment buildings. These new buildings would be able to house many families in the same space that one family use to occupy. Because of this, Athens doesn't really look "beautiful" like other major European cities. Don't get me wrong, I love Athens, but instead of having one large beautiful city we now have pockets of beauty such as the Plaka. In today's photo, you can see how Athenians move in to their 1950's style apartments. The elevators are incredibly small in most buildings, so a truck with a lift will carry everything up onto the balcony. I wish we had these handy trucks in America.