The Myth of KORYVANTES Hoplites welcomes millions of travelers and visitors to Athens

Eleonas probably is a most exceptional urban landscape in the heart of Athens, one of the most historic cities of the world. The Athens International Airport’s new exhibition, titled “Eleonas – Goddess Athena’s Olive Grove”, is the product of a significant collaboration between the Athens International Airport and the Hellenic Folklore Research Centre of the Academy of Athens: through the unique photographs of Andreas Smaragdis, travellers and airport visitors will have the opportunity to “enter” the place where the Gods had their garden and their temple, but where a complete transformation took place, mainly during the 20th century!


Through the exhibition "Eleonas – Goddess Athena’s Olive Grove", the photographic camera discovers the landscape of the sacred Olive Grove, trying to capture, in an objective yet abstract way, priceless parts of the myth and human interventions through time that shaped its current “face” and appearance. Therefore, the images from different angles and aspects become simultaneously mirrors of the social and cultural groups that have marked this great site.

KORYVANTES Association worked with photographer Andreas Smaragdis, who skillfully captured though his lenses the "myth of the armed Greeks". This myth survived through the centuries (hidden in Greek traditions, religious and popular art) and is kept alive throught the Association expcetional work. One of the images of the exhibition shows a Classical-era Hoplite with a stance usuall for Medieval Byzantine Saint-Warriors church paintings, common till the end of 19th century Greek Popular art (eg Theofilos paintings).

The new exhibition at the Athens International Airport premises, will be open to the public 24 hours a day, in the specially designated area "Art & Culture" at the arrivals level (Entrance 1).