The most complete information guide about Athens, Greece
HISTORY
OF ATHENS
Athens
in Modern times
15th-17th century
Athens was conquered by the Ottoman army in 1456 and, in 1458,
with the surrender of the Acropolis, the Ottoman occupations was
a fact. In that year Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (the Conqueror) came
to Athens on the way back from his campaign in the Peloponnese.
He visited the sites of the “city of wise men” as
Athens used to be called by the Ottomans. The sultan gave the
city of Athens most of the dioceses that were also given to the
Orthodox Church except for those that were turned into mosques
like the Parthenon.
Athens
was an administrative centre (kaza). The highest ranks of the
city’s executives were the voyvoda (governor) and the kadi
(judge). Under Ottoman rule, non-Muslim citizens were free to
practice their religion. They were, however, under heavier taxation
than Muslims and were prevented from holding public office.
From
the 17th century the Orthodox community of Athens was led by a
group of elder (dimogerontes) elected by community members who
acted as mediators between the Christians and the Ottoman authorities.
The peace that followed, allowed the city to flourish economically.
The
population of Athens increased, reaching 15.000, which made Athens
one of the largest cities of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans.
The majority were Orthodox Christians. The increase of the population
and the grown need for water supplies, led the Ottomans to construct
an aqueduct, to repair older fountains and to build new ones.
During
the 17th century, according to information provided by travellers,
the streets of Athens were narrow and slated and the houses
were small and built of stone. The city was divided into eight
areas (platomata) covering what today is the area of Plaka,
Monastiraki and a small part of Thissio and Psirri.
In
1687 the Venetians, who had just taken over the Peloponnese, took
over Athens as well. From their stronghold on Philopappou Hill,
they besieged and bombarded the Acropolis where the Ottomans had
taken refuge, and destroyed part of the Parthenon. The Ottomans
surrendered the Acropolis and left Athens.
In
its turn, the Venetian army left Athens in 1688. Much of the Christian
population abandoned the city then in fear of revenge on behalf
of the Ottomans, since numerous leaders of the Christian community
had encouraged the Venetians to take over the city. By the end
of the 17th century, however, most of the population had returned
to Athens.