The most complete
information guide about Athens, Greece
Churches in Athens
Fethiye Mosque (Cami) (Mosque
of Victory)
Fethiye Cami is on the corner of the Panos and Pelopida streets
near the Roman Agora. It was built after Mehmed II Fatih (the
Conqueror) came to Athens around 1458 and, just like all mosques
built under the same name and in the same period in other Ottoman
towns, it commemorates the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Today
the mosque is property of the Archaeological Society acting as
a storehouse of archaeological material. The building is also
known under the names “Mosque of the Wheat Market”
and “Market Mosque” due to the position it held near
the cereal market during the Ottoman period.
Despite
its historical significance, its architecture is not particularly
interesting. From October 1687, after Athens was occupied by Venetian
troops commanded by Francesco Morosini until April 1688, the mosque
was converted into a catholic church dedicated to Saint Dionysius
Areopagite. When the Venetians left the city, the mosque returned
to its previous use which finally changed after the Greek War
of Independence of 1821.
In
1824 the place was used as School of the Filomoussos Society (Society
of the Muses’ Friends) while the building was later managed
by the Greek Army. As a result, the building was first used in
1843 as a guardhouse. It was either then or earlier that the minaret
was pulled down according to the general trend of the times to
“clean” Greece from its Ottoman past. The place was
later used as a military prison, garrison headquarters and military
bakery.
Panos and Pelopida streets
Monastiraki
For
typical words, please consult our Greek
glossary.