Ancient Greek 'Altar of the 12 Gods' endangered by Athens railway

Ancient Greek 'Altar of the 12 Gods' endangered by Athens railway

An important ancient Greek archaeological site from the sixth century BCE, the Altar of the 12 Gods in the Agora at Athens, is currently endangered by the activity of a local railway company, the ISAP. One of the oldest ruins in the city, the altar honored the 12 Olympian gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite and Hermes. Used as a point from which to measure distances in the city, the site is considered the very center or heart of Athens itself.