Tzistarakis Mosque, Athens

Athens spent centuries under Ottoman rule, but you wouldn’t know it just by looking around—most Ottoman-era structures have vanished, thanks to archaeologists who prefer digging up even older treasures. But one survivor, impossible to miss, still stands tall in Monastiraki Square: the Tzistarakis Mosque, the largest remaining Ottoman building in the Greek capital.

Built in 1759 under the watchful eye of Turkish governor Tzistarakis, the mosque sports one big central dome and two smaller ones, a design that sticks out in an area dominated by classical Greek aesthetics. While no longer a place of worship, today it houses an exhibition of ceramics, sculptures, and decorative arts, mostly from the Kyriazopoulos family's private collection. It may not be the Louvre, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm—featuring rare and curious finds from different parts of Greece, including works linked to the Center for the Study of Traditional Pottery. If you need a break from Monastiraki’s never-ending flea market frenzy, this is your spot.

Now, here’s a scandalous little historical tidbit: the mosque was built using limestone from one of the pillars of the Temple of the Olympian Zeus—which was a big no-no. The Turkish Sultan himself had banned the destruction of ancient ruins, and locals, ever superstitious, feared that tearing down temples could bring plagues. When word got out, people were furious. The Sultan swiftly exiled Tzistarakis, but that wasn’t enough—he was later assassinated. Some workplace hazard, indeed...

After the Greek War of Independence, the mosque was repurposed as a meeting hall for elders before the Greek government claimed it. Over the years, it served as a prison, barracks, warehouse, and even a military concert venue. Sometime between 1839 and 1843, the minaret was demolished, ensuring that its days as a mosque were well and truly over.

So, whether you're here for the history, the architecture, or just a moment of peace, the Tzistarakis Mosque is worth a quick stop.