Tzistarakis Mosque

Built in 1759 by the Ottoman governor Mustapha Agha Tzistarakis, this mosque on Monastiraki Square is one of the few surviving reminders of Athens under Ottoman rule. Its single domed prayer hall and arched portico show classic Ottoman religious architecture, though the minaret was removed after independence. Local legend claims a column from the Temple of Olympian Zeus was burned to make lime for its construction. Since the 20th century the building has served as a museum, at times housing collections of Greek folk ceramics and pottery.