EN
Known as the Lantern of Diogenes, is one of the most photographed and best preserved monuments of Athens. Located in Lysikratous square in Plaka, just where the Tripods street located in the ancient times. The building was erected in 335-334 BC from the rich Athenian Lysicrates to mention his victory as financier of dancing teenagers who had won the theatrical battles of the Great Dionysia. In ancient times, the temple brought to the top of the honorary sponsorship prize, a bronze tripod. The circular building is built on tall square pedestal from limestone (€ 4m. Wide and 3m.), With six Corinthian columns of Pentelic marble and bears a frieze depicting scenes from the myth of Dionysus captivity. If the sponsorship monument preserved in good condition, this is largely due to the Capuchin monks, who in 1669 it incorporated in their monastery. Since then, they used as a reading room and library. The monastery burned down around 1824, during the siege of Athens by Omer Pasha Karystos, however not caused significant damage to the turret. Then, with the departure of the monks, the Lysicrates monument abandoned to its fate, and was restored in the period 1876-1887 under the direction of architect François Boulanger (François Boulanger) and E. Leviot (E. Leviot).