Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-07-17
Modern Athens.


The POT ulation of Athens is now
about 40, 900. and is rapidly increasing.
The principal streets are all we'll paved,
the flags in front of the houses being
laid down at the expense of the own.
ers of the houses, and the roadways
are well kept up. The houses bear a
high rent; private houses of moderate
size let readily at about s10 per month,
and hotels and other large business
houses in good positions yield from
f600 to eS00 per annum. There are
three principal and first-class hotels in
the square in which the royal palace
forms one side, and several other in
the Eolus street and elsewhere. The
cost of liviJg in the principal hotels is
~ francs per day, without Wine, which
may be calculated at franc so centimes
more. The rooms are of good size,
lofty, and thoroughly well furnished,
and the food unexeeptionable.
Ofthe public buildings several have
been constructed by the Government,
but many more by private liberality,
The cathedral is very large, lofty, and
built on the plan of the Santa Sophia
in Constan.inople. 1t is handsomely
and well, though not perhaps very
richly decorated and has but little
marble. 1t has been finished as much
as fifteen years, aud was, therefore, one
of the first undertakings of the young
Government. Another important
church is now nearly completed
scarcely less large and certainly moi
less creditable as building. Beside;
these churches there are Several less
important, as well Of the Greek Church
persuasion as Roman Catholic and
Protestant. j am sorry to say that a
very pretty English church is provided
but no clergyman'has yet been found
to perform regular service in it, al.
though the hotels. are crowded with
English travellers. Educational insti
tutions have from tie first been among
the main objects of Interest to the
modern Greeks. A very large and
convenient, out not very handsome
university Was built by the Govern.
ment, and has been long completed
and in use; but even this owes much tC
funds provided by private, persons
who have appreciated the importance
of its influence on the rising genera.
tion. With the walls of the university
is handsome hall for public ceremo
nies, in which there is at present the
nucleus of a picture gallery, SO lately
presented by some patriotic foreign
Greek that the pictures are merely
laid on the floor against wall. There
are already extensive museums of nat,
ural history, rich in local collections
especially Of the fossil bones found al
Pikerme, near Marathon, and described
by NJ. Gandry. Duplicates Of most ot
these are in Paris, hut thele are nC
other similar collections in Europe
Tfere is Il library, which is entirely
public in the strictest sense of the
word, being open to every cne and
greatly frequented. 1t is chiefly pro-
! vided with Greek books at present, but
is constantly receiving additions from
all countries and in all languages
English and French books are duly
appreciated, This library occupies q
long suite of rooms, exceedingly well
adapted for their purpose, and well
lighted. They are lined with series
Of marble busts of the distinguished
Greeks and friends of Greece. Among
them will be found excellent busts oI
Lord Byron and Gen. Church. Cas-
seiPS Mdgttzine.