Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-07-01
Modern Athens.

The population Of Athens is now about forty
thousand, and is rapidly increasing. The priu-
cipa streets all well paved, the illgs in front
of the houses being laid down at the expense of
the owners Of the houses, and the roadways are
we'll kept up. The house. bear a high rent pfi-
yate houses Of moderate size let readily at about
El0 per month, and hotels and other business
houses in good positions yield from $500 to $500
per annum. There are three principal and first
class hotels in the square OF which the royal pa
lace forms one side, and several others in the
Eolus street and elsewhere. The cost of living
in the principal hotels is twelve francs per day,
without wine, which may be calculated at one
franc, fifty centimes more. The rooms are Of
good size, lofty and thoroughly well furnished,
and the food unexceptionable.
or the public buildings several have been con-
structod 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 Constantinople. 1t is handsomely and we'll.
though not perhaps very richly, decorated and
has but little marble. 1t has been finished as
much az fifteen years, and was, therefore, one
OF the first great undertakings OF the young gov
ernment. Another important church is now near
y completed, scarcely less large, and certainly
not less creditable Il building. Besides these
churches there are several less important as
well OF the Greek Church persuasion as Roman
Catholic and Protestant l am sorry to say that
very pretty English church Is provided but
no Clergyman has yet been found to perform
regular service in it, although the hotels are
crowded with English travellers, Educational
institutions have from the first been among the
main objects of interest to the modern Greeks
A very large and convenient but not very hand
rome university was built by the government,
and has been long completed and in use but
even this owes much to funds provided by pri-
vate persons, who have appreciated the impor-
tance OF its influence on the rising generation.
Within the walls Of the university is hand
some hall for public ceremonies, III which there
ID at present the nucleus OF picture gallery, 30
lately presented by some patriotic foreign Greek
that the pictures are merely laid on the floor
against a wall. There are also extensive mu-
seums Of natural history, rich in local collec-
tions, especially Of the fossil bones found at
Pikerme, near Marathon, and described by NJ
Gaudry. Duplicates OF most OF these are in
Paris, but there are no other similar collections
ia Europe There is library, which il entirely
public in the striotest sense of the word being
open to every one and greatly frequented. 1t
s chiefly provided with Greek books at present.
but is constantly receiving additions from all
countries and in all languages English and
French books are duly appreciated The library
occupies long suite Of rooms, exceedingly well
adapted for the purpose, and well ligted. They
are lined with series OF marble busts Of the dis
tinguished Greeks and friends of Greece.
Among them will be found excellent busts Of
Lord Byron and General Church. Casselff
Magazine,