Aristotle’s Lyceum

About the museum

According to ancient testimonies, the Lyceum was a wooded suburb east of Athens, outside the Diochares Gate. The area seems to have taken its name from the sanctuary of Apollo Lyceus, which predated the gymnasium but has not been located. The founding of the gymnasium is attributed by the ancient sources to Peisistratos, Pericles or Lycurgus. The palaestra, a training ground for wrestling, boxing and pankration, was founded in the second half of the 4th century BC and was used, with repairs and additions, for about seven centuries, until the early 4th century AD.

Aristotle returned to Athens in 335 BC, at the age of 50, and founded his school here, the Peripatetic School, where he taught for about twelve years. The remains of the palaestra came to light in 1996, during excavations for the construction of the Museum of the Vasilis and Eliza Goulandris Foundation.

The site covers 11.5 stremmata and borders the garden of the Byzantine and Christian Museum and the Athens Odeon. The circular path around the ruins passes olive trees, cypresses, pomegranates and aromatic shrubs, a reference to Aristotle’s interest in botany.

Highlights

• Remains of the gymnasium’s palaestra
• Place where Aristotle taught and the Peripatetic School was founded
• Circular path among olive trees, cypresses and pomegranates

Permanent exhibition

• Αρχαιολογικός χώρος του Λυκείου – A walk around the remains of the palaestra and along the path around the site.

Operated by

Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Πόλης Αθηνών

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and every first and third Sunday of the month from 1 November to 31 March.

Tickets are also available from the online shop tickets.hh.gr.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The site is described as accessible.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.