Lysikrates Monument

Description:

• One of the most unusual landmarks of the old town of Plaka is a cyclical marble tower constructed in the 4th Century BCE. On top of the tower stood a bronze tripod awarded by the city to the Maecenas Lysicrates, who sponsored the winning performance of a musical competition held in 334 BCE. The frieze above the inscription depicts the god Dionysos petting a panther in the company of satyrs who are pouring him wine. The monument, also called the "Lantern of Diogenes", was later used as a library, when it became part of a Catholic monastery in 1669.
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