Athens is the world's one of the oldest cities, there are recorded in history as long as 3000 years. Athens is now the eighth largest city in Europe. Athens, Greece economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural center. Commercial center of Athens is one of the European Union. 3.3 million urban population, coupled with a total population of 3.8 million suburban population. Urban area of 39 square kilometers, together with the suburbs of 412 square kilometers.
Ancient Athens was a powerful city-state is well-known culture of the ancient city of the world. Greece is the birthplace of philosophy is Plato's Academy and Aristotle places the location of the lecture. Socrates, Herodotus, Pericles, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Euripides, Aeschylus and other well-known philosophers, politicians and writers were born in Athens or lived in Athens, also known as the "cradle of Western civilization" and the origin of democracy. 5th century BC and 4th century in the cultural and political achievements of Europe and have a significant impact on world culture.
Athens still retained a lot of historical sites and a large number of artistic works, of which the most famous is the Acropolis Parthenon is a symbol of Western culture.
Olympic Games in Athens is the place of origin. Have been held in 1896 the first Summer Olympic Games. In 2004, the twenty-eighth session of the summer Olympic Games held in Athens.