Tower of the Winds Monument

The Tower of the Winds is an octagonal Hellenistic clocktower in Athens, located in the area of the Roman Agora and dated to the 1st century BC. It functioned as a multi-system public timekeeper combining sundials, a water clock and a wind vane.

Carved of Pentelic marble, the tower’s eight faces each display a relief of a wind deity and originally supported gnomons for sundials; interior machinery once regulated a clepsydra. The structure survives to near original height and retains much of its external sculptural decoration.

Constructed by the astronomer Andronicus of Cyrrhus, it served practical civic functions and later was incorporated into the Roman Agora complex. Conservation and partial reconstruction have preserved the tower’s distinctive octagonal form.

It stands on relatively flat ground north of the Acropolis in central Athens, within easy walking distance of the Acropolis, Agora and Monastiraki.

• Decorative frieze: Reliefs of the eight wind deities remain on the exterior and are a key detail to look for when approaching the structure.
• Visiting tip: Located within the Roman Agora, the site is best seen in combination with the Agora and the nearby Acropolis sites.

Take the Athens Metro to Monastiraki station (Lines 1 and 3). The Tower of the Winds stands in the Roman Agora/Plaka area and is about a 5‑minute walk from Monastiraki station (follow signs for the Roman Agora/Ancient Agora).

• Plan to visit the Tower of the Winds early or late in the day to avoid the Acropolis/Agora crowd peak; low light brings out the sundials and carved reliefs on the exterior.
• Enter the Roman Agora from the Adrianou/Monastiraki side so you can approach the tower first and then continue to the Ancient Agora and Monastiraki market - many visitors see the tower only from a distance on walking tours.
• Walk the full perimeter of the octagonal tower to study the surviving sundials and wind reliefs; the detailed exterior inscriptions and carvings are easily missed by those viewing it only from the Agora pathway.