Athens, Lycabetus Hill

Athens, Kolonaki, Lycabetus hill...long ago!

Mount Lycabettus, also known as Lycabettos, Lykabettos or Lykavittos (Greek: Λυκαβηττός, pronounced [likaviˈtos]), is a Cretaceous limestone hill in Athens, Greece. At 277 meters (908 feet) above sea level, the hill is the highest point in the city that surrounds it. Pine trees cover its base, and at its two peaks are the 19th century Chapel of St. George, a theatre, and a restaurant.

The hill is a popular tourist destination and can be ascended by the Lycabettus cable train, a cable railway which climbs the hill from a lower bottom and inside the rock at Kolonaki (The railway station can be found at Aristippou street). Lycabettus appears in various legends. Popular stories suggest it was once the refuge of wolves, (lycos in Greek), which is possibly the origin of its name (means "the one [the hill] that is walked by wolves"). Mythologically, Lycabettus is credited to Athena, who created it when she dropped a mountain she had been carrying from Pallene for the construction of the Acropolis after the box holding Erichthonius was opened.

Lycabetus Hill and the open theater where many concerts take place every summer

he hill also has a large open-air theater at the top, which has housed many Greek and international concerts. Among the artists who have performed at the Lycabettus theater included Ray Charles, Joan Baez, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola, John Mc Laughlin, Gary Moore, Peter Gabriel, Black Sabbath, Nick Cave, Pet Shop Boys, Deep Purple, UB 40, Placebo, Radiohead, Moby, Massive Attack, Faithless, Whitesnake, Tracy Chapman, Patti Smith, Vanessa Mae, Brian Ferry, Tito Puente, Buena Vista Social Club and favorite theatre of Scorpions.