The Creation of Modern Athens

This book, first published in 2000, was the first to examine the urban development of Athens in the nineteenth century. Analysing the process of architectural and urban design as it was experienced and evaluated by architects and the public, Eleni Bastéa reveals the multiple and often conflicting interpretations of the new city. By following two parallel processes - the building of the new capital and the construction of a new national Greek identity - Bastéa demonstrates that Athens' elaborate urban design and civic architecture, although initiated by foreign-trained architects, reflected both international neo-classical ideals as well as the national aspirations of the modern Greek nation.