From ancient to traditional houses
The Athenian house over the centuries
At 32, Tripodon Street, we see an 18th-century house of Ottoman times. From Tripodon Street we see the courtyard with the hayat (loggia). The hayat was a corridor and a balcony. As a corridor, it allowed communication between the rooms. As a balcony, it allowed taking advantage of the sun during the winter months, under the protection of a roof. This type of house dates back to antiquity since it was perfectly suited to the Mediterranean climate. The glass panes were added after Independence when it became possible to produce them in Greece. Thus, the corridor could also be used on the sunny but cold winter days as a living room.
As seen on
Insider's Plaka: the essentials