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Phalerum Φάληρον | |
|---|---|
  Phalerum Location withinGreece | |
| Coordinates:37°56′1.98″N23°41′6.85″E / 37.9338833°N 23.6852361°E /37.9338833; 23.6852361 |
Phalerum orPhaleron (Ancient Greek:ΦάληρονPhálēron[pʰálɛːron];Greek:Φάληρο(Fáliro),[ˈFaliro]) was a port ofAncient Athens, 5 km southwest of theAcropolis of Athens,[1] on a bay of theSaronic Gulf. The bay is also referred to as "Bay of Phalerum" (Greek:Όρμος ΦαλήρουÓrmos Falíru).
The area of Phalerum is now occupied by the townsPalaio Faliro,Kallithea,Moschato andNeo Faliro, all of which are part of the Athens agglomeration.
Phalerum was the major port of Athens beforeThemistocles had the three rocky natural harbours by the promontory ofPiraeus developed as alternative, from 491 BC.[2] It was said thatMenestheus set sail with his fleet toTroy from Phalerum, as didTheseus when he sailed toCrete after the death ofAndrogeus.[3]
Recently, archaeologists have uncovered what appear to be traces of ancient Athens’s first port before the city’s naval and shipping centre was moved to Piraeus. The site, some 350 m from the modern coastline, contained pottery, tracks from the carts that would have served the port, and makeshift fireplaces where travelers waiting to take ship would have cooked and kept warm.
The Park of Maritime Tradition, a collection of preserved historic ships, is located at the site. At the southern tip is the permanent anchorage of the armored cruiserHS Averof (now a floating museum), which was the admiralty ship of theHellenic Navy during theBalkan Wars andWorld War I. Other museum ships include the Hellenic Navy destroyerHS Velos (D16), the old cable shipThalis o Milisios (Thales of Miletos)[4] andOlympias, a modern reconstruction of an ancienttrireme naval ship.
Media related toPhaleron at Wikimedia Commons
37°56′02″N23°41′07″E / 37.933883°N 23.685237°E /37.933883; 23.685237