Today, apart from being an important green lung, it is the connection between the ancient and the modern capital. The reason for the hill of Hippo Colonus which is located about 2 kilometers from the center of Athens.
The ancient Kolonos (which means hill) was located north of Dipylos and extended on the Kifisos plain. It was overgrown with olive trees and was inhabited by the Leontida Tribe.
According to mythology there was a cave where he descended to Hades. Of course, in addition to Hippo, there was also the market town of Colonos, located in the center of the city. It was named "Hippios" after the temple of Hippo Poseidon who was also the patron of the area. This temple was destroyed by Antigonus Gonatas in 265 BC, but the area continued to be called that because of the temple of Hippo Athena.
In Hippo's Column there was the Erinyes mosque, the tomb of Oedipus, as well as the heroes of Theseus, Peirithos and Adrastus. Here was also the statue of Colonos, who gave his name to the municipality. Near the hill of Colonus was the Grove of the Academy and the School of Plato, where the great philosopher taught. Between Akademia and Colonus, Plato had his residence and his tomb was also there.
The traveler Pausanias writes in his "Attika" that, after leaving the Academy, he came across Plato's tomb and from there to the east he saw standing high on the Colonus the statue of Hippo Poseidon.
It is assumed that Sophocles was born in Colonos, since the region is mentioned in the tragedy of "Oedipus at Colonus".
Karolos Lenorman and Karolos Müller had important researches on the region and especially philhellenic writings. Today, the monuments of the two adorn the hill of Hippo Colonos, constituting the only point of "ancient connection" for the surrounding historical area.
Lenormand had been an anthropologist and archaeologist at the University of the Sorbonne. He had participated in many researches and tours that took place in Greece. In one of them he died in Athens in 1859. His wish was always to be buried next to Plato in the area of Colonus. So the Municipal Council requests son Lenorman to bury the archaeologist's heart on the hill of Kolonos.
This was placed in a marble bathing hydria, which in its typology is reminiscent of an ancient burial monument. Lenormand's head was engraved on its obverse. It was placed on a plinth pedestal and unveiled by the mayor G. Skoufos in 1860.
However, because the hill was not yet so densely vegetated the monument at the top was used by many as a target for shooting. Which resulted in the monument being irreparably damaged. So the Municipality was forced to place a new copy of it in 1936.
Lenormand's monument was placed next to Müller's. Hansen had designed a tombstone modeled after ancient Greek burial monuments. The expenses were borne by the professors of the University of Athens and the Othoniki yard. The monument of the Philhellenic Müller was installed in 1840 and is one of the first public sculptures of modern Athens.
The hill of Ippio or Ippeiou Colonos is today overgrown and is a meeting point for the region. This fact is reinforced by the existence of a small outdoor theater, a playground and a refreshment stand. In its premises you will find, in addition to the cool shade, one of the best views of the Acropolis. The two monuments at the top of the hill have been harmoniously integrated into the space (although now fenced off after multiple vandalisms). Giving a sense of the historicity of the area and at the same time honoring two important Philhellenes in an area that is anything but "museum" in its vitality. [athinapisovitrina.blogspot.gr]