Arch of Hadrian

The Arch of Hadrian stands as a symmetrical gateway of Pentelic marble, rising eighteen meters high with a central archway flanked by smaller rectangular piers. Constructed in one hundred thirty-two CE, the monument honors the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was granted Athenian citizenship nearly two decades before the arch was built. It is composed of solid marble blocks connected by metal clamps, avoiding the use of mortar or cement.