Technopolis Gazi

The gasworks supplied Athens with coal gas from 1857 until 1984, and its site was preserved rather than cleared: eight brick and iron buildings with their retorts, purifiers, water tanks and the two great gasholders stand in a walled compound, restored from 1999 as Technopolis. The Industrial Gas Museum runs through the buildings in sequence, following the process from coal to gas with the original machinery in place and good explanation of the work and the workers. The open ground between them is used for concerts, festivals, the Athens Jazz Festival, markets and exhibitions, and the compound has become the anchor of the Gazi nightlife district around it. The name Gazi itself simply means the gasworks.

What you actually see

• The gas plant - retorts, purifiers and machinery preserved in place.
• The gasholders - the two great cylindrical tanks over the compound.
• The industrial museum - the production process explained building by building.
• The event ground - concerts, festivals and markets in the open yard.

When to go

Year-round; the museum is indoors and the compound hosts events through the year, with the heaviest programme in summer. Check the calendar, as large events can close parts of the site.

Honest expectations

Outside event days the compound can feel empty. The museum is compact and technical, which suits some visitors more than others. The surrounding Gazi district is a nightlife area, lively at night and shabby by day.

Nearby

Keramikos archaeological site is a few minutes east; Psyri and Monastiraki are beyond.