Athens must be the ugliest city in europe

[Kyriakos]

I knew it was quite ugly; been here before. But i now have stayed in it for forty days, and walked around, and can firmly say that it is nothing short of emetic.
I was particularly disgusted by the "plaka" region, at the foot of the acropolis. I felt ashamed that so many petty merchants - most of them greek, and with shops - presented their batrachian forms and eldrich lack of sensibility in trying to lure equally petty tourists to their low quality memorabilia.
I am at athens for publishing work, including my contract for translating the whole literary output of h.p.lovecraft.

-if you have been to athens you can share your view of it.

 

[Silurian]

You are wrong.

Look what the stupid Macedonia's are doing in Skopje with the "Art Bridge" etc. which are spoiling the city centre.

But there are far worse places than Skopje or Athens.

 

[Snerk]

I raise you with Oslo.

 

[metatron]

-if you have been to athens you can share your view of it.

I have not.
But my best friend has been to Athens (at the hight of the financial crisis, on purpose, [insert socialist rational]) and she conceded that large parts of the city aren't exactly picturesque per se. But she assured me that Athens was quite charming in a punk rock sort of way and that the people were great.

Also: Wb, good to have you back.

 

[Kyriakos]

You are wrong.

Look what the stupid Macedonia's are doing in Skopje with the "Art Bridge" etc. which are spoiling the city centre.

But there are far worse places than Skopje or Athens.

Skopje isn't in europe; it is on planet fyrmakmani, orbitting the sun of vergina

 

[FriendlyFire]

Skopje isn't in europe; it is on planet fyrmakmani, orbitting the sun of vergina

Someone is jealous of all those famous and amazing macadonian statues (Its not like Macedonia has any famous greek sites or ruins to vist)
At least they didnt build it in Kim Jun On Size

 

[Broken_Erika]

Someone is jealous of all those famous and amazing macadonian statues (Its not like Macedonia has any famous greek sites or ruins to vist)
At least they didnt build it in Kim Jun On Size

Oh yea, lets have some statues of what Alexander the Great would have looked like if he really let himself go......

 

[Colon]

I raise you with Oslo.

Oslo isn't ugly, just a bit bland and without much of a quaint old town.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Looks pretty nice from here.

 

[Kyriakos]

Looks pretty nice from here.

View attachment 508304

Only the actual ancient stuff, and 1,5 other streets are nice

 

[FriendlyFire]

Oh yea, lets have some statues of what Alexander the Great would have looked like if he really let himself go......

I only go for the foods, and well a Giant statue of a fat Alexander the Great eating a Shtipska pastrmajlija would be pretty amazing

 

[bernie14]

The wife and i were there in 1999. It was somewhat underwhelming after being in istanbul but i always thought it was because they were gearing up for the olympics and there was alot of construction going on. The parthenon was draped in scaffolds and everyone was pretty huffy if you picked up some rock

 

[Valka D'Ur]

...everyone was pretty huffy if you picked up some rock

I solved that problem. I have a set of ceramic bookends in the shape of The Porch of the Maidens, with various cat-themed pet rocks lounging on the steps. They occupy a place of honor in my china cabinet.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Oh cool, Kyriakos is back .

If you want to see ugly you should visit the Ruhr area in Germany. Some cities are nice, others are industrial wastelands masquerading as concrete deserts.

 

[yung.carl.jung]

people have weird aesthetics when it comes to cities (imo). most people think a city that is run down or dirty is ugly. I really don't, I think it gives a place personality. I think a city that is too clean and sterile is ugly. I think streamlined cities are ugly. I think soulless, commercialized cities are ugly. I think overdesigned high-tech cities are ugly.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Oslo isn't ugly, just a bit bland and without much of a quaint old town.

I am presently living in Oslo and the city isnt really bad. First off compared to Stockholm or Copenhagen its has somewhat really peaceful almost sweet atmosphere (kinda village-like) also bit more clean I think. I agree on the lack of historical core but since Norway has been most of its history poor place and likely exploited while under personal union with both Danes and Swedes so thats not surprising. The modern parts like Aker Brygge are on the other hand quite stunning.

people have weird aesthetics when it comes to cities (imo). most people think a city that is run down or dirty is ugly. I really don't, I think it gives a place personality. I think a city that is too clean and sterile is ugly. I think streamlined cities are ugly. I think soulless, commercialized cities are ugly. I think overdesigned high-tech cities are ugly.

Singapore with its ultramodern architecture was perhaps one of the cleanest places I have seen but its likely on the top of the list of big cities I wouldnt mind living in.

@OP: I am visiting Athens next February for only a couple days but the little research I have done so far doesnt confirm your sentiment. Try Bucurest or Queens in NY for a proper level of ugly...

 

[Kyriakos]

I may be a bit eclectic, but srsly in athens even most of the center looks run-down. Also, by now large parts are a ghetto (pakistan and similar majority). Yet even the rest of the center is bland. This is because the area had been relegated to a village, and artificially rebuilt as new capital of early 19th century Greece.

 

[Cheetah]

I raise you with Oslo.

What? No.

Oslo is a Norwegian city, which says quite a bit, but it's not truly ugly.

The thread title could have been written by me: Athens was the first city ever where I was actually forced to think «Wow. This city is ugly!»

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

I may be a bit eclectic, but srsly in athens even most of the center looks run-down. Also, by now large parts are a ghetto (pakistan and similar majority). Yet even the rest of the center is bland. This is because the area had been relegated to a village, and artificially rebuilt as new capital of early 19th century Greece.

Whats your favorite Greek city then? I will be also going to Rhodos and spend some time in Cyprus. North of Greece, Corfu, Crete are on my must visit list too...

 

[Kyriakos]

What? No.

Oslo is a Norwegian city, which says quite a bit, but it's not truly ugly.

The thread title could have been written by me: Athens was the first city ever where I was actually forced to think «Wow. This city is ugly!»

Sure, it is a throbbing ugly huge mess, but oslo is tiny

Btw, i have been to oslo. Nice, but very forgetable- though stll better than village helsinki.