Dipylon

The Dipylon was the principal gateway in the ancient walls of Classical Athens, situated in the Kerameikos district[1]. This monumental gate served as the starting point for the grand procession of the Great Panathenaea[1][2]. Erected in 478 BC as part of Themistocles' fortification of Athens and rebuilt in the 300s BC, it was described as "the largest gate of the ancient world"[1]. The gateway remained in use until the 3rd century AD, controlling access to the ancient cemetery and roads connecting Athens with the rest of Greece[1][2].