In the idyllic, extensive area of the Academy, near the city, close to the river Cephissus with its lush natural surroundings, numerous temples and altars were erected in devotion to various gods, as well as a sacred grove dedicated to the goddess Athena. In the 6th century BCE, probably during the reign of Peisistratus, the Gymnasium of the Academy was founded there. It was an educational centre intended for the physical education, military training and spiritual cultivation of young people. The Gymnasium of the Academy, like those of the Lyceum and Cynosarges, were originally open-air spaces and during the classical period, architectural facilities such as Gymnasiums, palaestras (wrestling grounds) and baths began to be established. In the 5th century BCE, under Cimon, the Gymnasium of the Academy underwent improvements, including the planting of trees and the provision of water from the river Cephissus. During that period, it is believed that the Gymnasium, which until then had been exclusive to the aristocracy, transformed into a centre of public character, open to all. In the 4th century BCE, it became the seat of the philosophical school founded by Plato, the first institution of science and philosophy in the world.
The area of the Academy, for the most part, lies beneath the modern urban fabric. However, excavations conducted since the first decades of the 20th century have revealed remnants of buildings related to the operation of the Gymnasium. To the north of the church of Saint Tryphon, in the southern part of the present-day designated archaeological site of the Academy, excavations brought to light a large building complex. While the entire structure has not been fully revealed, researchers usually identify it with the Palaestra of the Gymnasium, while more recent research has suggested that it was a library, specifically the Exedra (place for conversations) or the Museum of Plato.
The main building consists of a rectangular central courtyard measuring 23.4 by 44.4 metres, surrounded by stoas. In the centre of its northern side, there is a large hall, which has a second outer wall on its three sides, forming a corridor in the shape of the Greek letter Π, with a width of 1.35 metres. On either side of the hall, symmetrically arranged, are four rooms with varying floor areas. The use of large blocks of stone dating to archaic times in the construction of these rooms, strongly suggests that there was a structure of earlier times in the area. In the northern part of the courtyard, an elongated tank was found, and in its centre there is a space covered with robust mortar defined by clay slabs. To the west of the building, a Roman bathing complex was uncovered, and to the east, there are tombs from the late Hellenistic period.
The building was initially identified as the Palaestra of the Gymnasium as it closely resembles the description of Vitruvius (architect and engineer of the 1st century BCE) for such structures. Thus, the central northern room was identified as the Ephebeion, a platform for the gathering and instruction of young men, and the other rooms on the north side were assumed to house the Elaiotheseion (a storehouse for the oils used by the athletes), the Coryceum (the place where the corykes, the leather sacks used for boxing practice, were kept) and the Conisterion (the place for the use of the dust or sand that the athletes would put on their oiled bodies).
However, recent studies, upon a thorough re-examination of the data, propose that the structure lacks essential spaces characteristic of a palaestra, including rooms surrounding the courtyard and baths inside the building. This conclusion is particularly evident following the discovery of the Lyceum’s Palaestra and the subsequent comparison with that of the Academy. Moreover, the hydraulic mortar flooring in the courtyard is associated with a tank and would not be suitable for the training of athletes. Based on the re-evaluation of the building’s function, researchers propose its identification with the Exedra or the Museum of Plato. The central northern room housed the School’s library, and the corridor on three sides facilitated ventilation to protect the books on the shelves (bookcases) from humidity. The other rooms were possibly used for the storage of other, less important manuscripts, with their bookcases placed in the middle of the space. Along the stoas, there would have been tables for study, as indicated by the square bases found there positioned at regular intervals.
The view that this is the Exedra or the Museum of Plato is also supported by the re-dating of the building. Although it was initially dated to Roman times, its construction details and the arrangement of the Hellenistic tombs to the east suggest that the building dates to the beginning of the 4th century BCE. Therefore, it appears that the building was not originally intended for athletic activities, but was constructed to house the great philosopher’s rich library. It is believed that Plato possessed rare treatises on philosophy, mathematics, poetry, astronomy, medicine, and more, which he either inherited from his wealthy family or acquired himself, spending substantial amounts of money. Through the systematic collection of writings to support his teaching, Plato solidified the need for using the library in scientific research and writing. His pupil Aristotle followed a similar path when he created a notable library for his own School at the Lyceum.
