In Plaka, the neighborhood below the Acropolis, there is Tripodon street, where the Monument of Lysicrates lies. Constructed in 335 BC its is a sponsoring monument. But what was this really?

In ancient Athens, all costs for any theatrical performance werea ssumed by a wealthy Athenian citizen, named "sponsor". The sponsor of the performance that took the first prize was also rewarded with a tripod.

When the performance that was sponsored by Lysicrates won in a theatrical competition, he built this monument and placed the tripod with which he was rewarded on top, in commemoration of his victory.

The Monument of Lysicrates has cylindrical shape, six Corinthian columns and the frieze depicts a performance starring the god Dionysus. The monument is also known as the lantern of Diogenes (probably because the tripod on top looks like a lantern or perhaps from the ancient philosopher Diogenes, who walked around with a torch, searching--as he said--to find a real person). During the Turkish occupation the monument was incorporated into a monastery of Capuchin monks, which burned down completely but fortunately without the monument to suffer major damage. Today it is the center of the namesake square and is the best preserved sponsorship monument.