Plaka was once known as the Turkish district of Athens as it used to be the abode of the Turkish governor during the period of the Ottoman occupation.

Later on, when the Greek War of Independence burst forth, it became the dramatic backdrop to several armed conflicts and it suffered extensive damage.

Many of Plaka’s residents abandoned their homestead in search of safety and the neighbourhood was left dismantled.

It wasn’t until several years later that Plaka would regain its former status as an upscale area.

In the early 19th century, newly crowned King Otto decided to make Athens the capital city of the newfound Greek State, thus marking the beginning of a long period of repopulation in what would later become a vast metropolis.

The majority of Plaka in particular was repopulated by settlers from the island of Anafi who built a small community contiguous to Plaka that is still called Anafiotika today and features strong elements of the Cycladic architecture and aesthetics.