The Agora was the heart of the public life of the city - its religious, political and commercial centre, where Athenian Democracy was born and flourished. The Agora was a large, open square that provided a forum for social and cultural activity, commercial exchange, religious festivals, open-air theatrical performances and athletic contests. From the 6th century BC, the area was gradually surrounded by public buildings that were rebuilt over the course of some 800 years while the Agora remained the centre of Athens. It was traversed by the Panathenaic Way and by the West Road. Tradition has it that Europe’s first law court in Europe was on the Areopagus, next to the Ancient Agora. The nearby hill of the Pnyx is another unique site, where the meetings of the Assembly of the ‘Demos’ (Public Assembly of the Citizens), were held. The Ancient Agora and Areopagus site covers an area of about 400,000 sq.m. northwest of the Acropolis.