When trying to capture beautiful images of the Greek capital, most photographers stick with the classics: the old neoclassical buildings of Plaka, the Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon.

But in his new short film dedicated to Athens, filmmaker and award-winning photographer Alexandros Maragos, opted for a different approach, finding beauty in the urban sprawl and modern buildings that make up the city (although, of course, the Parthenon also gets its due).

Featuring stunning nighttime timelapse and hyperlapse photography, together with stirring music by Tony Anderson, The City of Athens: A Portrait of A Changing Metropolis leans into the combination of new and old that makes Athens the unique city that it is.

The film was a real labor of love as well, taking 3 months to film, with Maragos traveling to elevated points in and around the city – even securing access to the rooftop of the Greek police headquarters in central Athens, the first time such a permit has been issued. The film, which is just under 5 minutes long, was made from a total of 60,000 raw images in 5K resolution. Watch it above.