The Zappeion ( el, Ζάππειον Μέγαρο, Záppeion Mégaro, ) is a large, palatial building next to the

National Gardens of Athens The National Garden (formerly the Royal Garden) ( el, Εθνικός Κήπος)(it was named Royal Garden until 1974) is a public park of in the center of the Greek capital, Athens. It is located between the districts of Kolonaki and Pang ...

in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and private and is one of the city's most renowned modern landmarks.

Constructing the Zappeion

In 1869, the Greek Parliament allocated of public land between the Palace Gardens and the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus, and also passed a law on 30 November 1869, "for the building works of the Olympic Games", as the Zappeion was the first building to be erected specifically for the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern world. The ancient Panathenian stadium was also refurbished as part of the works for the Olympic Games. Following some delay, on 20 January 1874, the cornerstone of the building was laid; this new building would be designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen. Finally, on 20 October 1888, the Zappeion opened. Unfortunately for its benefactor,

Evangelis Zappas Evangelos or Evangelis Zappas ( el, Ευάγγελος or ; ro, Evanghelie Zappa; 23 August 1800 – 19 June 1865) was a Greek patriot, philanthropist and businessman who spent most of his life in Romania. He is recognized today as one of the ...

, he did not live long enough to see the Zappeion built, and his cousin Konstantinos Zappas was nominated by Evangelos Zappas to complete the building. The Austrian Parliament Building was also designed by Hansen and followed the same theme in the exterior. Athens Zappeion

History

The Zappeion was used during the 1896 Summer Olympics as the main

fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, ...

hall. A decade later, at the 1906 Intercalated Games, it was used as the

Olympic Village An Olympic Village is an accommodation center built for the Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials and athletic trainers. Afte ...

. It served as the first host for the organizing committee (ATHOC) for the 2004 Games from 1998 to 1999 and served as the press center during the 2004 games. In 1938, the

Athens Radio Station The Athens Radio Station ( el, Ραδιοφωνικός Σταθμός Αθηνών) was a radio station that began to emit in 1938 in Athens under the auspices of the Metaxas Regime's Radio Broadcast Service (, ΥΡΕ). It was based in the prem ...

, the country's first national broadcaster, began operating in the premises. The building continued to house the National Radio Foundation until the inauguration of the House of Radio in 1970. A number of historical events have taken place at the Zappeion, including the signing of the documents formalizing Greece's accession to the

European Community The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lis ...

in May, 1979, which took place in the building's

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

-clad, peristyle main atrium. The head of Evangelos Zappas is 'buried' inside a wall in the Zappeion.

Current Building Uses

The Zappeion is currently being used as a Conference and Exhibition Center for both public and private purposes.

Halls and Floor Plans

The building contains about 25 distinct rooms that range in size from to .

In numismatics

The Zappeion was recently selected as the main motif for high-value euro collectors' coins; the €100 Greek The Olympic Village Zappeion commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the obverse of the coin, a front view of the building is depicted.

Statues

Various statues are placed in the gardens of the Zappeion area. File:Evangelos Zappas the creator of the Zappeion hall statue.jpg, Statue of Evangelos Zappas made by

Ioannis Kossos Ioannis Kossos ( el, Ιωάννης Κόσσος; 1822–1875) was a Greek sculptor of the 19th century. Born in Tripoli, he later studied in Athens and Florence. His work includes several statues and busts in Athens, Patras Patras ( el, Π ...

File:"Άγγελος", Ζάππειο - panoramio.jpg, ''Angel'' File:"Μικρός Θεριστής", Ζάππειο - panoramio.jpg, ''Little mower'' File:"Έρωτας που σπάζει το τόξο του", Ζάππειο - panoramio.jpg, ''Eros breaking his bow'' File:"Μικρός Ψαράς", Ζάππειο - panoramio.jpg, ''Fisherman''

References

External links

Official Zappeion Megaron Website
{{Authority control History of the Olympic Village Government buildings completed in 1888 Landmarks in Athens Venues of the 1896 Summer Olympics Olympic fencing venues Theophil Hansen buildings Convention centers in Greece Neoclassical architecture in Greece