Ethnikis Antistaseos Square () is a central square in the city of

Patras Patras (; ; Katharevousa and ; ) is Greece's List of cities in Greece, third-largest city and the regional capital and largest city of Western Greece, in the northern Peloponnese, west of Athens. The city is built at the foot of Mount Panachaiko ...

, Greece.

Location and history

The square is defined by the Aratou Street in the northeast, Maizonos Street in the southeast, Kolokotroni Street in the southwest and Riga Feraiou Street in the northwest. Originally the square was intended as a market, but it was planted with trees and became a public square known as "the Queen's garden" («της βασίλισσας το περιβόλι»). Its original name was Omonoia Square (Πλατεία Ομονοίας, "Concord Square"), but it was renamed after

Queen Olga of Greece Olga Constantinovna of Russia (; 18 June 1926) was Queen of Greece as the wife of King George I. She was briefly the regent of Greece in 1920. A member of the Romanov dynasty, Olga was the oldest daughter of Grand Duke Constantine Nikolaie ...

– the city's other major central square,

Georgiou I Square Georgiou I Square () is the central square of Patras, Greece. The square is named after King George I of Greece. It is crossed by Maizonos, Korinthou and Gerokostopoulou streets. The neoclassical Apollon Theatre is situated on the northeast s ...

, is named after Queen Olga's husband,

King George I of Greece George I (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος Α΄, Romanization, romanized: ''Geórgios I''; 24 December 1845 – 18 March 1913) was King of Greece from 30 March 1863 until Assassination of George I of Greece, his assassination on 18 March ...

. After the fall of the

Greek monarchy Monarchy of Greece () or Greek monarchy () is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign (''Basileus'') reigns as the head of state of Greece. Monarchy in Greece lasted from 1832 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1973. Hi ...

in 1974, the square was officially renamed to Ethnikis Antistaseos ("National Resistance Square") after the Greek Resistance against the

Axis Occupation of Greece The occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers () began in April 1941 after Nazi Germany Battle of Greece, invaded the Kingdom of Greece in order to assist its ally, Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Italy, in their Greco-Italian War, ongoing war that w ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. A marble monument to the Resistance forms a centerpiece of the square. The square is lined with cafes and restaurants, making it very popular especially during the summer months.

Gallery

File:Patras, Grecia - panoramio.jpg, A view of Ethnikis Antistaseos square

Sources

* Streets and squares in Patras Tourist attractions in Patras {{Greece-road-stub