Description

Designed and constructed in the early 19th century, after Greece’s first King Otto moved the capital of the newly-born Greek Kingdom from Nafplio to Athens in 1834, the Palace square, as it was known, was one of the city’s two main squares along with Omonoia (meaning Concorde). However, in 1843, due to a popular and military uprising, King Otto was forced to grant a constitution to the people and so the square was renamed Syntagma Square, meaning Constitution Square. When the country’s military junta collapsed in 1974, it was yet again in Syntagma that the new leader of Greece gave his first speech. Today, Syntagma Square continues to be the stage for demonstrations and political rallies and serves not only as a destination for travelers and tourists, but also a meeting point for locals.