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KING GEORGE
KING GEORGE Reigned as King of Greece from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947. King George was born at the royal villa in Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. Hotel King George was originally built in 1837 as S. Skouloudis’s mansion by the French architect V.E. Poitrineau. After the owner’s death in 1928, it was renovated and for a short period operated as an appurtenance to the palace and later on as the Prime Minister’s residence. In the early 1930’s the entrepreneur K. Kalkanis bought the property and demolished it. In its place he built King George Palace, following the architectural designs of N. Zouboulidis. The hotel opened in 1936 and one of his first guests was King George II. During the last restoration, in 1955, three floors were added, so the hotel took its final form in 1958. Thirty years later the hotel closed and reopened, after its latest renovation in 2004.
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LET US BE YOUR GUIDE THE CITY OF ATHENS Athens was built in the plains of Attika between the Parnitha, Penteli and Hymettus mountains and close to the Saronic Gulf. For ages its important geographic location and its mild climate were the main reasons why people chose to live here. Throughout her dense history, Athens produced a brilliant civilization as well as a contribution of inestimable value to the world’s heritage. Today Athens, with its four million inhabitants, has all the characteristics of a modern metropolis but has kept its very unique ancient atmosphere, a sense that is reflected in the Athenians and their way of life. Athens follows the changes of the 21st century, but has always safeguarded the memories of its valuable past. First time visitors to Athens stand in between the remnants of the old and the new world, between the gods and the narrow streets of Plaka, between the ancient art and the green covered terraces. Returning visitors enjoy all of both worlds, as do the Athenians themselves. Athens has a lot to offer and even more to enjoy. THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY It is hard to imagine that the concept of democracy was born 2.500 years ago at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens. The initiation of Democracy took place on one of the seven hills of Athens, the hill of Pnyx. This first validation of the democratic procedure has evolved into present Democracy as we now know it. WALKING WITH HISTORY Say “Athens” and people will say “The Acropolis”. Of course you should not leave Athens without having visited the Acropolis with its splendid Parthenon, Erechteion, Propylaea etc. However, Athens has much more to offer. The Ancient and the Roman Agora, Plaka, the romantic Anafiotika area, the Panathenaic Stadium, Lykavittos and Philopappou Hill, various museums, Psirri, Gazi and Monastiraki area. There is a lot to see in Athens that is worthwhile.
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MOUNT HYMETTUS Situated in the eastern part of Athens, the mountain stands at 1,026m height and is visible from most places in Athens. The Kessariani monastery, built in the 11th century, is located on the slopes of the mountain. Financially powerful, thanks to extensive land-holdings, it is renowned for its honey production and tax-exempt status throughout its history. Another excellent example of Greek religious art is Asteriou monastery, standing in a cool, bird inhabited grove of pines and cypresses in the middle of mount Hymettus, a peaceful place dedicated to prayer and worship of God. Monks have inhabited Moni Asteriou since 1960. Up to that time the monastery worked as an ecclesiastical monumental building being inspected by the 1st Archaeological Directorate of Athens. The natural beauty of mount Hymettus is extraordinary while it has a unique biodiversity which is amazingly rich despite the mountain’s proximity to the city of Athens. Many walking trails start from here, for example Kalopoula trail, and run into the forest. The mountain flora includes over 600 plants. A walk up this mountain provides panoramic views of the city.
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PARLIAMENT Initially, the building served as the palace of King Otto and King George I. It became the Parliament and Senate building a hundred years after it was constructed and still houses the Hellenic Parliament today. In 1867, the most important alteration was the construction of an orthodox chapel on the second floor, consecrated to Saint George. The foremost reason for changes to the initial design were two damaging fires, one in 1884 and one in 1909, which forced the royal family to move to the summer palace in Tatoi. By 1912, few repairs could be done, with Greece being involved in one war after another, and, consequently, funds were scarce; The Balkan Wars, the World War I and the Greek-Turkish War of 1919-1922. In November 1929, the government of Eleftherios Venizelos decided to relocate the two chambers of Parliament, the Parliament proper and the Senate, to the old Palace Building. The first parliamentary session in the brand new Debating Chamber took place on 1 July 1935. In front of the Parliament House, there is a Monument guarded by an infantry unit of the Greek army, the Evzones. This is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honoring all the unknown soldiers who died or bled for their country. Evzones wear traditional Greek uniforms and their most distinctive part is ‘foustanella’, a kilt-like skirt. The changing of the guards takes place every hour and during their service, they are not allowed to talk or move at all.
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KALLIMARMARON STADIUM The Kallimarmaron or Panathenaic Stadium is a classical, cultural and sightseeing monument of Greece as well as one of Athens’ landmarks. Being the only open air marble stadium in the world it’s also impressive capacity wise, with its 70.000 seats. Its rich history is directly connected to the Modern Olympic Games, from their revival in 1896 until the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. It is also the place from where the Olympic flame starts its journey to the cities of the Olympic Games. The first modern Olympic Games were held in the Greek capital in 1896, with 14 countries competing. The Kallimarmaron Stadium was chosen to host the Olympic Games and was the epicenter of the city’s preparations for this major event. The enormous expense of reconstructing the Stadium was undertaken largely by a benefactor of the Nation, Georgios Averoff. His marble bust is located to the right of the Stadium entrance. It was in the Panathenaic Stadium that the Olympic Hymn was heard for the first time, with lyrics by poet Costis Palamas. In the Athens 2004 Olympic Games it experienced moments of suspense and emotion during the archery contests and as the finishing line of the Marathon race.
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NATIONAL GARDEN The National Garden was commissioned by Greece’s first Queen named Amalia in 1838 and was completed by 1840. It was designed by the German agronomist Friedrich Schmidt who imported over 500 species of plants and a variety of animals. The National Garden (also known as Royal Garden) is a peaceful, green refuge of 15.5 hectares in the center of the Greek capital. It is located on the east and south wing of the Greek Parliament building (the former Palace) and continues to the south where the Zappeion Convention Center is located. The Garden also encloses some ancient ruins, Corinthian columns and mosaics. In the southeast there are the busts of Capodistrias, first Governor of Greece and of the great philhellene Eynard and on the south side the busts of the celebrated Greek poet Dionysios Solomos, author of the Greek National Hymn.
ZAPPEION In 1888 the Zappeion was inaugurated. Unfortunately its benefactor, Evangelos Zappas, did not live long enough to see the Zappeion built. During the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the fencing events were hosted in its circular atrium; during the second International Olympic Games in 1906, the lack of infrastructure and facilities led to it being used as the “Olympic Village”. In addition, starting in 1936 and for the next 40 years, it hosted the country’s first state radio station. In 1940 it was converted into a hospital; the following year it was commandeered by the German occupation army after which it became a storehouse and later a barracks in 1944. It was even bombed during the same year. In 1960, general repairs were carried out. The most recent renovation was carried out in connection with the Olympic Games of 2004 which were held in Athens.
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SYNTAGMA SQUARE On the 3rd of September 1843, the infantry led by Colonel Kallergis and the respected general of the Independence War Ioannis Makriyannis, assembled in the square in front of the Palace in Athens, today the House of Parliament. Eventually joined by much of the population of the small capital, the rebellion refused to disperse until King Otto agreed to grant a constitution which would require that there be Greeks in the Council, that he convene a permanent national assembly and that his Majesty personally thank the leaders of the uprising. Left with little recourse, now that his German troops were gone, King Otto gave in to the pressure and agreed to the demands of the crowd. The square was named Syntagma (Constitution) Square to commemorate the events of the bloodless revolt of September 1843. For the first time the king had Greeks in his council and the French party, the English Party and the Russian Party competed for rank and power.
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THE NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM Immediately after the founding of the Greek State, discussions about the construction of an Acropolis Museum on the Hill of the Acropolis began. In 1863, it was decided that the Museum be constructed on a site to the southeast of the Parthenon and foundations were laid on 30 December 1865. With only 800 square meters of floor space, the building was rapidly proven inadequate to accommodate the findings from the large excavations on the Acropolis that began in 1886. A second museum was announced in 1888, the so-called Little Museum. Final changes were made in 1946-1947 with the second Museum being demolished and the original being sizably extended. In 1989, Melina Merkouri, who as Minister of Culture inextricably identified her politics with the claim for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum, initiated an international architectural competition. The results of this competition were annulled following the discovery of a large urban settlement on the Makriyianni site dating from Archaic to Early Christian Athens. This discovery now needed to be integrated into the New Museum that was to be built on this site. Today, the new Acropolis Museum has a total area of 25,000 square meters, with an exhibition space of over 14,000 square meters. It houses more than 4000 artifacts, most of which were transferred by crane from the top of the rock of the Acropolis, a procedure that took 4 months.
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ACROPOLIS One of the most important religious sites in Athens was the Temple of goddess Athena, known as the Parthenon, which stood atop the Acropolis. The construction of the Parthenon, began in 447 BC, when the Greek Empire was at the height of its power. Another important religious sanctuary was the Erechtheion, housing a memorial dedicated to the legendary first settler of the city, Kekrops. That’s the world famous terrace of the Caryatids. Next to it is the legendary olive tree which goddess Athena planted herself to win the devotion of the Athenian people and subsequently the competition with the god of Seas, Poseidon. That’s how according to the myth Athena got to be the patron goddess, protecting and naming the city. The Acropolis is a natural defensive location, which commands the surrounding plains. The settlement was about 8 kilometers inland from the Saronic Gulf, in the center of a fertile plain surrounded by seven hills.
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PLAKA The neighborhood of the gods is located right under the shadow of the Parthenon and the Acropolis Hill. It’s one of the most expensive residential areas in all Athens, where most late 19th and early 20th century mansions are protected as landmarks by the ministry of Culture as they all fall under the architectural category of Neoclassicism. Another part of Plaka, lower towards the bottom of the Acropolis hill, is more busy and crowded. That’s where you will savour your Greek coffee and stroll through plenty of elegant pedestrian areas. If you sit in one of the many cafes long enough you will see that everyone who comes to Greece walks down these streets. From famous basketball players to celebrities and writers as well as artists, these streets below the Acropolis are major crossroads for locals and visitors from around the globe. Plaka is the oldest settlement of the city, since it’s situated right under Athens’ castle. Noteworthy monuments are abundant and various archaeological areas exist. Such as the Greek and the Roman agora, Hadrian’s Library and the Tower of the Winds. If you walk up the steps from the south slope of the Acropolis you will find Anafiotika, an impressive neighborhood with small whitewashed houses all following the Cycladic architecture, constructed by builders that arrived here from Anafi island to build the Palace of King Otto in the 19th century. Walking through the small winding streets you will think that you are on a Greek island of the Aegean Sea rather than a city. Many Greek films of the early 50’s and 60’s were filmed here when the houses where not renovated as they are today. Plaka was later on, in the 60’s and 70’s, the most important place to be. During the Greek Carnival, thousands of masqueraded Athenians used to walk up and down the streets of Plaka throwing serpentines and confetti. A custom that still goes on.
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NATIONAL OBSERVATORY OF ATHENS The National Observatory of Athens is a research institute built on the hill of the Nymphs. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest research foundation in the country, as it was the first scientific institute built after Greece became independent in 1829, and one of the oldest in Southern Europe. The NOA was established by the Vienna-based national benefactor George Sinas. It carries out research in collaboration with other world-leading research centers. The activities of NOA are organized in 3 institutes staffed with high quality scientific, research and technical personnel: the Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing, the Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development and the Geodynamics Institute.
THE HILL OF PNYX In Ancient Athens, it was the assembly point of the city council. Since the initiation of the democratic system by Cleisthenes (507 BC) it was the assembly place of the free citizens. The famous speeches by Themistocles, Pericles and other important orators and politicians were delivered here. The remains found have shown that the Pnyx had three main building periods. In the first period, the natural hillside was used as the cavea of the theatre. The surface was evened off by quarrying out the hard limestone, while a straight retaining wall was built on the north side. In the second period, the arrangement of the auditorium was very different; a high, semicircular retaining wall was built to the north, supporting an embankment sloping down to the south. Access to the site was through the two stairways, 3.90 m. wide.
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ARGOSARONIC ISLANDS PIRAEUS today is the main port of Athens, the biggest port in Greece, one of the leading ports in the Mediterranean and an important center of the merchant marine, industry and transportation. Piraeus port is the chief exit point from the city by sea for destinations amongst the Aegean Islands and elsewhere in the east Mediterranean. Domestic destinations include all of the Aegean Islands. The port in Piraeus, with two cruise terminals, is also used by several cruise companies to welcome visitors to Greece. Gems scattered in the sea. Aegina, Agistri, Spetses, Hydra, Poros, Salamina and the peninsula of Methana form the island complex of the Argosaronic Gulf south west of Athens. Sprinkled over the Argosaronic Gulf and steeped in ancient mythology, these islands are small havens in close proximity to Athens. Daily ferry connection from the port of Piraeus make them a lovely and easily accessible all-year-round destination for the Athenians. Visitors here will enjoy natural beauty, historical treasures, unique architecture and glamorous, yet romantic atmosphere.
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A Luxury collection HOTEL, ATHENS
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