Syntagma Square & Changing of the Guard
Πλατεία Συντάγματος
Athens' political centre. The Evzones guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament change guard every hour with their signature high-kick steps, and on Sundays at 11:00 there is a full ceremonial changing of the guard.
Syntagma Square takes its name from the uprising of September 3, 1843, when crowds forced King Otto to grant a constitution. The Parliament building on the east side of the square was originally a royal palace completed in 1843. It has housed the Hellenic Parliament since 1934. In front of Parliament stands the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (1932), guarded by the Presidential Guard, the Evzones. The soldiers wear traditional dress: a white pleated kilt (fustanella, with 400 pleats representing 400 years of Ottoman rule), red shoes with pompoms (tsarouchia, each weighing 1.5 kg), a red cap and long tassels. The changing of the guard takes place every hour on the hour, and the handover is completed in about 10 minutes with very slow high-kick steps and solemn movements. Every Sunday at 11:00 there is a full ceremonial changing of the guard, accompanied by a military band, as the entire unit marches from the barracks across the way into the square. It is Athens' most popular free performance. Arrive 20 minutes early to secure a spot at the front.
The square was renovated in 2004 and has fountains and shaded benches. The Syntagma metro station displays ancient ruins and pottery uncovered during metro construction, free of charge. On the south side, the National Garden (formerly the royal palace garden, free, with a duck pond and a small zoo corner) leads to the Zappeion and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. On the north side, Ermou Street is Athens' main pedestrian shopping street, running all the way to Monastiraki. The rooftop restaurant of the Hotel Grande Bretagne is a famous spot for night views of the Acropolis. The square is also a traditional site for demonstrations, so avoid it during rallies. Getting there: metro lines 2 and 3 to Syntagma station, and the airport metro and the X95 bus terminate nearby. Do not touch or disturb the guards. You may pose for photos with them from a respectful distance, though the soldiers will not respond. Avoid pointing flash directly at them.
Opening hours
Open all day; guard changes on the hour, with a major changing of the guard at 11:00 am on Sundays
Nearby sights
- National Garden & Zappeion
- Plaka
- Benaki Museum
- Temple of Olympian Zeus & Hadrian's Arch
- Museum of Cycladic Art
- Anafiotika
- Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds
- Hadrian's Library