Each self-respecting capital should have a building that will serve as a ground for holding official events, such as receiving Elizabeth II, a delegation, consuls, prime ministers, presidents, and other men of importance. Zappeion Conference & Exhibition Center is one of them. It stands in Athens.
You can find the Zappeion Conference & Exhibition Center in the National Gardens – one of the most beautiful parks in Athens. Throughout the years, it served as the place for relaxation for the members of the royal family and their close associates. The exhibition hall is surrounded by the historical and architectural monuments: the Hellenic Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Panathenaic Stadium, and the old Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Zappeion Conference & Exhibition Center boasts a large territory. It is surrounded by 200.000 square meters of gardens with curving paved paths, fountains, and neoclassic sculptures.
The appearance of this building on the map of Athens is closely linked to the appearance of the Olympic Games. At the same time, things are not as easy as it might seem at first.
It was Evangelos Zappas who provided modern people with the possibility to cheer their favorite athletes. He was a rich businessman who took part in the Greek War for Independence. Although he lived most of his life in Romania, he kept on to provide financial support for the development of his home country. Being pushed by the desire to renew the old traditions of his nation, he convinced King Otto of the necessity of holding the Olympic Games. He donated a considerable amount of money to the Greek government to set a trust fund. He reached his goal. In 1859, the first Olympic Games took place in the town square. After that, the sponsor gave a significant amount of his income to finance the games in the future. His last will was to enjoy the games from the tribune of the Panathenaic Stadium. Unfortunately, he died before the construction was finished. Evangelos also handed out the instructions regarding the establishment of buildings that would cater to the needs of the games.
In 1869, the Greek Parliament provided the land of 80.000 square meters between the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Athens National Gardens. Thus, the dream of Zappas about the location of the center close to the stadium came true. The year 1874 was the beginning of construction works that were conducted under the guidance of the talented Danish architect, Theophil von Hansen. The red ribbon of this exquisite neoclassical building was cut only in 1888, as the construction was halted and postponed two times.
Then, this event caused great public interest as the building became the first construction in Europe intended to host exhibitions and conferences of international format. In 2006, it was fully renovated. This was done to give it its original appearance and refresh its finishing. Since then, two times a year, the building welcomes designers, models, photographers, journalists, and fashion influencers who gather here for Fashion Week. In 2004, the Ministry of Press and Mass Media held here one of its conferences during the Olympic Games.
The building’s exterior looks like a classic representative of neoclassical style with snow-white finishing, 8 Ionic columns, and two sculptures from both sides of the entry. Once you step across the threshold of Zappeion, you find yourself in a spacious lobby with dark-red walls, adorned with pictures of famous historic statesmen. It has a high dome-shaped ceiling, adorned with ornamental paintings.
The building covers the area of 4.000 square meters, comprising:
Despite the impressive age of the building, its interior is equipped under the latest technology and provides modern infrastructure facilities, high-speed Internet connection, teletype, and telephoto facilities. Special attention is put here to the safety system – the building is equipped with supersensitive fire-safe detectors and alarm.
As of now, Zappeion boasts a considerable list of municipal, national, and international events that were held in it.
Among them are:
One can state for sure that this building is constantly housing exciting events: people meet here to sign important financial documents and certificates; the athletes show their performances, while their trainers participate in the press-conference in the nearby hall; the models are presenting haute couture clothes by the modern Greek designers. It holds all sorts of events – from art exhibitions up to the conferences of NATO.
Zappeion in Athens sits at a distance of 700 meters from Syntagma Square Metro Station and the majority of stops of public transport.
The entrance to the Zappeion Conference & Exhibition Center is closed as it often hosts various events, requiring special invitations. At the same time, you can freely walk around the building and admire its territory. The evening time is especially enchanting here: the natural light sets a great background for awesome pictures. If you want to take one of the best selfies, you should come here.
