Zappeion
The Zappeion is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and private.
Constructing the Zappeion
In 1869, the Greek Parliament allocated 80,000 m² of public land between the Palace Gardens and the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus, and also passed a law on 30 November 1869, "for the building works of the Olympic Games", as the Zappeion was the first building to be erected specifically for the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern world.[1][2] The ancient Panathenian stadium was also refurbished as part of the works for the Olympic Games. Following some delay, on 20 January 1874, the cornerstone of the building was laid;[3] this new building would be designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen.[3] Finally, on 20 October 1888, the Zappeion opened.[3] Unfortunately for its benefactor, Evangelis Zappas, he did not live long enough to see the Zappeion built, and his cousin Konstantinos Zappas was nominated by Evangelis Zappas to complete the building.[4] The Austrian Parliament Building was also designed by Hansen and followed the same theme in the exterior.
History
The Zappeion was used during the 1896 Summer Olympics as the main Fencing Hall. A decade later, at the 1906 Summer Olympics, it was used as the Olympic Village.[5] During the 2004 Athens Olympic Games the Zappeion was used as the Olympic Media Center.
A number of historical events have taken place at the Zappeion, including the signing of the documents formalizing Greece's accession to the European Union on 1 January 1981, which took place in the building's marble-clad, peristyle main atrium.
The head of Evangelis Zappas is buried underneath his statue which is located just outside the Zappeion.
Current Building Uses
The Zappeion is currently being used as a Conference and Exhibition Center for both public and private purposes.
Halls and Floor Plans
The building contains about 25 distinct rooms that range in size from 97 m² to 984 m².
In numismatics
The Zappeion was recently selected as main motif for a high value euro collectors' coins; the €100 Greek The Olympic Village Zappeion commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the obverse of the coin, a front view of the building is depicted.
References
- ^ Dimitri Iatridi, Grigori Ksirogianni, Georgio Andreaki, Konstantino Zappa, Iaonni Joachimidi, Panagioti Samartzi, Georgio Tsiami (1988). Επιτροπή Ολυμπίων και Κληροδοτημάτων, Ζάππειο 1888-1988 (in Greek). Economic Ministry of the Olympic Committee and Legacy at the Zappeion Megaro.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ David C. Young (1996). The Modern Olympics - A Struggle for Revival. The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-5374-5.
- ^ a b c "Building the Zappeion Exhibition Hall". The Zappeion Megaron Hall of Athens. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
- ^ "The will of Evangelis Zappas". The Zappeion Megaron Hall of Athens. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
- ^ "The Zappeion Exhibition Hall over time". The Zappeion Megaron Hall of Athens. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
External links
- Official Zappeion Megaron Website
- Virtual Tour of the Zappeion
- Zappeion Remodelling Project, 2000
- atAthens.com
37°58′17″N 23°44′11″E / 37.97139°N 23.73639°E
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