The most complete information guide about Athens, Greece
The
Town Hall of Athens
In 1872 the building was constructed on two floors, but because
the municipality services were limited at the time, and resources
had to be found to pay off the loan, only the top floor was
made available for the municipal authority. It included a large
chamber of ceremonies, with the offices of the Mayor and the
Chairman of the Town Council on the right and left of the facade,
a conference room on the north side and offices in the rest
of the space. The ground floor was given over to shops for rent.
In
1901, a plan to alter the building was put into effect. The
main staircase was repaired, the flooring in the large foyer
and the surrounding hallways was replaced, part of the top floor
was reconstructed, the walls and ceilings were decorated and
bathrooms were built. The one thing, however, that gave a completely
new image to the interior of the Town Hall was the construction
of the large reception hall. In 1937, a major alteration was
made to the original building, in which only the external walls
were kept and a second floor was added to the building.
With
the implementation of the recent restoration
the ground floor has been returned to the original
design of alternating pillars and balancing
elements, which give the lower portion of the
building a sense of lightness and poise. The
nineteenth-century architectural features, including
the original eaves, pseudo-eaves, frames and
pilasters around the central windows of the
building, have been reinstated on the ground
floor and the first floor. The second floor
has been maintained in the form in which it
was added in 1937. The restoration of the facade
of the old Town Hall was completed in the spring
of 1995.
Athinas
Street (across Plateia Kotzia - Kotzia Square)
Omonia or Monastiraki