Syntagma Σύνταγμα | |
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Neighborhood | |
 View of Syntagma Square and the Old Royal Palace from atop the Pallis Mansion | |
 Location of neighborhood in the municipality of Athens | |
| Country |  Greece |
| Region | Attica |
| City | Athens |
| Postal code | 105 57, 105 62, 105 63, 105 64 |
| Area code | 210 |
| Website | www.cityofathens.gr |
Syntagma Square (Greek:Πλατεία Συντάγματος,pronounced[plaˈtiasinˈdaɣmatos], "Constitution Square") is the central square ofAthens, Greece.[1] The square is named after theConstitution thatOtto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular and militaryuprising on 3 September 1843.[2] It is located in front of the 19th-centuryOld Royal Palace, housing theGreek Parliament since 1934. Syntagma Square is the most important square of modern Athens from both a historical and social point of view, at the heart of commercial activity and Greek politics. The nameSyntagma (Greek:Σύνταγμα) alone also refers to the neighbourhood surrounding the square. The metro station underneath the square, where lines 2 and 3 connect, along with the tram terminal and the numerous bus stops, constitutes one of the busiest transport hubs in the country.
The square is bordered byAmalia Avenue (Leofóros Amalías) to the east,Otto Street (Óthonos) to the south andKing George I Street (Vasiléos Georgíou Prótou) to the north. The street bordering the square to the west, connecting Stadiou Street with Fillelinon Street, is simply named "Syntagma Square" (Plateia Syntágmatos).[3] The eastern side of the square is higher than the western, and dominated by a set of marble steps leading toAmalias Avenue; beneath these lies theSyntagma metro station. The stairs emerge below between a pair of outdoor cafes, and are a popular city-centre gathering place. Syntagma also includes two green areas to the north and south, planted with shade trees, while in the centre of the square there is a large mid-19th century water fountain.
TheOld Royal Palace neoclassical building, housing theGreek Parliament since 1934, is immediately across Amalias Avenue to the east, and surrounded by the extensiveNational Gardens, which are open to the public; the Parliament itself is not open to the public, even when not in session. Every hour, the changing of the guard ceremony, performed by thePresidential Guard, is conducted in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the area between the Syntagma Square and Parliament building. On certain days, a ceremonial changing of the guard occurs with an army band and the majority of the 120Evzones present at 11 am.
The square was designed and constructed in the early 19th century, shortly afterKing Otto moved the capital of the newly born Greek Kingdom fromNafplio toAthens in 1834. It was designed as one of the two central squares of modern Athens, situated to what were then the eastern boundaries of the city. The second square wasOmonoia Square, to the north of the city. Even though King Otto'sRoyal Palace was at first planned to be erected on Omonia Square, a location overlooking the eastern square was deemed a better option. Thus, the square's first name was "Palace Square". Work for the construction of theOld Palace to the north of the square, started in 1836 and lasted until 1843.[4]
In late July 1843,[4] a popular and militaryuprising took place in the Greek Capital on September 3, 1843. Soldiers underDimitrios Kallergis gathered in front of the palace and demanded the granting of constitution.King Otto was then obliged to grant thefirst Constitution of Greece.[2] In memory of the event, the palace square was renamed toConstitution Square orSyntagma Square in Greek.
In the summer of 1900, in the Square,films were projected outdoors, in the cafés.[5]
Between 2010 and 2012, the square was the site ofmass protests by crowds of many thousands of people, due to theworsening economic situation during theGreek government debt crisis.
Syntagma Square is a hub for many forms ofpublic transportation in Athens and is one of the busiest transport hubs in Greece. Metro lines 2 and 3 of theAthens Metro have a stop at theSyntagma station, which is to be found under the square; theAthens Tram also has its northern terminal next to the square. Buses and trolleybuses start, terminate and connect the square to many places in the metropolitan area. Travel between Syntagma Square and theEleftherios Venizelos Airport is available via the special airport bus line X95 and metro line 3. Free high-speedwirelessInternet access (4 Mbit/s) is offered by the Municipality of Athens at the square. The square is also a hub for buses to the northern suburbs and the Athens Olympic Complex in Maroussi.
The square is located near many of Athens' oldest and most famous neighbourhoods and tourist attractions, all within walking distance:
Historic churches also dot the area, some dating from theMiddle Ages.
In the filmJason Bourne (2016), Syntagma Square is represented by thePlaza de España ofSanta Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands,Spain).[6]
37°58′32″N23°44′05″E / 37.97556°N 23.73472°E /37.97556; 23.73472
Places adjacent to Syntagma Square | |
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