Attractions · 20 of the best in Athens
Syntagma & the Changing of the Guard
Every hour, on the hour
About Syntagma & the Changing of the Guard
Every hour, on the hour, the traffic of Syntagma Square seems to pause for a moment as two soldiers in pleated kilts, red caps and pom-pommed shoes begin a slow, extraordinary ritual in front of the Parliament. The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most memorable sights in Athens, and behind it lies the story of modern Greece itself.
The square of the constitution
Syntagma means constitution, and the square owes its name to a night in September 1843, when soldiers and crowds gathered outside the royal palace and forced King Otto, the young Bavarian prince who had been made the first king of modern Greece, to grant the country a constitution. Ever since, Syntagma has been the political heart of Athens, the place where Greeks gather to celebrate, to mourn and to make their voices heard.
From royal palace to Parliament
The great neoclassical building that overlooks the square was built in the 1830s as the palace of King Otto and Queen Amalia, who moved in in 1843; its creator was the Bavarian architect Friedrich von Gärtner. After serving the royal family for almost a century, it became the home of the Hellenic Parliament in 1935, and it remains so today. Behind it stretches the National Garden, once the queen’s private garden.
After serving the royal family for almost a century, it became the home of the Hellenic Parliament in 1935, and it remains so today.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Below the Parliament, facing the square, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, unveiled in the early 1930s. Its marble relief shows a fallen ancient warrior, and the wall around it is carved with the names of battles in which Greeks have fought, together with words from the funeral oration of Pericles, including the famous line that the whole earth is the tomb of famous men. It honours all Greeks who have died for their country.
The Evzones
The tomb is guarded day and night by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard, an elite unit whose soldiers are chosen for their height and endurance. Their uniform is based on the dress of the mountain fighters of the War of Independence: a white fustanella, a pleated kilt said to have 400 pleats, one for each year of Ottoman rule, woollen stockings, a red cap with a long black tassel and tsarouchia, leather clogs with large black pom-poms and iron nails in the soles, each weighing well over a kilo.
Every hour, on the hour, the guards change in a slow, highly choreographed ceremony: the soldiers raise their legs high and stamp in unison, moving with almost hypnotic slowness, while a fellow guard adjusts their uniforms. Between changes, they stand completely motionless in their sentry boxes, and they are not allowed to react to anything around them.
On Sunday mornings at 11am, the full ceremony takes place, with a whole company of Evzones in their ceremonial dress uniforms marching to the tomb from their barracks behind the Parliament, accompanied by a military band. It is spectacular, and it draws large crowds.
Around the square
Syntagma is also the starting point for exploring the city: Ermou, the main shopping street, runs from here down towards Monastiraki, the National Garden opens just beside the Parliament, and the metro station under the square, with ancient finds discovered during its construction displayed inside, runs straight to the airport.
Our advice: arrive about ten minutes before the hour for a good view, and stand on the pavement in front of the tomb rather than on the roadside. For the Sunday ceremony, come by 10.30am. Photographs are welcome, but be respectful: do not touch the guards, stand in their way or try to distract them, as they are on duty. The ceremony is free and takes place in all weathers.
Why it's on our list
- The Changing of the Guard every hour, on the hour
- The full ceremony with band on Sunday mornings at 11am
- The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Parliament
- In all weathers
Changing of the Guard at a glance
Times can change on national holidays and for official events.
When · 3
Every hour, on the hour, Sunday ceremony with band at 11am, Free
Where · 3
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, below the Parliament, Syntagma Square, Syntagma metro station
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Syntagma & the Changing of the Guard before you go.