Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
2 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
3 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
4 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
5 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Greece Athens Zappeion

Zappeion

A man's head is enshrined beneath a statue near the first building constructed for the modern Olympic Games.

Athens, Greece

Added By
gus kontopuls
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Atrium.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Atrium.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Front of Zappeio.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Main Lobby.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque referencing E Zappeio’s head.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Atrium detail.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Atrium.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Atrium Ceiling.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Atrium.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Outdoor flags.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Lobby.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
K Zappas statue.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
E Zappas statue.   gus619USA / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

After winning independence from the Ottomans, the Greeks were enthusiastic about reviving traditions that were lost during the 400+ years of Ottoman rule. This included a passion for reviving the Olympic Games.

Evangelis Zappas was a hero during the War of Independence, and after it became a successful businessman who amassed a huge fortune. Zappas later became a philanthropist and shared the enthusiasm for reviving the Olympic Games.

He approached King Otto with an offer to donate part of his fortune to renovate the existing Olympic Stadium and fund the construction of a new permanent sporting facility nearby, as well as additional funds to stage ongoing modern Olympic Games. After much debate, the king agreed and Zappas set up a large trust fund for the games. These funds sponsored the first Zappeion Olympic Games in 1859.

Zappas died in 1865, however, the Zappeion Olympic games and building initiatives continued under the leadership of his cousin Konstantinos Zappas. Additional Zappeion Olympic Games were held in 1870 and 1875. In 1869, the Greek Parliament allocated 80,000 square meters of land adjacent to the Royal Palace Gardens for the facility. Construction began in 1874 and was completed in October 1888.

The building was named “Zappeion” in the honor of both Evangelis and Konstantinos Zappas and became the first building in the world to be constructed specifically for the modern Olympic Games. Evangelis Zappas's head is enshrined beneath his memorial statue just outside the Zappeion. An inscription reads "here lies the head."

The Zappeion was built in a neoclassical style with a symmetrical plan around a circular atrium bordered by two smaller wings, each having adjacent quarter-circle halls. There are 25 other rooms that range in size from 1,000 square feet to over 10,00 square feet.

During the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the Zappeion was used as the main fencing hall, hosting matches in its atrium. During the Second International Olympic Games in Athens in 1906, it served as the Olympic Village. In 1938, Greece’s first state radio station began national broadcasts from the Zappeion. In 1940, it was converted into a hospital and in 1941, the invading Germans used it for storage and later as a barracks. After World War II ended, the Zappeion resumed hosting the state radio station until 1970.

Renovations were carried out in 1960 and again in 2000 in preparation for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games where it served as the headquarters for the Athens Olympic Organizing Committee prior to the games and as the Media Center during the games. Renovations to modernize the interior of the facility occurred in 2006, and in 2014 the Zappeion served as the headquarters of the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It currently serves as an exhibition and event center.

Related Tags

Statues Olympics Architecture

Community Contributors

Added By

gus619USA

Edited By

Collector of Experiences

  • Collector of Experiences

Published

August 26, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zappeion
  • https://theculturetrip.com/europe/greece/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-zappeion-athens/
Zappeion
Athens, 105 57
Greece
37.971341, 23.736554
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Amalias 42

Athens, Greece

miles away

Kostis Palamas House

Athens, Greece

miles away

Botanical Museum of the National Garden

Athens, Greece

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Athens

Athens

Greece

Places 80
Stories 4

Nearby Places

Amalias 42

Athens, Greece

miles away

Kostis Palamas House

Athens, Greece

miles away

Botanical Museum of the National Garden

Athens, Greece

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Athens

Athens

Greece

Places 80
Stories 4

Related Places

  • Statues lined up in Plaza de Oriente.

    Madrid, Spain

    Royal Palace of Madrid Statues

    After the queen of Spain had a dream where these statues fell and crushed her, they were removed from the palace and given new homes around Madrid.

  • Casino from the front yard

    San Pellegrino Terme, Italy

    Casino of San Pellegrino Terme

    This lavish 20th-century casino adorns labels for San Pellegrino water.

  • Saamis Tepee

    Medicine Hat, Alberta

    Saamis Tepee

    A standalone wonder amid the prairie badlands of southeastern Alberta.

  • Glasgow, Scotland

    Hutchesons' Hall Statues

    A brother statue swap has adorned this building's facade for centuries.

  • Icarus statue at night

    Belgrade, Serbia

    Icarus on the Air Force Command Building

    An Art Deco Icarus statue adorns this abandoned gem of Yugoslav Modernist architecture.

  • Fontana del Gigante at its current location.

    Naples, Italy

    Fontana del Gigante

    This monumental fountain has moved around the city multiple times.

  • The capitol building

    Isulan, Philippines

    Sultan Kudarat Provincial Capitol

    This grand building inspired by classic Islamic architecture is home to a seat of provincial government.

  • Hove, England

    Waterloo Street Arch and Gardens

    Tucked between a side street and a theater, this arch once led to a prestigious riding school, and now opens to a courtyard and community garden.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.