The Zappeion Megaron is a part of national heritage of Greek civilization, designed by T. Hansen (1874-1888). Evangelis Zappas, a Greek patriot and benefactor from North Epirus, envisaged the rebirth of the spirit of ancient Greece and devoted his life to the revival of the Olympic Games and the promotion of the Αrts.
The Zappeion is located in the heart of the National Gardens, but to understand its importance and raison d’être, we need to have a look at the man behind its construction.
Evangelis Zappas, who participated in the Greek War of Independence (1821–1832), was a rich businessman living in Romania. Pushed by the ardent desire of reviving ancient traditions in the new Greek state, he resolved to revive the Olympic Games through his own resources. After much opposition, he finally managed to convince King Otto and provided the Greek government with enough funds to establish an Olympic Trust Fund. And so eventually, on November 15, 1859, the first Olympic Games was held in a city square in central Athens.
Zappas gave part of his fortune for the funding of the future Olympiads to be held at the Panathenaic Stadium, and even though he died in 1865, in 1870, the Stadium – after being refurbished – was used for the Games. These were the first modern international Games and were called the Zappeion Olympiads. Zappas had also left instructions for the construction of the first building to serve Olympic needs.
This building is none other than the Zappeion Conference and Exhibition Center, though Zappas didn’t live to see his wish fulfilled.
In 1869, the Greek Parliament donated more than 80,000 square meters of public land between the temple of Olympian Zeus and the National Gardens – which at the time were the Royal Palace gardens – as required by Zappas’ wish. He had, indeed, asked that the building be as close as possible to the Stadium.
And though the cornerstone was laid in 1874, the building, constructed by Danish architect Theophil von Hansen, was only inaugurated in October 1888, as construction was delayed and came to a halt twice.