Greek Geography

Zappeion

A 19th-century neoclassical exhibition hall in central Athens, surrounded by a large public garden adjacent to the National Garden.

The Zappeion (Ζάππειον) is a neoclassical exhibition hall built in 1888 by the brothers Konstantinos and Evangelos Zappas, intended to host events for the first modern Olympics in Athens (1896 — the Zappeion hosted fencing). The building sits at the southern edge of the National Garden, adjacent to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and a 7-minute walk south of Syntagma Square.

The surrounding gardens are a pleasant public park used by Athenians for morning runs and after-work walks. The hall itself hosts conferences, art exhibitions and occasional state ceremonies; the cafe on the western side is a quiet spot for a coffee between Acropolis visits.