Omonoia Square of Athens

Omonoia Square in Athens is the oldest square in the city, from which the main streets of the city originate: Stadiou, Athinas, Panepistimiou, 3is Septembriou, Piraeus, and Agiou Konstantinou Streets, as well as the pedestrianized Kotopouli and Dorou Streets. Initially, the space was intended for the construction of the royal palace, but in 1846 it was transformed into a square and was initially named Anaktoron Square, later becoming Othonos Square. It was the northernmost point of the city and the end of the Athenian promenade at the time. In 1862, it was renamed Omonoia Square when the leaders of the opposing political factions gathered there and swore an oath of "unity." Over time, the square became the center of social activity in Athens until 1930, when its underground area was excavated to create the underground station of the Piraeus-Athens electric railway. Since then, it began to take on a more commercial character. On October 15th, 1954, work began on the underground space, creating an underground square with banks, stores, a post office, and the first escalators. The work was completed in 1960 with the transformation of the surface of Omonoia Square into an artificial lake with fountains. Over time, Omonoia Square has undergone further transformations due to the increasing traffic congestion in the center of Athens, with significant interventions made in 2004 and 2020. Pictured: Omonοia Square of Athens in 1890. ©Municipal Photography Museum of Kalamaria ‘Christos Kalemkeris’.