The Academy of Athens

The Academy of Athens is part of the Neoclassical Trilogy (Academy, University, and Library). It was constructed between 1859-1863 and 1868-1885, designed by the Danish architect Theophil Hansen. Initially, the project was overseen by Theophil Hansen, and from 1861, Ernst Ziller took over. The relief composition on the central pediment and the external statues were created by sculptor L. Drosis. The relief compositions on the eight smaller pediments were the work of Fr. Melnitski (1875), while the interior frescoes were painted by K. Grippenkerl. The main benefactor for the construction was the family of Baron Simon Sinas, Greece's ambassador to Vienna, Berlin, and Munich. The building was completed in 1887 and handed over by architect E. Ziller, the representative of the Sina heirs, to Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupis. The building consists of separate sections that form a harmonious whole. The two side wings are connected by corridors to the main "body" of the building, which is emphasized in size and composition, with its Ionic portico and large pediment. The portico includes elements derived from the eastern side of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis. The predominant material used on the facades is marble. Pictured: The Academy of Athens in 1890. ©Municipal Photography Museum of Kalamaria ‘Christos Kalemkeris’.