The Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens

The original design for the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens provided for its construction on Panepistimiou Street, next to the future Academy. and based on this, the Danish architect Theophil Hansen (1813-1891) designed a composition in 1842 inspired by Romanesque Gothic style, mixed with Renaissance and Byzantine elements. However, the Municipality of Athens eventually rejected this location, and it was decided that the cathedral would be built in the old town, on the site of the former Metropolitan buildings of the Ottoman period, which were demolished, with the only exception being the Byzantine church of Gorgoepikoos. Construction of the cathedral began in 1842, but work stopped in 1843 due to lack of funds. After Hansen's departure in 1846, the project was taken over by architect Dimitrios Zezos. Following his death in 1857, the project was overseen by the French architect François Boulanger, with Panagiotis Kalkos (1810-1878) supervising the general work. The frescoes and decoration were done by painters Spiros Yalinas and Konstantinos Fanellis. The cathedral was completed in 1862, and the result of the successive revisions was a blend of Neoclassicism and Byzantine styles. Renovations and embellishments took place from 1890 throughout the 20th century.

Pictured: The Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens in 1890. ©Municipal Photography Museum of Kalamaria ‘Christos Kalemkeris’.