University of Athens

The basics

The University of Athens is a popular stop on many walking, driving, Segway, and Trikke tours of the city’s highlights, along with the Academy of Athens and National Library. Note that the building is not open to the public, so tours stop by the facade to admire the exterior architecture either by day or by night to take in the building dramatically lit after sunset.

Designed by Danish architects Theophil and Christian Hansen, this imposing 19th-century building is approached via a wide piazza filled with palm trees and fountains, and its symmetrical Neoclassical columns fronting an arcade decorated with murals by artists Rahl and Lebietski that showcase the birth of sciences in Greece make for striking photos.

Things to know before you go

*Architecture enthusiasts especially enjoy a stop to take in the city’s famous Athenian Trilogy; plan on bringing your camera to capture their timelessly elegant designs. *For an overview of the iconic Athenian Trilogy, be sure to stop at the neighboring Academy of Athens and National Library buildings. *Visiting the University of Athens as part of a walking, biking, or other outdoor tour can be made more comfortable with sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and a hat. *The University of Athens building can be easily approached with a wheelchair; the interior of the building is not open to the public.

How to get there

Located on busy Panepistimiou Avenue (also called Eleftheriou Venizelou Avenue) in central Athens, the university building is close to the Panepistimio metro station on line M2. Reach the building via the metro or with a guided walking, bike, Segway, or Trikke tour of the city’s highlights.

When to get there

The university building can only be admired from the outside, as much of Athens University moved out to a modern campus in the Ilisia neighborhood in the 1960s. Take in the facade by day for a good look at its architectural details and murals; at night, the building is theatrically lit and makes for beautiful photos.

The Athenian Trilogy

The University of Athens building is part of a trio of neoclassical buildings that form the Athenian Trilogy, along with the neighboring Academy of Athens and National Library of Greece. One of the most important architectural landmarks in the capital, these three works on busy Panepistimiou Street were designed by the Hansen brothers, two Danish architects, in the mid-19th century and are considered among Athens’ architectural treasures.