Situated on Thoukididou Street, this two-storey stone mansion was originally built in the 1700s, during the Ottoman period and is one of few surviving buildings of its era. It has a minimalist façade and imposing wooden door; its side buildings, arranged in a horse-shoe shape, enclose an inner courtyard. A ground-floor arcade borders the entire building, and a sun room is located upstairs.

Originally the private residence of an 18th-century Ottoman family, the property was eventually transformed into the Europa Hotel following Greece’s independence, and remained so for another decade. In 1840, the house was purchased by a banker, subsequently becoming home to the 2nd Girls’ High School of Athens, the Athens Garrison Headquarters, the High Court and, after 1922, a temporary home for refugees.

During the 1950s, the building was bought by the National Bank of Greece, which used the house for its Cultural Foundation, founded shortly thereafter. During the 1980s the building was repaired, renovated and fully restored.

Image source: https://www.miet.gr/