This imposing, minimalist building served as the Royal Palace until 1909, when it was damaged by fire. Now home to the Hellenic Parliament, the building was erected between 1836 and 1843 for King Otto. Built by Bavarian architect Gurtner, the building served as a luxurious temporary residence to wealthy and influential Athenians during the final phases of its construction – that is, until the summer of 1843 when the Royal Couple finally moved in.
Following the destructive fires of 1884 and 1922, the royal family moved to the Tatoi Palace. Over the next few years, the former palace played host to a number of state functions, finally ending up as home to the Greek Parliament and Senate in 1935.
After the dictatorship of Metaxas, the facilities housed various state services and the parliament eventually resumed its operations in 1946. Parliament was, however, briefly interrupted during the years of the military dictatorship, from 1967 to 1974.