Omonoia Square has witnessed it all. From neoclassical charm to a modern bustling hub. It has changed. Its shape has shifted. It was once a square then circular finally semi-circular. Its style too. First neoclassical with open-air cafes and villas then minimalist surrounded by towering buildings.
Omonoia Square is a central square in Athens. It’s one of the oldest squares in the city. It marks the northern corner of the 19th-century downtown area. It’s a major traffic hub. The Omonoia metro station serves it. It’s also an important shopping center. Six main streets intersect here: Panepistimiou Stadiou Athinas Peiraios Agiou Konstantinou and 3rd Septemvriou Street.
Originally called Plateia Anaktoron Palace Square it was meant to host a palace. Architects Stamatios Kleanthis and Eduard Schaubert designed it in 1846. Later renamed Othonos Square for King Otto it became Omonoia Square in 1862. This was where opposing political factions made peace. They swore an oath of omonia concord.
The late 19th century saw changes. Trees were added. A polygonal platform appeared in the center. Lighting systems were installed. Omonoia Square became a social center. It was also the railway’s starting point. Many hotels surrounded it.
Between 1925 and 1930 the underground railway was built. This required redesigning the square. It became circular. Marble bars appeared at the metro station entrances. The square resembled European prototypes. It took on a major commercial role. An underground ventilation system was needed. In 1931 Mayor Spiros Merkouris suggested adding eight sculptures of the Muses. They covered ventilation openings. The statues were later removed.
The 1950s brought modernization. Banks shops and a post office were built underground in 1954. In 1958 a competition redesigned the square. Sculptor George Zongolopoulos and architect Kostas Bitsios won. Their design included a circular water system. Zongolopoulos’s Poseidon sculpture would be in the middle. The square was redesigned. The sculpture wasn’t added then. It was eventually placed in Washington D.C. The fountain became a landmark. It appeared in many Greek films.
In 1992 the fountain and the Runner sculpture were destroyed. This was for the new Athens Metro red line. A new Runner was added in 1994 across from the Hilton. From 2019 to 2020 another major reconstruction occurred. This was needed after previous changes led to degradation. The historical fountain was restored. Pavements were replaced with thermoneutral materials. The redesigned square opened in May 2020.
Omonoia Square continues to be a multicultural place. It’s a transportation hub for thousands daily. Two recognizable buildings are the Bagkeion and Megas Alexandros hotels. The Pentakiklon Five-ring sculpture also stands. It’s a motion sculpture when water flows. It was fully restored in 2020. The round fountain was also redesigned and reinstalled. The square has always been and continues to be a place of constant change.