THE ILIOU MELATHRON

It was designed and built in 1878 by Ziller, intended to be the home of archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who was doing excavations in Troy (Ilium).

Τhe building is surrounded by garden around its three sides. Its ground plan has a near square perimeter with dimensions 23x25 meters and twin monumental staircase in its northern side. The front is decorated on both floors by Ionian columns. The interior is richly decorated with "Pompeiian" murals and decorative paintings on the walls and ceilings.

The Iliou Melathron is considered Ziller's best work and the most opulent private building of its era. The appearance follows the Italian Renaissance era and the interior is decorated by mosaic motifs from Greek mythology. Just as in other works by Ziller, it is obvious here that the diagram of the front is "shaft - base - capital", in accordance with the classical horizontal order.

In 1927 the building was bought by the Government and housed the Supreme Court of Justice. Nowadays, it has become the Numismatic Museum, while total restorations managed by the Office of Museum Works of the Ministry of Culture are underway. Also, there are preservation works underway of the murals and the interior decor, converting the building to a Museum.

THE ADDRESS

Iliou Melathron
Eleftherios Venizelos 12
10671 Athens (Greece)
Tel. +30 210 - 3643774

HOW TO GET THERE

BY BUS: 126, 134, 135, 136, 137, 227, 235

TROLLEY: 1, 12, 21

BY FOOT: Taking Eleftherios Venizelos Avenue from Syntagma Square, the Iliou Melathron is 5 minutes away.

• Official Site of the Iliou Melathron

Gastronomy

ETHNIKON BRASSERIE
This historic café / bar is found directly on Syntagma Square and across from the Grand Bretagne Hotel. People from... more
TO KAFE TOU NOMISMATIKOU MOUSEIOU
The well-cared-for garden of the Ilion Building offers the ideal surroundings for a stop on Elefterios Venizelos (Panepistimiou) Street.... more
ZONAR'S - LE CAFE D'ATHENES
Large café in the most central spot in the city off of the busy avenue of Panepistimiou – with customers... more
TO PARADOSIAKO
Patisserie with traditional recipes from Leros, like rag pie with walnuts or almond pie.... more
EVER GREEN
Casual food bar on Korai Street. Favorite youth hangout with emphasis on sandwiches, salads and juices.... more
POLIS
Reasonable menu with equal portions of Mediterranean and domestic cuisine, in an atmosphere with color, design and some graffiti on... more

Shopping

Ι ARETI
Antique shop with preserved traditional Greek furniture and folk objects for the lovers of the \"old\" as well as the... more
PAGONI
Huge variety of ties for all seasons and tastes.... more
PAPASOTIRIOU
This bookstore chain offers foreign language publications ranging from Fiction, The Arts to Children’s and Educational books. ... more
ESTIA
Bookstore of the historic publishing house that produces the oldest literary magazine in the country. Besides the big range that... more
NEWSSTAND ELEFTHEROUDAKIS
Simply the largest (and possibly oldest) bookstore in Greece, offering everything except the kitchen sink in an 8-story building. Deepen... more
BEST BOOK HUNTERS
They boast to having old and new publications on a variety of subjects in all foreign languages. It also has... more