First Royal Palace

First Royal Palace in Athens

First Royal Palace

At Klafthmonos Square there is a particularly historic building. The Dekozi Vourou mansion is known as the first residence of King Otto in Athens. Today, the building houses the Museum of the City of Athens.

The Dekozi Vourou Mansion is located at Ioanni Paparrigopoulou Street No. 7, close to Klafthmonos Square. It was owned by a merchant and banker from the island of Chios, Mr. Stamatios Dekozis Vouros, who settled in Athens. King Otto resided here with his Queen Amalia from 1836 to 1843, when the royal couple moved into the newly built palace building which was designed by the Bavarian architect Friedrich Gärtner and which now houses the Greek Parliament.

The Dekozi Vourou building was constructed by the German architects Lueders and Hoffer and is one of the early examples of neoclassical architecture in Athens. The two-storey building has all the typical characteristics of classicism. The beautiful courtyard garden is still preserved and has become a charming café.