Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is a three-aisled, domed basilica characterized by its massive walls, which were constructed using marble scavenged from seventy-two demolished Byzantine churches. Located on Mitropoleos Square, the cathedral serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece. Its construction began on Christmas Day in eighteen forty-two when King Otto and Queen Amalia laid the cornerstone, though financial difficulties halted progress for several years. Four different architects, including Theophil Hansen, oversaw its completion over the next two decades.