Museum of the City of Athens - Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation

The City Museum of Athens, located in the heart of the Greek capital, offers a fascinating journey through the history of the city from the 19th century to today. Housed in the neoclassical palace known as the residence of Stamatios Dekozis-Vouros, this museum is a place where Athens’ past comes alive through objects, paintings, furniture, and historical documents. The residence itself is a piece of history, having been one of the residences of King Otto of Greece and his consort, Queen Amalia, during the early years of their reign. This house was one of the first royal residences in Athens and reflects the neoclassical architecture that characterized the homes of the Greek nobility at the time. The building, restored and maintained in its original splendor, welcomes visitors in an atmosphere that evokes the elegance and grandeur of the past. The museum is divided into different thematic rooms covering various aspects of Athenian history and culture. One of the most fascinating sections is dedicated to the early years of modern Athens as the capital of independent Greece. After the Greek War of Independence, Athens was chosen as the capital in 1834. This decision marked the beginning of a new era for the city, which began to rapidly develop with the influx of architects, artists, and intellectuals from all over Europe. The museum illustrates this period of transformation through paintings, photographs, and architectural models that show the urban evolution of the city. Another highlight of the museum is the reconstruction of typical domestic environments of an Athenian family from the 19th and 20th centuries. These reconstructions include period furniture, household utensils, and personal items that offer a glimpse into the daily life of Athenians at that time. These reconstructed environments allow visitors to immerse themselves in history and better understand how people lived and worked during that period. The museum also houses a vast collection of decorative and visual art, including paintings by Greek and European artists depicting scenes of daily life, landscapes, and historical events. These paintings not only adorn the museum’s rooms but also provide valuable visual testimony to the social and cultural transformations that have characterized Athens over the centuries. In addition to objects and domestic environments, the City Museum of Athens has a rich collection of historical documents, including maps, letters, manuscripts, and periodicals. These documents are essential for understanding the political, social, and economic dynamics that have influenced the city’s development. Particularly interesting are the documents related to the Greek revolution and subsequent independence, shedding light on the struggles and sacrifices made to free Greece from Ottoman rule. A unique aspect of the museum is the attention given to the personalities who played a key role in the history of Athens. Among these, figures such as King Otto and Queen Amalia stand out, whose contributions to the modernization of the city are well documented through portraits, clothing, and personal items displayed in the museum’s rooms.