For the second week of our ‘Days of Future Past’ blog series, some fascinating photos of the same view of the Athens Hilton Hotel, in 1963 on its opening year, and again on the present day!

Located on the grand Vassilissis Sofias Avenue on the wider ‘Hilton’ area named after the hotel, this characteristic building evolved into another Athenian architectural landmark. With Syntagma Square, the House of Parliament and the historical centre of Athens at walking distance, and the upmarket and trendy area of Kolonaki and up & coming areas of Pagrati and Ilissia equally in close proximity, the Athens Hilton is also conveniently located opposite the National Gallery of Athens and the Evangelismos metro station.  

The first Athens international chain hotel, the Athens Hilton, a 65 meter building, offers unparalleled views across Athens and towards the Acropolis.  Constructed during the post-war period between 1958 and 1963, it officially opened its doors on April 20^th 1963 with Conrad Hilton himself present at the opening ceremony. A fusing of classical and modernist elements on the design of the exterior of the hotel was also a source of social debate at the time. Inspired by historical Greek themes, the reliefs of the building’s façade were an interesting element in the building’s overall presentation. The distinctive architecture of the hotel was the work of an elite team of architects and artists, including Emmanuel Vourekas, Prokopis Vasileiadis, Anthony Georgiades, Spyro Staikos and Yiannis Moralis. In 2003, and prior to the 2004 Summer Athens Olympic Games, the building was renovated by the two Greek architects Alexandros Tombazis and Charis Bougadelis, and served as the headquarters for the International Olympic Committee.

Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, Anthony Quinn, Frank Sinatra and Ingmar Bergman have all been historical guests at the hotel.

The attention-grabbing sculpture seen on the contemporary photo known as the ‘Dromeas’ (meaning ‘The Runner’) is a piece of art created by sculptor Kostas Varotsos in 1988. By all means a progressive piece of modern art at the time, it too was the centre of social debate regarding its place in the capital. After being originally placed in Omonia Square in the heart of the Athens city centre, it was later moved to its current position opposite the Athens Hilton Hotel and the National Gallery of Art in 1994.

The surrounding area has received significant interest from international property investors in the past year, mainly for its proximity to the centre, its evolution into a global tourist hub, and the large number of cultural and archaeological Athenian landmarks laying at its doorstep. Adjacent areas of Kolonaki, Ilissia and Pagrati are fast evolving into international investment niches, with prices constantly rising alongside the investment interest seen lately.

In such cases it is always prudent and wise to act decisively, and quickly. MI4 Real Estate being the only true one-stop-shop for all things property investment in Greece, we can make any process, whether discussing investment prospects or actually facilitating a property acquisition, smooth, airtight and hassle-free. Adding the perk of acquiring permanent European Union residence for you and your family through the Greek ‘Golden Visa’ program when investing on a property in Greece, the most competitive of its kind in the EU, this is certainly a discussion you might need to make. Contact the MI4 Real Estate team of expert professionals now for an informed discussion on how you can benefit.

29 May 2018