What I can see

The area of ​​Vathis Square was once the ‘face of Athens’, but today it is left to its fate. There are many neoclassical, eclectic, art nouveau and modern buildings of the interwar period, which are lost in the later apartment blocks. Pleasant surprises are scattered on Liosion, Marni, Karolou, Palaiologou and Sonierou Streets. The National Printing House, the Mikhail Vodas Mansion, the folk architecture of Akominatou Street and Sans Rival Hotel are worth noticing. Some small pedestrian streets make the neighbourhoods peaceful. Today, most of these important buildings are either ruined or not properly preserved.

What I can't see

In the 19th century, buildings were sparse and mostly neoclassical and eclectic, suggesting the presence of residents with higher incomes. In the 1950s, the building regulations were changed, the buildings became multi-storey, and the stoas were imposed, with the middle class prevailing in the area. Today, low-income residents and immigrants prevail, and their entrepreneurship is dominant in the region. The area is informally called “Little Paris” thanks to all these interesting buildings of the past and the radial layout with the wide sidewalks. In recent years, an arts festival called “Little Paris of Athens” has been held in an attempt to revitalize the neighbourhood and alter negative representations of it.

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