Presidential Mansion, Athens

Presidential Mansion of Athens (Προεδρικό Μέγαρο)
View of the Presidential Mansion and its main entrance on Herodou Atticou St. in Athens
General information
Architectural style	Neoclassicism
Town or city	Athens
Country	Greece
Coordinates	37°58′21.43″N 23°44′27″E / 37.9726194°N 23.74083°E / 37.9726194; 23.74083Coordinates: 37°58′21.43″N 23°44′27″E / 37.9726194°N 23.74083°E / 37.9726194; 23.74083
Construction started	1891
Completed	1897
Client	George I of Greece
Design and construction
Architect	Ernst Ziller

The Presidential Mansion (Greek: Προεδρικό Μέγαρο; Proedrikό Mégaro) in Athens, Greece, is the official residence of the President of the Hellenic Republic. It served previously as the Royal Palace (often known as the New Royal Palace), until the abolition of the monarchy by referendum in 1974.

The decision to construct the building which currently is used as the Presidential Mansion was made in 1868. That year, King George I's son, Constantine, the heir to the throne, was born and the Greek state decided to present him with a private dwelling, when he came of age. Twenty-one years later when Constantine married princess Sophia of Prussia, the state assigned the planning of "The Crown Prince's Palace", as the building became known, to Ernst Ziller. Building began in 1891 and was completed six years later in 1897.

On Christmas Eve, 1909, a fire destroyed a large part of the Royal Palace (now used by Parliament), with the result that the Crown Prince's Palace was used temporarily as the residence of the royal family. After the assassination of George I in 1913 and the accession of Constantine to the throne, the Crown Prince's Palace finally became the main royal residence of the King of the Hellenes.

The use of the building as a Palace was interrupted in 1924 when the monarchy was ended and a Republic was declared. It was then used as the Presidential Mansion until 1935 when the monarchy was restored and the King returned. Since 1974, when democracy was restored after a seven-year military dictatorship, the building has been used as the Presidential Mansion and the residence of the President.