The revival of the historic Syntagma flower shops

The historic Syntagma flower shops are being revived at the joint initiative of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Public Properties Company (ETAD) SA.

The project is expected to be completed by the Public Properties Company in a short time with the aim this historic landmark to regain its glamour.

There are 11 historic Syntagma flower shops, which are almost equally sized underground apartments, under the courtyard of the Parliament, extending in a line down Vasilissis Sofias Avenue with direct access to it. Some of them have been joined together, while others are autonomous with a street entrance, as they were originally designed. Today, there are two flower shops in operation occupying four apartments.

According to the restructuring study of the flower shops of the Parliament implemented by the Public Properties Company, it is proposed to upgrade the existing uses of the stores, maintaining the use of the flower shops at both ends of the stores and adding new uses of the showrooms – shops of the Hellenic Parliament and of the Organization for the Management and Development of Cultural Resources (ODAP), as well as supplementary services in the rest of the premises.

The showrooms are united by opening up the inner walls and corridors, while the creation of two semi-open sections will allow entry – transition from the public space to the showrooms and the store.

What does the architectural study provide

As the architectural study promises, the additional exterior structures are removed, which alter the character of the monument. Moreover, the main facade on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, along the shops, is being modernized.

Two flower shops are maintained, at both ends of the stores, while the Showrooms of the Parliament and of ODAP and extra service areas are added. The stores that will operate as Showrooms will be united by opening up the inner walls and corridors. In addition, semi-open spaces wii be created, in which periodic exhibitions can be hosted.

The history of the Parliament flower shops

When the monument of the Unknown Soldier on the facade of the building of the Parliament towards Syntagma Square was completed, in 1932, flower stands were created in the current building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is located directly opposite the Parliament, on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue.

Then, it was decided to open small flower shops on the side of the Parliament. Eleven flower shops were designed, which were created under the courtyard of the Parliament “looking” at the  Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. They started operating persuant to  Law 5300/1932 “On the installation of the florists removed from the pavement in front of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier”.

From the first moment people embraced the flower shops, as they could now buy flowers and deposit them in the monument, in honor of the youth who sacrificed themselves during the Greek liberation wars.

The flower shops soon became an institution in the Athenian society, a rendezvous point, a famous place name of the Athenian city. The florists’ hub helped them withstand time. However, things began to change, in 1980s, with the opening of new flower shops in the center of Athens.

The financial crisis and the street protests downtown Athens gradually led to the flower shops’ decline, with most of them closing down.