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See the Guard Change in Syntagma Square of Athens
Published by Anna Shevchenko, Writer
Country: Greece 
The Experience
Buckingham Palace is not the only place to see the changing of the guard. You can also experience this in Athens, twenty-four times every day.
Around the clock, two guards called the Evzones keep a watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Hellenic Parliament in Syntagma Square of Athens. The two guards on duty switch their positions every 20 minutes, and remain completely motionless until the next switch. Every hour, on the hour, the two soldiers perform the elaborate ceremony of changing of the guard with two replacement Evzones who arrive from the Guard Barracks located behind the Parliament Building. The guards’ particular marching style consists of a normal march with intervals of striking the ground with their right foot. During the guard change in Athens, the Evzones perform their movements very slowly and in highly stylized fashion.
The Evzones are a ceremonial division made of volunteers drawn from the Infantry, Artillery, and Armoured Corps units of the Greek Army. Serving as the Presidential Guard is a high honour in Greece, and the soldiers who get recruited must be at least 1.86 meters (6.1 feet) tall and have served a minimum of 6 months in the operational army unit before training to become an Evzone.
The Evzones are famous for their traditional garments, notably the fustanella (a kilt-like piece of clothing). Although tourists usually giggle at the outfits, the guards’ uniforms have a lot of history and tradition behind them. All of the clothes are hand-made based on the uniforms that soldiers wore during the Turkish occupation of Greece in 1453-1821. There are 400 pleats in fustanella, representing 400 years of Turks in Greece. The Evzones are dressed in tsarouhis: red leather clogs with black pompons on the toe. The sole of each shoe has 60 nails and weights over 3 kilos. The soldiers also wear phareons: traditional garrison caps with long black tassels.
A third Evzone in regular military uniform, and police officers, are always present to ensure that the guards on duty are not bothered. You can pose for pictures with the Evzones, but you are not allowed to touch them. The third soldier also ensures that the Evzones on duty are tidy. Watch this soldier wipe the sweat off the guard’s foreheads and fix the tassels on their hats.
The Evzones take their job very seriously and remain completely motionless when on duty. During a protest in Athens in 2001, the Evzone on guard did not flinch as a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the guardhouse next to him. Aside from their duties in Syntagma Square, the Evzone unit is also responsible for raising and lowering of the flag on the mount of Acropolis, and serving as official guards to the President and foreign ambassadors.
Every Sunday at 11 a.m. a larger ceremony of changing of the guard takes place with the entire Evzone unit of over a hundred soldiers and a military band present.
Around the clock, two guards called the Evzones keep a watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Hellenic Parliament in Syntagma Square of Athens. The two guards on duty switch their positions every 20 minutes, and remain completely motionless until the next switch. Every hour, on the hour, the two soldiers perform the elaborate ceremony of changing of the guard with two replacement Evzones who arrive from the Guard Barracks located behind the Parliament Building. The guards’ particular marching style consists of a normal march with intervals of striking the ground with their right foot. During the guard change in Athens, the Evzones perform their movements very slowly and in highly stylized fashion.
The Evzones are a ceremonial division made of volunteers drawn from the Infantry, Artillery, and Armoured Corps units of the Greek Army. Serving as the Presidential Guard is a high honour in Greece, and the soldiers who get recruited must be at least 1.86 meters (6.1 feet) tall and have served a minimum of 6 months in the operational army unit before training to become an Evzone.
The Evzones are famous for their traditional garments, notably the fustanella (a kilt-like piece of clothing). Although tourists usually giggle at the outfits, the guards’ uniforms have a lot of history and tradition behind them. All of the clothes are hand-made based on the uniforms that soldiers wore during the Turkish occupation of Greece in 1453-1821. There are 400 pleats in fustanella, representing 400 years of Turks in Greece. The Evzones are dressed in tsarouhis: red leather clogs with black pompons on the toe. The sole of each shoe has 60 nails and weights over 3 kilos. The soldiers also wear phareons: traditional garrison caps with long black tassels.
A third Evzone in regular military uniform, and police officers, are always present to ensure that the guards on duty are not bothered. You can pose for pictures with the Evzones, but you are not allowed to touch them. The third soldier also ensures that the Evzones on duty are tidy. Watch this soldier wipe the sweat off the guard’s foreheads and fix the tassels on their hats.
The Evzones take their job very seriously and remain completely motionless when on duty. During a protest in Athens in 2001, the Evzone on guard did not flinch as a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the guardhouse next to him. Aside from their duties in Syntagma Square, the Evzone unit is also responsible for raising and lowering of the flag on the mount of Acropolis, and serving as official guards to the President and foreign ambassadors.
Every Sunday at 11 a.m. a larger ceremony of changing of the guard takes place with the entire Evzone unit of over a hundred soldiers and a military band present.
When to Go to Evzones Athens
The changing of the guard is a must-see attraction in Athens. The best thing about this experience is that it is completely free and can be enjoyed at any time during the day. The Evzones are always at their post, and it is easy to add this activity to a day full of other tourist sights. You can come first thing in the morning, late at night, or during your lunch break.
Odds n' Ends
To experience the hourly changing of the guard, come to Syntagma Square 10 to 15 minutes before the hour.
To see the Sunday changing of the guard, arrive at 10:30 a.m. as there will be many others eager to see the ceremony. For the best view, make sure you get on the side of the street that the guards are on. If you wish to film the actual routine or take pictures without other people in them, it is best to come on a regular day. Show up early in the morning or late at night, and there will be few other people by the guards.
Syntagma Square is an open area with virtually no shade, so it gets really hot in the open sun in the summer. Bring plenty of water and wear sun block and a hat. To avoid the heat, see the guard change early in the morning or later in the afternoon when the sun is gentle.
To see the Sunday changing of the guard, arrive at 10:30 a.m. as there will be many others eager to see the ceremony. For the best view, make sure you get on the side of the street that the guards are on. If you wish to film the actual routine or take pictures without other people in them, it is best to come on a regular day. Show up early in the morning or late at night, and there will be few other people by the guards.
Syntagma Square is an open area with virtually no shade, so it gets really hot in the open sun in the summer. Bring plenty of water and wear sun block and a hat. To avoid the heat, see the guard change early in the morning or later in the afternoon when the sun is gentle.
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