Kotzia Square is a square in central Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

. The square retains several charactertics of 19th century local neoclassical architecture

Neoclassical architecture

Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...

, such as the City Hall of the Municipality of Athens and the National Bank of Greece

National Bank of Greece

The National Bank of Greece is the oldest and largest commercial banking group in Greece. The group has a particularly strong presence in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean...

 Cultural Center.

Location

The square is surrounded by the following streets: Efpolidos Street to the north, Athinas Street

Athinas Street

Athinas Street is a street in downtown Athens in Greece. It is named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The street runs from Ermou Street north to Omonoia Square through the Psiri neighborhood. Its total length is nearly 1 km of which 80 m is a walkway since 1999...

 to the west, Kratinou to the south, and Aiolou Street

Aiolou Street

Aiolou Street is a street in downtown Athens, the Greek capital. It is named after Aeolus, the god of winds in Greek mythology. The street is one-way and originally ran entirely southbound but since the closure of Athinas Street in the late-1990s as part of the renovation plan, the part north...

 from the east. There are 131 hotels located near the square. The square itself is south of Omonia Square and north of Monastiraki square

Monastiraki station

This page addresses a train station in Greece; for the ancient Cretan city, see Monastiraki, Crete.Monastiraki or Monastirion station is an interchange station of the Attiko Metro Blue Line and the ISAP Green Line 1. The original surface station of Line 1 opened in May 17, 1895...

.

Kotzia square lies in front of the City Hall of the Municipality of Athens, and is decorated with busts ot famous Athenians such as Pericles

Pericles

Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars...

 and Solon

Solon

Solon was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in archaic Athens...

.

History

Built in 1874, the square was formerly known as Loudovikou square. During the 2004 Summer Olympics

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...

, it served as the start and finish venue of the Athens historic centre circuit for the men's and women's road race

Cycling at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Cycling at the 2004 Summer Olympics had 18 events in three disciplines:*Road cycling, held at the Athens historic centre and in Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre ....

 events, as well as for various artistic events.

Excavations

In the middle of Kotzia square classical antiquities have been recently uncovered that include a large part of an ancient road, tombs and a small building. The square is situated just outside of the ancient Acharnian Gate of Classical Athens

Classical Athens

The city of Athens during the classical period of Ancient Greece was a notable polis of Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Hippias...

.