Olgas Square is the older and popular name for the Ethnikis Antistaseos Square (Πλατεία Εθνικής Αντιστάσεως, Plateia Ethnikis Antistaseos) in the city of Patras

Patras

Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...

, Greece

Greece

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

.

Location and history

The square is defined by the Zaimi Street in the north, Maizonos Street in the east, Kolokotroni Street in the south and Riga Feraiou Street in the west. Originally the square was intended as a market, but it was planted with trees and became a public square known as "the Queen's garden" («της βασίλισσας το περιβόλι»). Its original name was Omonoia Square (Πλατεία Ομονοίας, "Concord Square"), but it was renamed after Queen Olga of Greece – the city's other major central square, Georgiou I Square

Georgiou I Square

Georgiou I Square is Patras's central square. The square is named after George I of Greece. The square is 134 km west of Corinth, 216 km west of Athens, 96 km northeast of Pyrgos, 144 km northwest of Tripoli and 77 km northwest of Kalavryta.The square features a fountain in the middle and...

, is named after Queen Olga's husband, King George I of Greece.

After the fall of the Greek monarchy in 1974, the square was officially renamed to Ethnikis Antistaseos ("National Resistance Square") after the Greek Resistance

Greek Resistance

The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...

 against the Axis Occupation of Greece during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. A marble monument to the Resistance forms a centerpiece of the square. The square also features a fountain in the middle and several trees and lawns, and is lined with cafes and restaurants, making it very popular especially during the summer months.