St Pauls Anglican Church, Athens

St Pauls Anglican Church, Athens tickets: which one to buy

Saint Paul's Anglican Church stands on Filellinon Street in central Athens, a few minutes' walk from Syntagma Square and opposite the National Garden, and entry is free when the church is open. It is the oldest Anglican church in Athens and serves the English-speaking community of the city. Opening times are limited, mainly around Sunday services and some weekday hours, so check before visiting.

The church is a short walk from the Plaka district, the Parliament building, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch, and walking tours of central Athens sometimes point it out. Its neo-Gothic style is unusual in Athens, a city of Byzantine and neoclassical buildings. The church hosts concerts and community events, and its services are held in English. Metro line 2 and 3 stop at Syntagma, a few minutes' walk from the church.

Visiting St Pauls Anglican Church, Athens: what to see

The church was built between 1838 and 1843, soon after Athens became the capital of the new Greek state, for the British community, which included diplomats, merchants and philhellenes who had supported Greek independence. It was designed in a simple neo-Gothic style, with pointed windows and a small bell tower, and it recalls an English parish church. Inside, the church has stained glass windows, wooden pews and memorial plaques commemorating British and Commonwealth people who lived and died in Greece, including soldiers who fell in the Second World War and philhellenes. The church also serves as the seat of the Anglican Archdeacon of the Aegean.

Its location near the Royal Palace, now the Parliament, reflects the close ties between the British and the Bavarian King Otto's court in the nineteenth century. The church's interior holds a pulpit and lectern carved in wood, and memorial plaques recall British residents of Athens. Stained glass windows show saints and biblical scenes. The church's garden, with trees and flowers, offers a quiet space beside the busy street. A small library and meeting rooms are part of the complex. The organ is used for services and concerts. The church has hosted services for visiting British royalty and diplomats. The tower's single bell rings for Sunday worship. Plaques in the church record the names of chaplains who served the congregation since the nineteenth century.

St Pauls Anglican Church, Athens opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open for Sunday services and at limited times during the week. Athens is hot in summer, and the National Garden across the road offers shade. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for visiting Athens. Christmas and Easter bring special services in English. The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, on Syntagma Square, happens every hour. Allow about fifteen minutes for the church, and walk through the National Garden to the Zappeion and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Benaki Museum, about fifteen minutes' walk away, holds collections of Greek art from antiquity to the modern era.