Maximos Mansion | |
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Μέγαρο Μαξίμου | |
View of Maximos Mansion at 2011 (George Papandreou and Lucas Papademos) |
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General information | |
Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
Location | Athens, Greece |
Address | 19 Irodou Attikou St., Athens 106-74, Greece |
Construction started | 1912 |
Completed | 1921 |
Design and construction | |
Client | Dimitrios E. Maximos |
Architect | Anastasios Helmis Anastasios Metaxas |
The Maximos Mansion (Greek: Μέγαρο Μαξίμου) is, as of 1982, the official seat of the Prime Minister of Greece. It is located in downtown Athens, Greece, near Syntagma Square. Although the building shelters the offices of the Head of the Greek Government, it is not used as the residence of the Prime Minister.
The Maximos Mansion is located at Irodou Attikou Street 19, next to the Presidential Mansion and the National Garden.
The building was originally founded in 1912 by shipowner Alexandros Michalinos. At the time the location was used as a potager for the Royal Palace. In 1916, Michalinos' widow, having been married to Dimitrios Maximos, sold the incomplete building to Leonidas Empeirikos, only to re-buy it in 1921. Maximos family completed the building and settled there in the early 1920s. During the German Occupation, the mansion was used as the Residence of the German Admiral of the Aegean Sea. After the war the building was shortly used as the seat of the U.S. Ambassador in Athens. In 1952 Dimitrios Maximos sold the mansion to the Greek State at a favorable price. Consequently the building fell to misuse until 1982, when it was decided by the government to renovate it and use it as the seat of the Prime Minister.