National Garden of Athens

The National Garden in Athens is a 15.5-hectare green island wedged between Syntagma Square, the Parliament and the Zappeion. Queen Amalia of Oldenburg laid it out from 1838 as the private garden of the royal palace, personally importing some 15,000 plants including Washingtonia palms from Genoa and date palms from Sudan. After the monarchy fell, the park opened to the public in 1923 and was renamed the National Garden. Winding paths pass ancient column fragments, a duck pond, a small aviary of parakeets and a children's playground. To the southeast lie a Roman mosaic and busts of Greek poets such as Solomos and Valaoritis. Athenians use the garden year-round as a shady escape from the traffic; in summer the temperature drops noticeably beneath the canopy.