The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is also the monument of choice during major holidays, where top officials of Greece lay wreaths in honour of the nameless fallen Greek soldiers in battles gone by.
The monument is guarded round the clock by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard. Those on duty perform their movements in a very slow and highly stylized manner. They switch positions with each other every fifteen minutes and remain completely motionless and at attention in the meantime. Since the Guards are required to be totally still at all times, there is one Evzone in normal fatigues uniform and police surveillance to ensure that no one approaches or harasses the Guards while on duty. The "little changes" take place every hour on the hour, and involve the two incoming and two sentries, and a supervising "Corporal of the Change". The Grand Change takes place at 11 am on Sunday mornings, and involves the whole Guard with its officers and a military band, all marching from the Guard Barracks to the Tomb for the Change, and back. The Grand Change is a popular Sunday morning spectacle for Athenians and tourists alike.
Evzones is the name of several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army. Today, it refers to the members of the Presidential Guard), an elite ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Hellenic Parliament and the Presidential Mansion.
Duration
5 hours
Starting Point
Athens
Free Cancellation
Free Cancellation
4.817269076305221249
From the Acropolis to Omonia Square, with the half-day sightseeing and Acropolis museum tour you'll see all the famous sites of ancient and modern Athens on...