Demolition permit

The construction of the Metropolis began in 1842. Unfortunately, there was not enough money to proceed with the project, so the government decided to demolish 72 Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches to reuse the building materials and raise money from selling the plots. Two churches (Agios Grigorios and Agios Nikolaos) were demolished to make room for the Metropolis. For many months, the Athenians had to put up with the booming sounds of old monuments being destroyed to make way for the future.

Creator: Petros Moraites (1874)
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France