The Academy of Athens took 26 years to build, which tells you something about the turbulence of 19th-century Greek politics. Construction began in 1859 when Danish architect Theophil Hansen, appointed Court Architect by King Otto, designed it as the first of three neoclassical buildings. Then Otto was ousted, and work ground to a halt before resuming years later.

The building earned its reputation as one of Athens' most beautiful for good reason. Tall Ionic columns frame the entrance, topped by marble statues: Apollo with his lyre on one side, Athena the defender on the other. At ground level, seated figures of Plato and Socrates flank the steps, a philosophical welcoming committee for what's now a research institution maintaining twelve centres and ten offices.

VoiceMap's audio tours use the Academy to trace Athens' transformation from ancient city to modern capital, explaining how architect brothers Christian and Theophil Hansen helped shape the Athenian Trilogy of institutions that symbolised Greece's rebirth.