The HGM2026 will be hosted in the ZAPPEION Megaron (Záppeion Mégaron). ZAPPEION is a large, palatial building next to the National Gardens of Athens in the very heart of Athens. It is generally used for important meetings and official ceremonies and is one of the city’s most renowned modern landmarks.

In 1869, the Greek Parliament allocated 80,000 square metres (860,000 sq ft) of public land between the Palace Gardens and the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus for the construction of ZAPPEION, “…for the building works of the Olympic Games”, as the ZAPPEION was the first building to be erected specifically for the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern world in 1896. The ancient Panathenian stadium was also refurbished as part of the works for the 1896 Olympic Games. The construiction of ZAPPEION started on Janaury 20th, 1874, designed by the Danish architect Theophil Hansen and opened on October 20th, 1888. Unfortunately for its benefactor, Evangelis Zappas, he did not live long enough to see the ZAPPEION built. Interestingly, the Austrian Parliament Building was also designed by Hansen and followed the same theme in the exterior.

The ZAPPEION was used during the 1896 Summer Olympics as the main fencing hall. A decade later, at the 1906 Intercalated Olympic Games, it was used as the Olympic Village. It served as the first host for the organizing committee (ATHOC) for the 2004 Olympic Games from 1998 to 1999 and served as the press center during the 2004 Olympic games in Athens. 

A number of historical events have taken place at the ZAPPEION, including the signing of the documents formalizing Greece’s accession to the European Community in May, 1979, which took place in the building’s marble-clad, peristyle main atrium.

The head of Evangelos Zappas is ‘buried’ inside a wall in the Zappeion.