The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) covers an area of 210,000 sqm.
Designed by the architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), the SNFCC is a multifunctional urban complex that includes new facilities for the National Library of Greece, the Greek National Opera, and the Stavros Niarchos Park.
Renzo Piano envisaged the SNFCC rising out of the ground like a dislodged piece of the earth’s crust. As a result, an artificial hill is constructed and the roof of both the library and the opera house is emerging from it maintaining the slope. The library is lower and the ‘hill’ concludes with the opera house. The roof of the library will be covered with ground material. On top of the opera house, there will be a canopy supported on thin steel columns. According to Piano, "the canopy represents a cloud hovering over the highest point of the hill"
It is a recreation destination as it offers environmentally sustainable education, arts, playground and an interesting architectural structure.
The National Library of Greece
The nearly 24,000 m2 (235,000 sq. ft.) building combines traditional with technological innovation, conservation with information and communication. A nationwide digitization project helps make heritage materials available to the public and offers access to the Library’s various collections. Connectivity with other libraries both nationally and globally allows the Library’s users access to material abroad that is relevant to Greece or Hellenism. In addition, a Business Center provides the public with an active hub for enterprise, knowledge, and innovation, offering computer workstations, laptops, and wireless connectivity.
Holdings include over 4,500 manuscript codices from the 9th to the 19th century and a rich variety of important historical documents and archives.
The Greek National Opera
Covering an area of 28,000 m2, the new premises of the Greek National Opera can only be compared with the most modern opera houses in the world. The high aesthetics and acoustics, as well as the installations of the Main Stage (Stavros Niarchos Hall, 1400 seats), bolster a high-calibre artistic program. Furthermore, the Alternative Stage (400 seats) is a hub of research and creativity in the field of education, community and contemporary artistic creation, with special emphasis in all forms of the musical theater.
More info and scheduled performances
The Stavros Niarchos Park
The Stavros Niarchos Park, a modern Landscape Architecture project has been designed in accordance with the principles of sustainability, ecosystems and the alternations of a place that is in constant evolution. It is a welcoming and open space, with plantings and a character that reflects the Mediterranean landscape.
Every Thursday at 13:00 there is a guided tour in English language.
Meeting point: Visitors Center (Evripidou & Doiranis, Kallithea)
Tour Duration: 90 '
Number of participants: 20 people
Please note
*The tour involves continuous walking down the Stavros Niarchos Park and the use of stairs. Estimated walking distance is calculated at 1 km.
*The tours at the Stavros Niarchos Park will be conducted under sufficient weather conditions.
*Τhe Stavros Niarchos Park is fully accessible for people with disabilities. For further information please check
Renting a bike
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Bikes is a short-term bicycle rental service for children and adults able to use a bicycle.
There are 50 adult bikes available distributed across the three bike stations around the SNFCC (Visitors Center, Agora, Rear Agora) and 25 kids' bikes at the Visitors Center. (fifteen 20-inch bikes for children aged 5–8 and ten 24-inch bikes for children aged 9–13)
The SNFCC Bikes have three speeds and are equipped with hub dynamo powered headlight and taillight, bell, saddle with adjustable height, short-term safety lock and basket for carrying light objects along.
Hours of operation are 09:00-21:00 daily.
Registration 3€
Rate per hour (€3/5/10/20 prepaid pack options) 1€
Μore info about bicycle rental
How to get there
For convenient access to and from the SNFCC, transportation by shuttle bus is available daily to visitors, free of charge. A minibus bearing the SNFCC logo departs from Syntagma Square (intersection with Ermou Street), with a stopover at the Syggrou-Fix Metro station (Syggrou Avenue), and arrives at the south side of the SNFCC Canal (near the GNO building) and vice versa.
On Sundays, from 10.00 to 13.00, the shuttle bus runs only from Syggrou-Fix to the SNFCC and vice versa, due to the scheduled changing of the Presidential Guard in front of the Hellenic Parliament. In the event of special traffic regulations the schedule of shuttle bus, might be modified accordingly.
See the time timetable and other ways
