The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located at the foot of the staircase leading to the Greek Parliament, is a must-visit place. This memorial, dedicated to those who fell on the battlefields, is located in the very center of Athens, on Constitution Square.
The names of all the countries with which Greece has fought over its three-thousand-year history are engraved on the marble monument. Every hour, the changing of the guard takes place here, and once you have seen it, it is impossible to forget. With a special, very unusual step, the Evzones - soldiers of an elite infantry unit, whose mandatory requirements include a height of over 187 cm and attractive appearance - replace one another. They are dressed in a highly symbolic ceremonial uniform consisting of a white shirt with flared sleeves, a wool pleated skirt, a red cap with a thick tassel hanging down to the waist, and white leggings with small black tassels.
Tsarouhi shoes with large black pom-poms look funny, but in fact they are real weapons: each of them weighs several kilograms, is studded with 60 steel nails, and most importantly, is equipped with a knife hidden in the notorious pom-pom. During war, a soldier can, with a single swing of a leg in a funny shoe, deliver a fatal blow to an enemy, for example by slashing the femoral artery.
Every Sunday at 11:00, the changing of the guard takes place with special pomp: the entire guard regiment - more than a hundred people - takes part in it.
