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The War Museum in Athens, Greece, chronicles the history of Hellenic warfare from antiquity to the present.
History of the War Museum
The War Museum was founded in 1964 and opened to the public on July 18, 1975. Since then, it established branches at Nafplio in 1988; Chania, Crete, in 1995; Tripoli in 1997; Thessaloniki in 2000; Kalamata in 2006; and Rethymno, Crete, in 2010.
Visiting the War Museum
The War Museum is open daily from 9am to 7pm. Admission is 6€ (as of September 2023). It’s located across from the Kolonaki neighborhood next to the Byzantine Museum. Give yourself a couple hours to properly see the exhibits. In addition to the museum, an attached building features a café and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Antiquity
The first exhibit of the War Museum starts on the 2nd floor with a long hallway about Greek warfare in antiquity. Many of the artifacts on display are replicas.
The exhibit opens to two larger galleries. The first contains replica weapons and statues as well as a scale model of the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. The next gallery covers the conquests of Alexander the Great, complete with maps and descriptions of battles.
Byzantine Empire
The next exhibit on the 2nd floor of the War Museum is about warfare in the Byzantine Empire. Besides replica weapons and shields, there’s a model of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople. There are also replica shields and weapons of the European Middle Ages in Greece.
Greek War of Independence
Continuing along are a few galleries on the subject of the Greek War of Independence. The first gallery covers the origins of the movement and the initial steps. There’s a painting of Theodoros Kolokotronis (1770-1843) enlisting in the Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends). Nearby is a painting of the hanging of Patriarch Gregory V (1746-1821) at the gates of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was based on eyewitness testimony of the event that occurred in retaliation to the start of the revolution.
The next gallery includes several paintings of scenes of the Greek Revolution, including portraits of some of the Greek heroes.
One corner is dedicated to Theodoros Kolokotronis. It displays items he owned as well as his death mask. There’s also a diorama of the Battle of Dervenakia, in which Kolokotronis annihilated the Ottoman army led by Dramalı Mahmud Pasha (c. 1770-1822) on July 26, 1822.
The final gallery of the Greek War of Independence displays weapons, more portraits, and sketches. There’s also a uniform of an armatolos, which was a Greek revolutionary warrior.
Creation of the Greek State
The next gallery on the 2nd floor of the War Museum deals with the creation of the Greek State. It begins with a portrait of English poet Lord Byron (1788-1824), who died fighting for Greek independence at Messolonghi.
It continues with portraits of the new monarchs of Greece, King Otto and Queen Amalia. Some items belonging to the pair are on display.
Other interesting artifacts related to the early years of the Kingdom of Greece include the sword of Greek Artillery officer Panos Kolokotronis (1836-1893). He was the youngest son of Theodoros Kolokotronis and became Commander of the Hellenic Military Academy from 1881 to 1885. His name is embossed on the blade.
The Macedonian Struggle
The same gallery contains a section on the Macedonian Struggle from 1904 to 1908. It consists of mostly paintings and drawings. The most interesting items include historic military uniforms.
Balkan Wars
In the next two galleries are artifacts from the Balkan Wars, which took place from 1912 to 1913. The first gallery includes personal belongings of Ioannis Velissariou (1861-1913). He’s considered one of the most important figures in modern Greek military history and a hero of the Balkan Wars. During the First Balkan War, Velissariou forced the Ottomans under Mehmed Esad Pasha (1862-1952) to surrender unconditionally. He was killed in the Second Balkan War against Bulgaria.
In the next gallery are spoils taken from the Ottomans during the Balkan Wars as well as portraits of Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936) and King Constantine I.
In one interesting display are artifacts related to the Redshirts. They were a corps of Italian volunteers established in 1843 by Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882). They participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 as well as the First Balkan War under Riccioti Garibaldi (1847-1924), the fourth son of Giuseppe and and his wife Anita (1821-1849). The Redshirts are best known for the Battle of Driskos in Epirus. In this battle, they were led by Ricciotti and Alexandros Romas. They inflicted heavy casualties on the Ottomans but were blamed for the loss. Spanish-Greek poet Lorentzos Mavilis (1860-1912) was killed at Driskos.
World War I
In the same gallery are artifacts related to Greece’s participation in Word War I from 1914 to 1918. They include photographs, uniforms, and the flag under which the Greek detachment marched in Paris at the end of the war.
Asia Minor Campaign
The following exhibit concerns the Asia Minor Campaign, or the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. This resulted in the Smyrna Catastrophe and the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923. Both events were devastating blows that shaped the future of Greece and are still ingrained in the national psyche.
Artifacts include weapons, medals, uniforms, and spoils taken from Turkish troops. Also on display are a revolver belonging to Major General Nikolaos Trikoupis (c. 1868-1959) and a telephone belonging to General Anastasios Papoulas (1857-1935) made from the cartridge of a Turkish cannon.
Greco-Italian War
Continuing through the 2nd floor of the War Museum are two galleries covering the Greco-Italian War, which pushed Greece into World War II. In addition to the photographs on display, there are uniforms, weapons, and objects used by soldiers from both sides.
One diorama displays the contributions and sacrifices of the Greek people during the war:
“Women from Epirus, old men, children, everyone rushed to replace the supply convoys. They fastened the cannons with ropes, took the shells in their hands, pulled the cannons and cartridges up to the mountain tops and carried weapons, blankets, bread, ammunition.”
Another highlighted the harsh conditions troops faced during the war, which lasted from October 1940 to April 1941. It was mainly a mountain struggle with most battles taking place at high altitude under severe winter weather conditions.
Among some of the more interesting artifacts in this exhibit are a Benelli motorcycle used by Italian troops and gala uniforms of Field Marshal Alexandros Papagos (1883-1955). Another is a theatrical costume and jewelry worn by Sofia Vembo (1910-1978), who performed patriotic songs during the war.
German Invasion
The final gallery on the 2nd floor of the War Museum focuses on the German invasion, which led to the Axis Occupation of Greece in 1941. It includes more weapons, uniforms, photos, and a cutaway of a Metaxas Line fort. The Metaxas Line forts were the first line of defense during the invasion, dubbed the Battle of the Fortifications.
Finally, one hallway is dedicated to the Battle of Crete, in which Nazi paratroopers suffered heavy casualties during the initial phase of the invasion. They eventually took Crete where they faced heavy resistance.
Gifts
Coming down from the 2nd floor is a case containing weapons gifted to the Hellenic Army from other countries. From there, visitors can see the exhibits on the 1st floor.
World War II
The exhibits begin in the south corridor with Nazi flags and a dagger captured by Greek forces during World War II. It continues with photos and items used at the Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt, from October 23 to November 11, 1942.
Turning the corner down the next corridor are photos and artifacts of the contributions of the Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, and National Resistance.
The World War II exhibits at the War Museum end with a section on the liberation of Greece from the Axis Occupation in October 1944. Included is a photo of Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou (1888-1968) raising the Greek flag on the Acropolis after the withdrawal of Nazi troops.
Korean War
In the north corridor is a small section commemorating the Greek Expeditionary Force in the Korean War. Nearly 5,000 Greek soldiers from the Hellenic Army and Hellenic Air Force served in Korea from November 1950 to May 1958.
Cyprus
The Cyprus Hall is a gallery on the north side of the 1st floor dedicated to Cyprus. The first room consists of historic and religious artifacts from Cyprus.
The second room contains information and artifacts about the Cypriot uprising against the Ottomans during the Greek War of Independence in 1821. There are also several photos and a short video about the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974, which left the island divided and the north ⅓ colonized and controlled by Turkey via the puppet state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Uniforms
Finally, the east corridor of the 1st floor of the War Museum is lined with uniforms worn by Greek soldiers since 1821. There’s also a case displaying medals and awards. A few more uniforms are located on the ground floor in the lobby.
Koren War Diorama
Moving on to the lobby on the ground floor are two life-sized dioramas. The one on the left represents the Greek expeditionary forces in Korea. It’s dedicated to Greek officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, who fought in the Korean War.
Messolonghi Diorama
The diorama to the right represents the exodus during the Third Siege of Messolonghi. Messolonghi was the center of the Greek Revolution in western Roumeli. In April 1825, Ottoman forces under Reşid Mehmed Pasha (1780-1836) started their siege of the city. Egyptian troops under Ibrahim Pasha (1789-1848) joined them in December of that year.
The Greeks resisted for a year but because they were unable to receive any supplies, had consumed all of the food in the city. Instead of surrendering, they attempted a mass exodus from Messolonghi the April 10 and 11, 1826.
Unfortunately, the Ottoman and Egyptian forces were waiting for them outside the city walls. The soldiers massacred men, women, and children and only a few managed to escape. Word of this tragedy spread throughout Europe, revived the Philhellenic movement, and promoted support for the Greek cause internationally.
More Uniforms
Also in the lobby are a few more uniforms. The majority of uniforms in the War Museum are in a corridor on the 1st floor.
Weapons
A gallery attached to the north side of the lobby features historic weapons. Some of the weapons were used during the Greek Revolution while others are from other countries.
Among the most interesting artifacts in the gallery are Japanese weapons from the 18th century and samurai armor from the 14th century. Persian helmets, shields, and weapons from the 19th century are also interesting.
Other objects include Russian sabers and armor from the 19th and early 20th century as well as French swords, pistols, and armor from the 18th and 19th century.
Courtyard
In the open-air courtyard in the center of the building are statues and busts of Greek military heroes. They range from antiquity to the present.
South Terrace
On the terrace to the south of the building are artillery weapons, mines, and turrets. They date to the 19th and 20th century.
West Terrace
Finally, the west terrace features aircraft used by the Hellenic Air Force. On display are jets, propeller planes, and helicopters.
