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A unique gem of 15.5 hectares in the heart of Athens, the National Gardens provide locals and visitors with shelter, shade and opportunities for recreation and exploration. However, exactly like everything else in Athens, the Gardens have a long history that, exactly like the paths inside, is not at all linear, but rather winding… A green area in the ancient times at the outskirts of Athens with the Ilissos river floating nearby, it became part of the roman expansion of the city later. After the War of the Greek Independence it was a barren area. It was on this unlikely area that Amalia of Oldenburg, Bavaria, the first queen of the new Greek state, started creating in 1838 what would become an oasis of peace in the city center, the Royal Gardens, right next to the Palace, now Parliament building. Collecting flora from almost every corner of the world she managed to formed a botanical garden of rare aesthetic value. There are trees and flowers here that we don’t find anywhere else in the country.
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