Culture of Greece

The culture of Greece has evolved over thousands of years, beginning in Mycenaean Greece, continuing most notably into Classical Greece, through the influence of the Roman Empireand its Greek Eastern successor the Byzantine Empire. Foreign occupiers such as the Ottoman Empire, medieval Latin kingdoms, the Venetian Republic, Genoese Republic, and British Empire have also left their influence on modern Greek culture, but historians credit the Greek war of independence with revitalising Greece and giving birth to a single entity of its multi-faceted culture.

During the nineteenth century, the Neo-classical vocabulary was heavily used for both public and private building.

For churches, Greece also experienced something of a Neo-Byzantine revival.

In the twentieth century, Greek architecture has followed international architectural trends. Important Greek and international architects have designed many buildings of Athens such as Dimitris Pikionis, Stamatis Kleanthis, Ernst Ziller, Theophil Freiherr von Hansen, Patroklos Karantinos, Walter Gropius, Eero Saarinenand Mario Botta. Several new buildings were also constructed by Santiago Calatrava for the 2004 Athens Olympics, while Bernard Tschumidesigned the New Acropolis Museum.