Exploring a Nazi Torture Site in the Middle of Athens

I always thought I knew Athens pretty well. After all, it is the place I’ve lived my entire life in.

That was until I had a conversation with a friend over coffee, and he told me there was a former underground Nazi torture site on Korai Street that is open to the public.

Stunned by what I’d heard, I knew I had to visit it. The next day, I grabbed that same friend and headed to the “Memorial Site 1941-1944”.

And I was haunted by what I saw.

First, there was the shocking sight of a Nazi flag that had flown over the building during the occupation of Greece.

Then came the even more shocking carvings left behind by prisoners, some asking for water, others documenting the atrocious way they were being treated.

And it all made me wonder: why didn’t I know about it sooner?

Just so you know: Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you book or buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

The History of a Troubling Site

Before World war II

Well obviously, this place was never meant to become a dark tourism spot.

In August 1894, the newly-founded “I ETHNIKI” General Insurance Company purchased the former mansion in order to house its main offices.

The building wasn’t in the best condition, and forty years later, the company announced plans to reconstruct it.

Since all that came after WWI, and the fear of a new war was there, part of its new uses would be as an anti-aircraft shelter.

During WWII

After a brave fight against the Italians, followed by the German invasion, Greece came under Axis occupation.

As part of their military administration, the occupying forces established “Kommandanturen”, which were basically military headquarters.

Athens, the central Kommandantur was established at the 4 Korai Street building.

From there, the occupiers enforced their orders and maintained control over Athens. 

Beneath the building, the underground spaces were turned into detention cells.

Men and women were kept there before being transferred to other prisons. They were often held for days without food or water.

Because of the thick walls and metal doors, the basements were effectively soundproof. That is why, even though the building was right in the city center, nothing could be heard outside.

Prisoners carved messages into the walls, including their names, the reasons they had been detained, and the way they were treated inside the basements.

German soldiers occasionally painted over the walls to erase the carvings, but the prisoners kept writing their stories so that people would one day know the truth when they found them.

After WWII

On 12 October 1944, the German occupying troops left Athens.

While the National Insurance Company was preparing to return to its building on 31 October of the same year, the mansion was requisitioned first by EAM (resistance fighters) and later by the Greek government.

A few years later, the company regained control of the building.

In the years that followed, Ethniki Insurance began restoration work to preserve the mansion and repair the damage caused by these successive requisitions.

The detention cells were also restored and conserved in order to better preserve and present the detainees’ graffiti and messages on the metal doors, walls, and windows.

Texts, names, dates, drawings, and other markings were preserved, and the two basement spaces were eventually opened to the public.

Our visit to the Site

The memorial site consists of two basements and six chambers.

As we entered the first basement, we were greeted by a large Nazi flag hanging on the wall – the same flag that had once flown on top of the building.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. It had an incredibly heavy presence and seemed to prepare us for what was to come.

There were also a few displays featuring small objects, such as cigarette packs found inside after the war ended.

We could not see much in the first basement that directly revealed how the space had been used. That was intentional, as the occupiers had tried to cover up the traces of any war crimes.

It was only in Chamber IV that we were able to see traces of six small cages on the floor, where people had once been held captive.

It was when we reached the second basement that we were able to realise the amount of pain and suffering those people endured.

The walls were covered with inscriptions in Greek, Italian, and German.

Every name, every word, is part of a different story.

Some were simply asking for some water. Others were telling when and how they were captured, while a few drew peace symbols like hearts.

These were stories of people held captive in inhumane conditions, without food or any hope for survival.

And that was a punch in the stomach.

I came back to the memorial site again and again after that first visit.

Every time I discovered something I hadn’t seen before, new stories of different people – and it made it even more fascinating.

My only “issue” is that there were no translations in English, because I think that it would make the space ever more accessible to people.

Still, bring your smartphone with google translate (Or even better, your greek friend), and take your time to inspect the space.

Even if you still cannot follow the inscriptions, it is a haunting sight. The darkness, the humidity, and the cold do enough to make sure you feel that.

Visiting Hours

The “Memorial Site 1941-1944” is open to the public every Tuesday-Saturday between 09:00 and 14:00. It is also open on the 28^th of October National Day.

The building is located at 4 Korai Street in Klafthmonos Square. Taking the metro to “Panepistimio” station will get you right there.

Entry is free for all visitors, and therefore it will make a great stop if you find yourself near Panepistimiou street.

You should expect to spend there 30 minutes to an hour.

Final Thoughts

Visiting the memorial site got me diving into deeper rabbit holes.

Does Athens have more things like this?

Is there a hidden, darker side of the city?

And the more I researched, the more things I found. I managed to compile them in a separate Athens dark tourism guide, which I think is very much worth checking out if you’re interested in these kind of things.