Victoria Square: A Hub of Diverse Languages and Cultures in Athens
Victoria Square, once the site of the fanciest shops and restaurants in Athens, Greece, has undergone significant transformations over the decades. Today, it stands as a vibrant, multicultural neighbourhood, reflecting the complex history and diverse communities that have shaped it. The area’s rich past and dynamic present inspired the setting for the novel Stealing Dad, which features characters living around Victoria Square and draws on the author’s long experience of Athens.
Historical Background of Victoria Square
In the 1960s, Plateia Viktorias was a fashionable district in Athens, known for its elegant restaurants, shops, and theatres. The neighbourhood was marked by the demolition of interwar townhouses and the rapid construction of six-storey apartment blocks. These new buildings featured marble-lined halls and wrought-iron and glass doors, remnants of a vanished bourgeois lifestyle. The area was bustling with middle-class families and vibrant city life.
However, after the 1980s, many middle-class residents moved to the suburbs, leaving the city centre to students, migrants, and those seeking affordable housing. The 2008 global economic crisis further impacted the area, causing older businesses to close and increasing visible social challenges such as drug use.
Multicultural Revival and Community Life
From around 2014, Victoria Square became a focal point for refugees arriving in Athens, particularly from Afghanistan and Syria. Many refugees settled near the square, creating informal encampments around the bronze sculpture Theseus Saving Hippodamia. Local residents and businesses responded with support, including the Café des Poètes, which allowed refugees to use its facilities.
Today, Victoria Square is recognized as the most multicultural area in Athens. It hosts a variety of ethnic shops and eateries, including:
- Victoria, an Afghan-Persian restaurant known for roasted vegetable briam
- Enjoy Just Felafel, a Lebanese-owned establishment offering homemade delicacies
- Bangladeshi grocers supplying staples for Nigerian, Somali, and Congolese communities
- A Georgian bakery baking flatbreads in a traditional stone oven
NGOs such as the Melissa Network provide support for refugee women and children, operating from a 1920s villa in the area. The neighbourhood also retains older Greek businesses, including Istanbul-Greek patisseries and traditional restaurants like Krouskas and Ouzeri tou Laki.
Culture, Entertainment, and Urban Life in Victoria Square
Victoria Square continues to celebrate its theatrical and cultural heritage. The Trianon cinema, known for premiering the Greek romantic comedy Never on Sunday in 1960, remains a landmark. Nearby venues like café-bar Foyer D’Athènes and the gallery-hairdresser Montreal contribute to the area’s artistic atmosphere.
The neighbourhood also features a mix of nightlife and community spaces, including the gay-friendly Diva Café, which hosts live events and comedy shows. Green Park, a stylish restaurant-café in an art deco building, symbolizes the area’s gradual revival and offers a glimpse of the “golden days” remembered by older residents.
Despite some rougher streets and a reputation for seedy elements such as brothels and squats, locals emphasize that Victoria Square is a real neighbourhood where people look out for each other. The weekly farmers’ market on Fylis street is a lively event with fresh produce, household goods, and live music, reflecting the area’s diverse population and vibrant street life.
Living in Victoria Square Today
Victoria Square’s location offers residents convenient access to public transport, green spaces like Pedion tou Areos park, and views of Mount Hymettus and the Acropolis. The neighbourhood’s multicultural character is evident in its languages, shops, and culinary offerings, making it a unique part of Athens.
The author of Stealing Dad describes the area as a place where one must look closely to appreciate its beauty, understand its history, and experience its energy. Victoria Square’s transformation from a once-fashionable district to a multicultural hub illustrates the ongoing changes in Athens and the resilience of its communities.