Conference Rooms

MedGU-25 sessions will take place from November 10^th to 12^th, 2025 at the Great Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the "Ioannis Drakopoulos" Amphitheatre, the "Alkis Argyriadis" Amphitheatre, the "IRIS" Cultural Events Hall of the University of Athens Club, the "Kostis Palamas" Hall (Guest House), the Law School Library Amphitheatre, and the Main Hall of the Academy of Athens:

Great Hall (Room 0)

The Great Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, that is the first Greek Institution of Higher Education, is located in the “Main Building” of the University, one of the oldest neo-classical buildings of the city of Athens. The “Main Builiding” together with the Academy of Athens and the National Library compose the so called “Neo-classical Trilogy”. It was built under the supervision of the German engineer Edward Schaubert, following the plan created by the Danish architect Christian Hansen.

"Ioannis Drakopoulos" Amphitheatre (Room 1)

The “Ioannis Drakopoulos” Amphitheatre, the old “Medicine School Amphitheatre”, is located in the Main Building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Propylaea (Panepistimiou St. 30). Before its renovation, the Amphitheatre was operated as an Auditorium. The Amphitheatre was renamed honoring the memory of Professor of the Faculty of Geology and Geo-environment and acting Vice Rector Ioannis Drakopoulos, who passed away in 1999.

"Alkis Argyriadis" Amphitheatre (Room 2)

The “Alkis Argyriadis” Amphitheatre is located in the Main Building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Propylaea (Panepistimiou St. 30). The Amphitheatre was named honoring the memory of Law School Professor, Alkis Argyriadis, Vice-Rector of the University (1983 to 1986), who was also elected Rector, but passed away, before his official duties assumption.

"IRIS" Amphitheatre (Room 3)

The University Club aims at improving the living conditions of the students of the University of Athens, their entertainment, and the enhancement of their social and cultural education, through procedures and initiatives for participation, socialisation and self-management. The Cinema Sector has a full weekly programme of seminars and screenings of films in the “IRIS” Cultural Events Hall on the ground floor of the University Club. The Sector supports the production of short films, by providing technical materials and equipment. It also organises events, such as festivals and tributes.

“Kostis Palamas” Hall at University Cultural Centre (Room 4)

The neoclassical building “Kostis Palamas” was erected in 1857 and initially, it operated as a private Lyceum with the name “Greek Educational Establishment". It got renovated in 2004 with the funding of the “Stavros Niarhos” Institute and since then, it has operated as a Cultural Centre – Lounge.

The main function of the Centre is to host cultural events, such as conjectural exhibitions, lectures addressed to small audiences, round tables, book presentations, organization of conferences/meetings, symposiums, receptions, dinners, official meals, etc. At the same time, the Centre operates as a meeting and cooperation place for the Faculty members as a Lounge offering places especially tailored for reading, discussion and information. There is also a restaurant in the Centre, operating daily, which is called: "The Kapodistrian”.

Small Amphitheater at Law School Library (Room 5)

The historic building of the Old Physics and Chemistry Department at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will host some of the MedGU-25 sessions. This architectural landmark, located in the heart of Athens, has been fully restored and now houses the Law School Library and the Museum of Natural Sciences and Technology. For more than a century, it accommodated the Chemistry and Physics Laboratories of the School of Physics and Mathematics, widely known as the “Physics” and “Chemistry.” The original structure, designed by the renowned architect Ernst Ziller, was constructed in the late 1870s and comprised a basement, ground floor, and first floor. The restoration of the building was made possible through a generous grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Academy of Athens' Eastern Room (Room 6)

A visitor to the Academy entering through the "Propylaea" finds himself in a long corridor connecting the Building's two wings. The corridor is dominated on the right by the marble statue of the Benefactor of the Academy Simon Sina, a work by Leonidas Drosis, originally placed at the end of the Academy's Eastern Room. On the lintel of the entrance to this Hall, there is an epigram by Filippos Ioannou engraved with gold lettering, a succinct laudation to the building's founders Simon and Ifigeneia Sina (Simon Sina built the academy of the Greeks, and his spouse Ifigeneia completed it). At the end of the corridor, to the right, the Eastern Hall is located, the ceiling of which is decorated with panels of exquisite artistry. This Hall houses libraries and collections of art deriving from donations and is where scientific conferences and exhibitions take place. On the left of the corridor are the offices of the academic authorities along with the offices of the Academy's services, and these are also decorated with paintings and other works of art. Off the corridor, internal staircases lead to the building's first floor, where the Academy's Library is housed and where the Network Operation Centre is located. The Academy of Athens' Main Hall is an oblong-shaped room, the length of which is lined on both sides amphitheatrically with three rows of marble seats. Its ceiling is decorated with panels of great beauty. All the Hall's sides are sheathed to a certain height with marble revetments, on which the names of the Academy's Donors and Benefactors are recorded. The Hall's painted decoration extends from the western side all the way to the southern side, a distance of more than 50 meters.

Icebreaker & Gala Dinner Venues

Icebreaker: Athens University History Museum

The MedGU-25 Icebreaker planned on November 10^th, 2025 at 20:00 will take place at the "Athens University History Museum" located in the historical center of the capital in the area Rizokastro, at the foot of the hill of the Acropolis. The building dates long before the 18th century and it is situated beneath the imposing heights of the Acropolis with a panoramic view of the old city centre. The historical building was the home of the architect Stamatios Kleanthis and is also known as the “Old University”, since it housed (1837-1841) the first University of the independent Greek state. For about a century, Athens University was the only institution for higher education in Greece. This is the reason why, besides the history of the university, the Athens University History Museum also illustrates the history of the newly founded Greek State. The Museum was inaugurated in 1987, in the context of the celebration for the 150th Anniversary of the University of Athens.

Gala Dinner: Royal Olympic Hotel

The MedGU-25 Gala Dinner will be held on Wednesday, November 12^th, at 20:00, at the Royal Olympic Hotel, a distinguished five-star establishment located directly opposite the Temple of Zeus and the National Garden. Ideally situated beneath the Acropolis and only a two-minute walk from the Acropolis Museum, the Royal Olympic offers an exceptional setting in the very heart of historical Athens. From the hotel, guests can enjoy magnificent views of the Temple of Zeus, the Acropolis, Hadrian’s Gate, and the Marble Stadium, while the charming Plaka (Old Town) lies just across the street. All major landmarks are within easy walking distance, and the hotel is conveniently served by the Underground, Bus, and Tram networks—placing visitors at the very centre of Athens’s rich cultural and historical heritage. Elegantly decorated, the Royal Olympic is one of the few hotels in Athens featuring its own library, where guests can read about the history and culture of Greece while enjoying a direct view of the Temple of Zeus. The Gala Dinner will take place at the hotel’s Roof Garden Restaurant & Bar, which offers an exceptional dining experience overlooking one of the most spectacular panoramas in the city. Guests will enjoy fine Mediterranean cuisine in a refined atmosphere, accompanied by warm hospitality and breathtaking views of Athens by night.