Library of the Hellenic Parliament Archives

History and Founding

The Library of the Hellenic Parliament was established following the adoption of the Hellenic Constitution of 1844 and the convening of the first elected Parliament. From 1846, the scholar and jurist Georgios Tertsetis served as its first director, overseeing the Library's development into a leading knowledge center. A transformative period came under Timoleon Philemon (1875–1887), a member of Parliament and publisher of the newspaper Aion, during whose tenure the library's holdings grew from approximately 5,000 to 100,000 volumes through foreign and domestic donations. Today, the Library of the Hellenic Parliament is the second largest library in Greece by size and importance.

Collections and Holdings

The Library houses more than 366,000 bibliographic records encompassing monographs, periodicals, cartographic collections, audiovisual materials, manuscripts, and audio recordings. The oldest item in the catalog dates to 1435, predating the printing press. Collections include materials in French, English, German, Italian, Latin, and Ancient and Modern Greek, as well as early 19th-century periodicals. The Historical Parliamentary Archives (1843–1967) are among the Library's most significant holdings and have been digitized for public online access. The Library maintains one of the richest collections of Greek and foreign newspapers and journals dating from the 18th century, with over 15,000 microfilms containing around 8 million digital items, covering more than 3,000 newspapers and journals from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The newspaper and periodical collections are of particular importance, comprising Greek and international titles from the 18th century onward. Digitization of microfilmed newspaper content has been supported through the EU's Information Society operational program, making millions of pages freely accessible. The Library also holds constitutions and standing orders of the Greek state, parliamentary proceedings, and early periodicals such as the Naval Chronicle and the Journal du Palais.

Access and Usage

The Library's main reading rooms in the Parliament Building at Syntagma Square are accessible daily for MPs, their staff, and the general public during published hours. Access requires a valid identification document. The Library is currently also housed in the renovated Former Public Tobacco Factory. Digitized collections are available online through the Parliament's catalog at catalog.parliament.gr, offering access to parliamentary archives, newspapers, and constitutional texts.