Ever since December 12, 1868 members of the Greek Presidential Guard have been protecting and serving the people of Greece, standing guard at important sites— most recently in Greece’s history the House of Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Evzones are also responsible for raising the flag every day at the Acropolis, as well as representing Greece in military parades both at home and abroad.
The guards wear traditional uniforms that include the white foustanella, a skirt made up of 400 pleats that represent each year Greeks were under Ottoman occupation and red leather clogs, or tsarouhia, which weigh seven pounds.
Photo from Incredible Greece via Facebook (December 29, 2016)
The uniform is so intricate that two soldiers are required to dress one guard.
Evzones undergo a strenuous training before being selected to serve in this battalion. They must be prepared to raise their legs to shoulder height as they marche and to stand motionless for over 100 hours a month.
The rigorous preparation is most noticeable when Evzones are under duress from either bad weather, angry demonstrators, or tourists jostling to take a photograph.
Once in place, if the temperature drops, they are dressed with a coat, but must remain in place despite the conditions.
A coat protects them from the elements while they stand motionless in the rain, snow and sleet.
