Curious "Firsts" of Nafplio You Might Not Know
The eleven years Nafplio served as Greece's capital (1823-1834) didn't just leave behind fortresses and official buildings — they left a string of "firsts" that few remember today. Some are well documented. One, the most famous of all, probably didn't happen quite the way it's told.
The First National Printing House
Founded in 1821, as soon as the need for printed decisions and decrees became urgent for the revolutionary government. Otto converted it into a state institution in 1833, under the title "Royal Printing House" — a title it held for barely a year, since in 1834 the entire printing house moved to Athens along with the rest of the government.
The First Greek Parliament — Inside a Mosque
From autumn 1825 to spring 1826, the Greek parliament met inside a former mosque, suitably converted by architect Vallianos. That's where the building's name "Vouleftiko" (Parliament House) comes from — it's still known by that name today, now serving as a conference venue with the Municipal Art Gallery on the ground floor.
The First Military Academy
On July 1, 1828, by decree of Kapodistrias himself, Greece's first military school was founded in Nafplio — initially named "Company of Trainers." It admitted students from age 12, with a course of study that started at 3 years and extended to 8 by 1834. The first eight graduates received their epaulettes from Kapodistrias in person in 1831, when he became the first to call them "Evelpides." The building today houses Nafplio's War Museum.
The Potato: Myth or Fact?
This is the most famous story, and almost certainly the least accurate. The version passed down through generations says that when Kapodistrias tried to introduce potato farming to the Greeks, they simply ignored it. So, the story goes, he ordered potato shipments to be unloaded publicly on Nafplio's docks and heavily guarded — leading people to assume they were something valuable, and within days the entire shipment had been "stolen," with the guards deliberately looking the other way.
A great story — except, according to more specialized historical analysis, it's likely an urban legend with no real documentation, echoing similar (and equally unconfirmed) tales already circulating in 18th-century Prussia. What appears better documented is that Kapodistrias did work systematically to spread potato cultivation in Greece after his return in 1828 — he even wrote to his brother asking him to send "a good quantity of potatoes" from Corfu, having already ordered shipments from Liverpool. Whether a guard trick was really needed to convince the Greeks, or whether the hunger of the post-revolutionary years simply did the job on its own, remains an open question.
See Also
Why Is Nafplio Famous
Nafplio in Brief
FAQ
Is the story about Kapodistrias and the stolen potatoes true?
Probably not in the way it's usually told. Modern historians consider it an urban legend, even though Kapodistrias did work systematically to spread potato cultivation in Greece.
Where did the first Greek Parliament meet?
In a former mosque in Nafplio, converted by architect Vallianos — hence the building's current name, "Vouleftiko."
What is the building of the first Military Academy used for today?
It houses Nafplio's War Museum.
