The Danish architect Christian Hansen arrived in Greece in the summer of 1833 with a scholarship from his homeland, aiming to study ancient Greek art. The following year, he was appointed to the technical service of the Ministry of Interior. Thus, alongside the study of ancient monuments, he worked to meet the various needs of the newly established Greek state in the field of urban planning, the construction of public buildings, the conversion of others, and the training of technicians. He also undertook work on behalf of private individuals, such as the construction of the building complex of Prince G. Kantakouzenos, known today as the Athens Conservatoire.

He has also designed funerary monuments in Athens, such as that of Müller on the hill of Kolonos, that of Alexandros Ypsilantis in the Field of Ares, that of Neophytos Doukas in the church of Rizarios School, etc. His most famous works are the buildings of the University and the Ophthalmological Hospital of Athens.

This edition includes letters from Christian Hansen from Greece, supplemented by the author with extensive comments on architecture, archaeology, and the structure of Greek society during the Otto period (1833-1862). The text is accompanied by more than 200 drawings by Christian Hansen on topics from the Greek region.