It was the first residence of King Otto, while he awaited completion of the Royal Palace (now House of Parliament) and subsequently housed the Greek Parliament between 1843-1854 and 1875-1932. In front of the building there stands an imposing equestrian bronze statue of General Theodoros Kolokotronis, among the leaders of the Greek War of Independence. Today, this stately neoclassical building houses the National Historical Museum.