During the Ottoman period, the area that later came to be known as Kotzia Square was an ample open space that hosted the traditional Turkish horse-riding game jereed, whose objective is to score points by throwing a blunt wooden javelin at the opposing team's horsemen. The first urban plan of Athens envisioned a public square surrounded by arcades, shopping malls, residences, and tree-lined boulevards. Unfortunately, creeks and a lack of funds forced the architects to abandon the project. Nevertheless, the square somehow became the most beautiful urban space in downtown Athens, girded by fine examples of neoclassical architecture. It is named after Konstantinos Kotzias, former Mayor of Athens, who strangely enough is responsible for destroying the square’s finest building: the municipal theatre, described by many visitors as “the best theatre in Europe.”