雅典大学于1837年成立于建筑学家斯特马蒂斯・克林塞斯（Stamatics Cleanthes）的家里，这里原来是一个中级学校。它不但是当时新成立的希腊国的第一所大学，而且也是整个巴尔干半岛和东地中海地区第一所大学。当时称为奥森大学，直到1932年才改为现名。建校初期，由神学院、法学院、医学院和艺术学院（包括应用科学和数学）组成，有教授33名，学生52名和75名非注册旁听生。但克林塞斯的家很快容纳不了日益增加的学生，第二任校长伊基欧斯・A・瑞丽斯决定组织大学委员会来筹款建立希腊人的大学。

　　这个倡议很快得到热烈响应，富有的商人和学者，散居在国外的希腊人和未恢复的希腊地区的教士、工薪阶层、希腊个体劳动者，在1839年3月底筹积了一笔资金（相当于所需建筑费用的1/6）。同年5月5日，学校同意采用丹麦建筑学家克里斯町・汉森的设计，7月2日举行动工庆典，国王奥森亲自为大学奠基。奠基石上刻着：海伦大学，在希腊人和热爱希腊的人的帮助下，于国王奥森一世执政的第七年，1839年7月2日建立。

　　雅典大学是整个希腊学术界的最高殿堂，为整个希腊科学和文化的发展作出了不可磨灭的贡献。同时它还是社会和意识形态交流的论坛。第二次世界大战中希腊曾被德国和意大利军队占领，成千上万的该校师生成了反法西斯的生力军，那些被害者的名字都被刻在学校主楼入口处的纪念柱上，和其他为国捐躯勇士的名字排在一起。

　　1987年5月，在庆祝该校诞生150周年的日子里，该校历史博物馆开放，使人们可以回顾大学发展的每一个脚印。

　　雅典大学现有5个学院22个系，还有7个独立的系科。由院长负责全院的工作，下设系主任及专业主任。每个学院设有学院代表大会、院长理事会、院长。系管理机构有代表大会、管理理事会、系主任。专业的管理机构则是代表大会、专业主任。各院系隶属关系如下：

　　神学院：神学系、牧师神学系。

　　法律、经济、政治学院：法律系、经济学系、政治公共管理系。

　　卫生学院：医学系（附设大学医院）、牙科学系、药学系、护理学系。

　　艺术学院：希腊语言文学系、历史与考古学系、哲学、教育与心理学系、英国语言文学系、法国语言文学系、外国文化系。

　　独立的系有：体育与体育教育系、小学教育系、学前教育系、家政系、戏剧研究系、大众传播系、音乐系。

　　有些系开设研究生课程，可授予博士学位。

    National and Capodistrian University of Athens was founded on 3 May 1837, and was housed in the residence of architect Stamatis Kleanthes, on the north east side of the Acropolis. It was the first University not only in the newly- established Greek State but in all the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean in general.  
 
    The "Othonian University", as it was called before taking its present name, "National and Capodistrian University of Athens", consisted of four Faculties, Theology, Law, Medicine and Arts (which included applied sciences and mathematics). It had 33 professors, 52 students and 75 non-matriculated "auditors".New classes began in a new building, which designed by the Danish architect Christian Hansen, in November 1841.

    A major change in the structure of the University came about in 1904, when the Faculty of Arts was split into two separate Faculties: that of Arts and that of Sciences, the latter consisting of the departments of Physics and Mathematics and the School of Pharmacy. In 1919, a department of Chemistry was added, and in 1922 the School of Pharmacy was renamed a Department. A further change came about when the School of Dentistry was added to the Faculty of Medicine..

    In this first and "heroic" period for Greek education, the University faculty made great efforts to fill the gap between their newly founded institution and older ones in other countries.

    Between 1895 and 1911, an average of one thousand new students entered the Faculties each year, a figure which rose to two thousand at the end of World War I. This led to the decision to introduce entrance examinations for all the Faculties, beginning in the academic year 1927-28. Since 1954 the number of students admitted each year has been fixed by the Ministry of Education and Religion, on the proposal of the Faculties.

    In the 1960's construction work began on the University Campus in the suburb of Ilissia. The Ilissia campus now houses the Schools of Philosophy, Theology and Sciences. 

    http://www.uoa.gr/