Greece's Anthem Has 158 Verses (But Nobody Knows Them All)

Stand for most national anthems and you're looking at maybe two minutes of patriotic melody. Stand for all 158 verses of Greece's national anthem and you'd better pack a lunch—you'll be there a while.

The "Hymn to Liberty" (Ýmnos eis tin Eleftherían) isn't just Greece's national anthem—it's also Cyprus's, making it the only anthem shared by two countries. But here's the kicker: nobody actually knows all the words. Not even the Greeks.

Born from Revolution

Poet Dionysios Solomos penned this epic in 1823, right in the thick of the Greek War of Independence. After nearly 400 years under Ottoman rule, Greece was fighting for its freedom, and Solomos channeled that struggle into 158 four-line stanzas of passionate verse.

Composer Nikolaos Mantzaros set it to music in 1828, but it wasn't until 1864 that Greece officially adopted the first two verses as their national anthem. Those opening stanzas pack enough punch that the other 156 mostly gather dust.

The World's Longest (By a Landslide)

At 158 verses, Greece's anthem makes other countries look downright concise. For comparison:

• Uruguay's anthem has 11 verses (also rarely sung in full)
• Argentina's full anthem has 9 verses
• Most countries sing 1-2 verses of whatever they've got

The Greek anthem holds the undisputed title of world's longest national anthem. Though calling it the "national anthem" is technically a stretch—only those first two verses count officially.

Olympic Connection

Here's where it gets extra meaningful: the Hymn to Liberty plays at every Olympic Games closing ceremony. Not because Greece wins a lot of medals, but to honor the birthplace of the Olympics. It's a musical thank-you note that dates back to ancient Olympia.

So while Greek athletes stand at attention knowing exactly when their anthem will end, the rest of the world remains blissfully unaware that there are 156 more verses waiting in the wings—a poetic monument to freedom that's too long for any ceremony, but too important to forget.