The Embassy of the United States in Athens is the chief diplomatic mission representing the United States in the Hellenic Republic. It is responsible for advancing bilateral diplomatic, security, and economic cooperation between the two nations, as well as providing consular services to American and Greek citizens. The mission originated as a legation in 1868 with the appointment of Charles K. Tuckerman as the first U.S. Minister Resident to Greece, before being elevated to embassy status in 1942. Its prominent chancery on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, designed by renowned Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius, opened in 1961 and is recognized as an architectural landmark.