World's Weirdest Changing Of The Guard Ceremonies

No one does pomp and ceremony quite like the British military.

Our Changing the Guard ceremonies carried out and Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are a staple of any tourist’s trip to the UK, and a reminder of how highly we value tradition in this country.

Here are some of the best and wackiest from around the world: 

Greece

The Evzones is the special unit of the Hellenic Army, also known as Tsoliades, who guard the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Hellenic Parliament.

Each soldier mounts guard for one hour at a time, three times every forty-eight hours, and they work in pairs in order to perfectly coordinate their movements.

Whilst to us it might seem outlandish, the uniform Presidential Guard has important historical roots.

The white skirt has 400 folds represents the 400 years of Ottoman occupation over the Greek and requires 30 metres of cloth.

The highly unusual shoes worn by the Evzones are known as Tsarouchia and weigh over three kilograms.

The shoes feature at least 60 nails on the base which simulate the sound of battle during the movement of the Evzone.

It has been told that the noise made by the nails on the base of the shoe and the movement made by guards is to simulate that of a horse.

The tale goes that when a young King Otto moved from Bavaria to Greece to take the throne, he could no longer hear the sounds he loved - that of horses.

So he made his guards walk in this fashion to replicate the sound and therefore, make him feel like he was closer to home.

The toe of the Tsarouchia is pointed upwards and covered by a black silk pom-pom which is hand cut to shape.

Sweden

Sweden’s highly unusual Changing the Guard ceremony is held every day during the warmer months of the year (April to August), and less frequently during the Autumn and Winter.

The Royal Guards then march from the Obelisk to the south side of the Royal Palace in a 40-minute ceremony.

The Swedish Royal guard has been stationed outside the Royal Palace of Stockholm since 1523.

About 30,000 guards from the Swedish military take turns standing watch and are responsible for safeguarding the Royal Palace, and Stockholm itself.

Russia

Today’s ceremony takes place in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin wall in Moscow.

The regiment tasked with protecting this important memorial is the Guard of Honour of the Presidential Regiment, created in 1976.

However, there are many elements of the ceremony that are influenced by the days of Tsarist Russia.

The ceremonial uniform corresponds with that worn by Russia’s Imperial Guard of 1909-13, marking the country’s rich military history.

In 2005, the Changing of the Horse Guard and Foot Guard of the Presidential Regiment was altered to reflect more clearly the traditional ceremony of Tsarist Russia, in a bid to boost tourism.

South Korea

South Korea’s ceremony is highly reflective of the country’s cultural traditions.

In ancient times, the Royal Guards of Joseon Dynasty guarded the Gwanghwamun Gate.

This was the entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace and the home of the King.

The ceremony dates back to 1469, and historical records have been carefully consulted for the sake of accuracy in recreating the ceremony today.

The reenactment of the original ceremony began in 1996, and the guards' uniforms, weapons, and accessories, as well as their strict ceremonial procedures, are as close to the original as possible.