Traditional architecture towns in Greece

GrigorisSokratis · September 15th, 2007, 09:38 PM

As you know, we have discussed and said a lot about the architecture styles of our cities, and many times we use to criticize the newer styles); but there's something we use to forget or just overlook and that is the fact that Greece is mainly made up of traditional villages, with regional picturesque architecture styles; varying from Cycladic architecture, to Neoclassical, to mountain Balkanic villages in Western Macedonia and Epirus, to archontiko style, or Venetian influenced towns and the list goes on.

Actually, it should be remarked that there are literally thousands of these towns all around Greece in comparison to the just 10-15 cities with appartment buildings and modern architecture, sometimes lacking of any style, dominating large parts of those urban agglomerations; furthermore you are going to find a significant number of areas and neighborhoods in those larger cities with a dominant traditional architecture (examples of this are Plaka, Monastiraki, Psyrri in Athens or the Ano Poli in Thessaloniki to mention just a few examples).

So, the idea of this thread is to make a visit to the real Greece, to the traditional towns, where old architecture and centuries old homes are still prevalent over the newer styles. This is the Greece we should conserve and take care of (specially after the terrible blow we received in the May-September 07' period; the biggest of the postwar era).

Of course it's impossible to depict all of those towns and villages as there are literally thousands pf them all around the place, but I'll try to do my best in order to make you get an idea of how rich and varied is Greek architecture.

Let's begin the journey.

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INDEX OF TRADITIONAL TOWNS:

GrigorisSokratis · September 16th, 2007, 04:46 AM

So, let's continue our trip to the traditional towns and villages of Greece. Now is the turn of Hydra town in the island of Hydra.

THE TOWN OF HYDRA

It's located about 160 kms from Athens and it's just a 2 hours ride by car. You can also get there by hydrofoils that depart from Piraeus; the trip lasts for 1.30 hour.

The town which is the centre of the whole island, is built amphitheatrically around the port. It looks glamorous like an art-paint, with grey, white and blue colours above the blue of the sea, an exemplar of architectonics and aesthetics. Right and left from the entrance of the port, there are the Parapets with the Canons, which protected the town.

Main characteristic of Hydra is that there are no wheeled vehicles and the transportation of people is being made only by donkeys, a thing that makes
the Island even more romantic. The port of Hydra is filled with little and big yachts, boats and cruisers.

On the Island you will enjoy romantic walks in the narrows, picturesque, paved alleys. Generally, Hydra is famous for the calm life it offers
to the visitors in the day, but also for the intense, cosmopolitan night life. Bar, pub, disco, with foreign-Greek music and rave-up till the morning.

The beautiful roads and alleys, paved with slabs and the houses, adorned with flowers, give to the island of Hydra a touch of magic and a romantic mood. Its worth visiting the Manors of the Island and watch the harbour from down the hill.

Architecture:
The Island's quaint traditional architecture, which combines insular
and land-lubber characteristics with simple houses and manors, differentiate with a quaint, but yet impressive architecture, which is not met in other
parts of Greece and abroad. This architecture is in every way unique and someone must come and see it for himself. Most of the town's constructions are from the 16th, 17th and 18th century.

The Manors of Hydra, stand witnesses to the economic bloomming the Island had, during the 18th century. These Manors stand imposing until today and impress with their size and magnificence. Also, they maintain their simplicity, by keeping a lot of elements from the simple, plain houses, but because of their size, they remind fortresses from the outside.

All the manors of Hydra are stone made and usually they are three or four stories tall, because of the sloping ground. Most of the Manors have got
external ladders, which lead to a flat roof. They have got rooms, which are spacy and high-ceiling. These rooms have got decorations, such as wall paintings, garlands, painted wooden ceilings, door cases and geometrical
drawings on the marple floor.

The simple houses are surrounded with yards, which have got fences. The houses are plain, parallelepipeds, with roofs from tiles, eaves from porolitho
and aclinic forefront. In the most houses of Hydra we also see cisterns, and marble drinking fountains.

Unique piece of decoration in these houses is the white frame around the windows, which is made from lime and it is used to counteract the gray colour stone. The main building materials of Hydra and island Dokos is the grey stone, the wood and "kokkina", an argil mortar.

At the east side of the harbour, you can see the Tsamados Manor.

At the same side of the city, there is the Kriezis Manor and the Manor of Lazaros Kountouriotis, which is a part of the museum of History.

At the west side of the city, you can visit the four-stories Manor of Tompazi, which belongs to the School of Arts, and the Manors of Boulgari, Botsi and Oikonomou.

Also west of the city of Hydra, we can see the Manor of Bountouris, which it has got its own garden and little church.

Artists

Hydra, from the 50's, has been one of the most importand cultural centers, which has been gathering famous personas of Arts and Literature from Greece and abroad. This has rendered Hydra as a center of artistic creation.
The cultural way of life owes a great deal to the Hydraian painter Gikas. Also from Hydra is the modern poet Miltos Saxtouris.

Deeply connected to the Island are the painters and writers Nick Xatzikiriakos-Gikas, Panagiotis Tetsis, Konstantinos Vizantios, Seferis, Elitis, Eggonopoulos, Petsalis, Pikionis and Henry Miller and many other artists
and cultural people, who came to the Island and love it, recongnizing to it the ideal place of inspiration and creation.

The painter Periklis Vizantios (1893-1971), in 1936 with the former director of the School of Arts, formed the division of the School of Arts, which accommodated the Manor of Admiral Tomopazi. There, importand people of the Arts and Literature have been housed, such as Chagall and the writer
Daninos. Amongst the foreign artists,who connected their names
to Hydra, is the famous singer and writer Leonard Cohen.

In 1960, Mixalis Kakogiannis filmed the movie "The girl in black", which advertised the Island of Hydra all around the world. The Greek photographer Kostas Bergas with its album "HYDRA", gives the look of the Island in 2000. This album is very beautiful but it is also and a part of history. Today in Hydra, the famous painter Grigoris Christeas, exhibits its paintings to the Historical Museum of Hydra.

Photo gallery

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Hey taxi, follow those smugglers donkeys!

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hehe I got you! caught in the act!
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A small house near the top of the town on Hydra (Ydra), Greece
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Hey kitty!
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Need a rest?
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Welcome to my island...
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Any doubts that this town is a real paradise? Anyway, we have to continue our trip. Our next stop is all the way far to the north in the region of Macedonia; the city's name is Kastoria a real pearl by the lake.

See ya!

neorion · September 16th, 2007, 04:54 AM

Bravo Grigoris, some of the best pics I've seen of the magical isle of Hydra. All the saronikos kolpos nisia are beautiful, but Hydra and Spetses are my favourites...

Keep em comin...

GrigorisSokratis · September 17th, 2007, 03:54 AM

All right it's September 16th, 07' and you can imagine we're living a very important day; but after a long day filled with political issues, let's chill out for a while and continue our visit to the towns and villages of Greece.

THE CITY OF KASTORIA

Our next destination is Kastoria a city located 552kms NW from Athens and 210 kms W from Thessaloniki. Kastoria is also connected with Athens by air, through the “Aristotle” International Airport at Argos Orestikon. It has a population of 20.636 (2006).

History
Its history goes back to milleniums BC. One of the testimonies of that is the prehistoric settlement of Dispilio which is one of the oldest lake settlements ever discovered in Europe and it gives us a full overview of an early civilization with admirable achievements. Its early phase dates back to around 5500BC.

The settlement’s inhabitants used to live in huts they built inside the lake, on pile platforms. They were organizing and using space in a unique way. The 3.000 people, living there, were fishing, hunting, cultivating the earth, breeding animals, constructing tools and utensils, and they were acquainted with writing and music.

The Roman historian, Titus Livius, says that in the 5th century BC, a city called Kilitron was lying at the current location of Kastoria, while in the 6th century BC, Prokopius from Caesarea mentions that there is a lake in Macedonia called Kastoria.

The broader region is identified with ancient Orestida, inhabited by the Orestes “Makednoi”, as Herodotus calls them. Orestida, despite the fewness of findings, seems to have been an important urban center with active participation in the developments and the artistic trends of the time.

In the Roman times, Diocletianoupolis was the center of the region. It was built where Argos Orestiko now stands. The name of the city, which was founded by Emperor Diocletianus (284-305 AC), was ravaged by the Goths or the Ostrogoths at the end of the 4th century AC.

The region falls into the hands of the Romans in 197 BC, under the regime of a peculiar type of local autonomy.

When the Roman State divided (396BC), the region became part of the Eastern Roman State and later, of the Greek Empire. Due to its strategic location, the city had many troubles and used to be, that time, the “apple of discord” for many. In 550 AC, Justinian renamed the city into Justinianoupoli and turned it into a powerful fortress, surrounding it with a double castle, residues of which have survived to date. From 927 to 969 AC, the city was occupied by the Bulgarians. In 990 AC, the Bulgarian Tsar, Samuel, conquerred Kastoria during his raid in the Greek territory. When liberated in 1018 by Basil II Voulgaroktonos (Bulgar-slayer), the city became the base for the following military operations of the Emperor.

Later in the years of the Turkish domination, the region managed to preserve the Greek national consciousness and religious faith and to develop into one of the most important commercial and cultural centers in the Balkans.

It was also a pole of reinforcement for the pre-revolutionary movements that prepared the grounds for the revolution of 1821, as well as for the liberating movements of the 19th century. The situation significantly improved for the conquered people of Kastoria, after 1528, when the region became a “hassi”, that is property of the Sultan.

The city was full of craftsmen, saddlers, goldsmiths, tailors and famous furriers. Since the 17th century, the furriers had been promoting their products outside the borders of the Ottoman Empire, thus gaining wealth and prestige.

On the other hand, arts and letters flourished during that time. The exceptional architecture and painting works preserved date back to that period.

Kastoria was the region where the liberating Macedonian Struggle started (1904-1908). The fight against the Bulgarians was organized here, under the leadership of Pavlos Melas who died in 1904. His death raised the awareness of all Greeks, thus triggering new developments.

Finally the city was liberated in 11th of November 1912, when the cavalry major, Ioannis Artis, entered the city as a victor.

Byzantine Museum

The Byzantine Museum of Kastoria hosts collections of icons, sculpture, mosaics, wooden-carved objects, ecclesiastic objects (manuscripts, liturgical vessels etc) dating back from the 12th to the 17th century.

It is a museum of great importance where the visitor can witness the different time periods and expressions of Byzantine art. It is built on the top of the hill of the Byzantine acropolis and it is hosted in a modern building.

The icons, which date from the second half of the 12th up to the 17th c., are divided into six units based first on their date and second on the artistic workshop to which they belong. They represent isolated faces or multiple persons arranged in a conventional space, which underlines the transcendence and the spirituality of figures.

Some of the most important exhibits are: the icon of Prophet Elijah dating back to the 12th century, with an austere figure, which is the product of a major art centre of the time; the icon of Saint Nicolas dating back to the 12th century, is painted on a silver background and is surrounded by ten scenes from the saint's life; the Icon of Christ Pantocrator, dating back to the 14th century, with a votive inscription by monk Neilos.

Costume Museum

This museum introduces the visitor to the daily life of the people of Kastoria in the previous centuries, through the clothes they were wearing.

The costumes along with the jewels accompanying them, are one of the most live expressions of folk culture. They depict, through their diversity and special traits, the way of living, the social structure and the contacts of the inhabitants of this region with the rest of Europe.

The Museum is housed in the mansion of Emannouel brothers, an excellent example of traditional architecture built in 1750 and its exhibits include men and women costumes, children costumes as well as a rich collection of jewels from the broader region.

It is run by Armonia, a music and literary association in charge of the enrichment and maintenance of the collection.

Folklore Museum

Housed in the Nerandzis-Aïvazis the visitor can tour in the impressive “krevata”, the hall that used to host the formal ceremonies and celebrations, the “kalos ontas” (master bedroom), as well as the summer everyday room that now hosts a representation of a fur workshop.

In the mansion’s shed, we can see the kneading room, the food cellar and the wine cellar.

Architecture

Churches

The eighty churches of the city date back to the 9th to the 14th century. They are built inside and outside the city walls and they are masterpieces of Byzantine art.

They are classified as three-aisled vaulted basilicas, longitudinal hall churches with wooden roof and more rarely as domed triconch church. Their wall structure is very characteristic. The walls are made of stones that are surrounded by mud-bricks, as well as mud decorative elements, usually representing suns, circles and monograms.

The most famous church of Kastoria is Panagia Koumbelidiki, built in the first half of the 11th century. It took its name from its characteristic dome, which is called “koumbes” in Turkish. Exceptional wall paintings dating back to the 13th century adorn the church, among which the rare human-like representation of the Holy Trinity.

In the area of the Cathedral, we find Taxiarches Mitropoleos, a three-aisled vaulted basilica, with wall paintings dating back to the 10th century. At the south aisle, the church hosts the bones of Pavlos and Natalia Mela.

Agios Stefanos was built in the late 9th century and it is the only church with a women’s loft. Its beautiful wall paintings date back to the 9th century. One can still see the Episcopal throne in the sanctuary, and the walls are exteriorly adorned with ceramoplastic jewels and tiles.

Agioi Anargyroi is an impressive three-aisled basilica of the 10th century. The magnificent wall paintings of the 12th century, ordered by the famous family of Limniotes, are a work of unique expressional power and elegance.

The church of the Koimisis tis Theotokou (Assumption), in the deserted settlement of Zevgostasi, is an important Byzantine monument, dating back to the 11th century and it is full of beautiful wall paintings. On the outer wall of the church, one can see the representation of the Holy Mother and the Holy Infant.

Another work of the same painting workshop is the decoration of Agios Nikolaos Kasintzis, a hall church located at Omonoia Square. It dates back to the late 12th century.

Agios Georgios in the village of Omorfoklissia is one of the most beautiful churches in Macedonia. It was built in the 13th century as a Katholikon (main church of a monastery complex). It is cruciform with narthex and rich ceramoplastic decoration on the outer walls. Among other admirable hagiographies, there are also exceptional works by the monks Varlaam and Joasaf. The great whole-body wooden relief of Saint George is a unique work of Byzantine art. It looks like a statue and it is 2.96 m tall.

The monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa is located 4 kilometers from the city center, in the middle of a beautiful lakeside path. It was probably built in the years of Alexios Komninos the 1st (1081-1118) and it played a major role in all the phases of the history of Kastoria.

Mansions and houses

The glorious past of the city is still present, in the majestic mansions and houses of Kastoria. They were built in the 17th and 18th century and they are the indisputable witnesses of the economic and artistic prosperity of that time, when the furriers expanded their activities outside the borders of the country.

In these houses, one can feel the balanced relation with environment, the sense of moderation and the harmonization with the human scale. These typical examples of traditional architecture are three-storeyed or four-storeyed, depending on the inclination of the ground. They have gardens and patios, high fences, closed balconies and windows with banisters.

The ground floor is made of stones with minor openings, while the second floor is made of lighter materials and it is lightened by a double raw of windows. The ground floor and the basement include the work places, food storing spaces while on the mezzanine, we see the household objects.

The first floor usually hosted a fur workshop. The main room had three beds. It was a single hall with beds arranged to shape a Π. This room, with small changes, was used for multiple purposes. The interior of the houses was decorated with paintings on the walls, as well as woodcuts on the roofs, the lockers, the fireplaces and the banisters.

The mansions that were by the lake, reached the lake with their courtyards, called avgates. The house owners had their boats in the courtyards, since boats were necessary for transportation. These extraordinary architectural works were made by the hands of “maïstores” (masters) from Macedonia and Epirus, traveling in the Balkans.

The mansions of Kastoria belong in three architectural types. The first one - some typical examples of which are the Mansions of Tsiatsapa, Sapountzi, Basara and of Emannouel brothers - is the most ancient one and presents a rectangular plan with only one axis.

The second type is represented by the mansions of Skoutaris and Nerantzis Ayvazis and it is square with Π-shaped niche on one side. The third and latest type has a symmetrical cross-shaped plan on the floors and it is represented by the mansions of Papaterpos, Tzotzas and Vergouleika.

The Natzis Mansion, built in the 18th century, is well known for its unique plan, its rich interior decoration, the wall paintings depicting Constantinople and the dormer windows with the colourful cut glass.

Opposite to that, we see the Basara Mansion, built in the 18th century by kyr-Michalis, a merchant from Constantinople, and it has a wooden open balcony.

The mansion of Emanouel brothers, two educated brothers from Kastoria, well known for their activities as members of the Hellenic community in Venice, was built in 1750 and one can still see its open balcony. At a small distance, we meet the Mansion of Nerantzis Ayvazis that nowadays hosts the Folklore Museum of the city.

Photo Gallery

Nice 17th, 18th and 19th century constructions mixture

A nice example of residential 16th century architecture

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13th century Panaghia Kumbelidiki
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I'm 400 years old, please help me.
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If you wonder what is exactly what the people of Kastoria see each morning when opening their windows, or when strolling about the lake promedade, well, here you are
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And here is the Kastoria's backyard
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So, it's time to say good bye for the moment to Kastoria.

Btw, Neorion thank you for your kind words. So Spetses is one of your favorites in the Saronic; well your wish is my command, next week we'll continue our travel to the town of Spetses in the homonymous island.

MidtownGuy · September 17th, 2007, 05:52 AM

This is a fantastic thread. Thank you for this wonderful tour.

Raleigh-NC · September 17th, 2007, 08:17 PM

Excellent thread

***SouthernEuropean*** · September 18th, 2007, 11:06 AM

amazing thread,it's like your in my mind i wanted to start a thread like this for some time now,,keep going like that..seriously there are so many jewels scattered among Greece....

NicolasII · September 19th, 2007, 02:27 AM

Congratulations for posting a trully amazing set of photos.

What an amazing architectural heritage we have.

Something that we should all aim to conserve, restore and pass on to future generations.

alexaus · September 19th, 2007, 10:25 AM

Indeed Greece is a wonderful microcosm of architectural styles. I would add Chios, Syros, Nafplio, Chania/Rethymno, Kerkyra and Symi to show the different styles and feel of the islands and Pilio, Xanthi, Kavala, Metsovo, Mani to show the characteristics of mainland styles. Great work.

Kuvvaci · September 19th, 2007, 02:10 PM

very similar to Sicily or South Italy, or South Italy has a Greek characteristic. I don't know.

But you also have some typical Turkish archtectur too. For example this photo. No, offence. Impression is normal. We have Greek style places too.

arxeos · September 19th, 2007, 09:00 PM

About traditional buildings are they rebuilding anything in the city's?

GrigorisSokratis · September 20th, 2007, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexaus

Indeed Greece is a wonderful microcosm of architectural styles. I would add Chios, Syros, Nafplio, Chania/Rethymno, Kerkyra and Symi to show the different styles and feel of the islands and Pilio, Xanthi, Kavala, Metsovo, Mani to show the characteristics of mainland styles. Great work.

I'll do so and much more, though in order to make a detailed thread I need some time. So our next destinations will be the city of Spetses, Proti in Serres and of course the ones mentioned by you will be included in next posts.

Btw guys I'm glad to read you are enjoying the thread, as its purpose is to show the world; the rich and varied greek architecture.

GrigorisSokratis · September 22nd, 2007, 09:24 AM

Let's continue our trip, and this time we are heading to the town of Spetses in Spetses island. Located 190 kms SW from Athens you can reach the place either by car (you must cross by ferry the 2kms stretch once you arrived to Porto Heli in Argolida, Peloponnese; it's just a 10 minutes ride from there) or Hydrofoil from Athens; Plaka (near Leonidio, Arkadia) and Nafplion on the Peloponnese.

Its population is around 4,500 and its history goes back to the 3rd millenium BC.

In ancient times, it was known as Pityoussa and later as Petses. The town is the only settlement on the island and was one of the two only provinces in Greece that has fewer than five settlements and two municipalities. It is presently an independent municipality, with no local boundaries within the municipality.

The use of motor vehicles is severely restricted on the island, so the public transportation system is generally provided by horse & carriage and water taxis. Some conventional taxis and buses are in operation, but they require a special license.

Architecture

Spetses is famous for its beautiful traditional architecture consisting in a mixture of 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th century architectural style, testifying about the cultural and economical development and wealth of the island during those years, when it was, along with the island of Hydra, one of the greatest marine and industrial powers of Greece.

Almost all the traditional houses have a courtyard decorated with pebble mosaics, inlaid with local motifs; those decorative beauties can be seen, if someone is lucky, when the garden’s gates of the houses are opened.
Another characteristic of the traditional Spetsiote architecture is the flat, unadorned façade of the buildings.

Beautiful Venetian mansions with tiled roofs, wooden balconies and bright coloured walls are standing next to superb neoclassical residences and 19th century two-storey houses with tiled roofs on which stone sculptures are standing, decorating it; those houses are usually painted in ochre or crème and have many large coloured windows.

These buildings have an arched ground floor patio supporting the balcony of the second story.
Fine marble squares are scattered around the settlements, matching with the austere facades of the buildings.
Pebble-mosaic cobblestone streets are surrounding the old mansions and houses, linking the various architectural styles together.

Museums

The Spetses Museum
The museum is housed in the superb mansion of Hatzigiannis Mexis (The museum is housed in the superb mansion of Hatzigiannis Mexis, one of the notables who played a leading part during the fight for the Greek Independence.

This 18th century building is an excellent example of the local architecture and has a flat façade with an arched ground floor patio supporting a second-storey), one of the notables who played a leading part during the fight for the Greek Independence.

This 18th century building is an excellent example of the local architecture and has a flat façade with an arched ground floor patio supporting a second-storey

The first floor is the only one open to the public and displays a collection of relics and objects depicting the island’s history and culture from the Early Helladic (or Classical) period to the beginning of the 20th century.

Sculptures, Roman coins, Byzantine icons, local costumes, embroideries, religious relics and items, portraits, historical documents and weapons are some of the various objects on display.

The Bouboulina Museum
This private museum is housed in the home of Bouboulina, and displays a collection of personal objects and household furnishing of the Spetsiote heroine. This traditional Spetsiote mansion is really interesting to visit for its collection but also for the astonishing wood-carved Florentine ceiling in the main salon.

Lascarina Bouboulina is one of the few female heroes of the Greek Revolution and the most strong and commanding women in modern Greek history.

She was born in 1771, lost her two husbands from pirate attacks and used the fortune and ships of the second one help the fight for independence.

She was part of the secret society, Filiki Etairia, which was founded by some Greek merchants and ship owners to organise the Revolution.

Sotirios Anargyros Mansion
It is one of the finest examples of the early 20th century architecture, with a spacious garden where palm trees and a pebble walk path with local motifs create a wonderful scene.

The house used to belong to Sotiris Anargyros, a Spetsiote who became rich in the tobacco industry in the United States, and who spent most of his money in various projects on Spetses.

The building has been declared of great historical and architectural value and is under historic preservation.

Photo tour
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I said, open up!
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Anargyros Mansion

Poseidonion hotel

The outskirts
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Surroundings
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Our next stop...the city of Xanthi in Thrace.

See ya!

GrigorisSokratis · September 29th, 2007, 11:02 PM

Located in Thrace, Xanthi is a city with a long history. Glorious present and even better future, the capital of the prefecture of Xanthi.
It can be reached by car from all over Greece. It is located 725 kilometres from Athens and 224 kilometres away from the city of Thessaloniki

The city features a vast array of restaurants, taverns, ouzeri, that serve local delicacies. Special mention must be granted to the seafood taverns, both in the city and those scattered around the town’s outskirts, near the sea.

Also, Xanthi is famous throughout Greece for its carnival. Every year, and for fifteen consecutive days during the period of Mardi Gras, a grand carnival is organised with references to both local customs and traditions and modern day life.

In the beginning it was a small village, having experienced all the tumultuous eras of the Thracian history.

References to the city of Xanthi, or Xanthia, date back to ancient times when its name was Topara. From the 2nd centuryBC and during all the Roman period and early Byzantine the city became an important commercial center thanks to the existence of the Egnatia Road which passed by this city.

In 879 the name of Xantheia or Xanthi is first recorded, so thence the city is known with that name.

During Ottomans times; Xanthi remained as one of the major Greek and Christian centres in Thrace along with Adrianoupolis and Philipoupolis ans its foreign population never surpassed the 5%.

By 1715 Xanthi became renowned for its tobacco, Many foreign sightseers travelled throughout the region and described the life and struggles of the locals. Tobacco commerce throughout Europe led Xanthi into a course of prosperity. During this period of development during the 18th and 19th century the Greek element propelled upwards in the local economic and social life. Greek store-owners built the mansions that are still intact and the Greek community re-built schools and churches. At the heart of the city, trade, administrative and industrial projects develop steadily.

Though during the Greek revolution in 1821, Xanthi played an important role in the independentist struggle leading that to an economic slow down; that soon in the 1830's was recovered.

During the 19th century there were innumerable movements towards the unification of Thrace with the independent Greek state, something that was achieved in 1913 for a short period and finally in 1919.

The need to develop a programme for the protection, restoration and upgrading of the Old Town in the near future arose from the area’s cultural and historic significance, as well as from the troublesome living conditions, such as the locals’ inability to preserve and maintain the remaining houses and by the area’s growing tourism. The programme’s targets should be focused on five basic axes , such as the maintenance of the overall housing project’s character, through the creation of public benefit networks, the preservation of the natural habitat and the eradication of the negative elements that have altered the local community’s character, the improvement of the living conditions and the creation of a complete documentation of the remaining restored buildings.

In creating the aforementioned targets, the complete restoration study was funded by the First Community Support Programme and was completed in 1993.Its overall application was submitted to and was funded in part by the Second Community Support Programme in the framework of various programs, such as URBAN II, INTERREG II, . Concurrently, a series of independent support programs are taking place, concerning the continuing education of Technicians, Restorators, and Labourers, which are also funded by the European Union ( EKT, PACTE, etc.)

The significance of this effort and its results were visible to all. In October of 1996, the municipality was awarded at Lisbon, Portugal with a plaque for its strategy and projects in the framework of Europe’s Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign.

Most of its residential architecture dates back from the golden commercial age of 18th and 19th centuries.

PHOTO GALLERY

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So sad...

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arxeos · September 30th, 2007, 01:45 AM

Xanthi is a real pearl , its just to bad other greek citys havent kept traditional buildings in my opinion greek citys today except xanthi and some others are of the ugliest citys in the world

GrigorisSokratis · September 30th, 2007, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arxeos

Xanthi is a real pearl , its just to bad other greek citys havent kept traditional buildings in my opinion greek citys today except xanthi and some others are of the ugliest citys in the world

Please arxeos read the prologue of the thread and you'll realize you are quite wrong. Actually most of Greek towns and villages kept their traditional architecture intact.

That's the real Greece, the one of the hinterlands. It's just that you have on your mind the large urban monsters like Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra and maybe a dozen more. But Greece is made up mostly of towns and villages; actually thousands of them (just open a map and you'll realize it's as I say) or even better if you have the time take your car, hit the road and tour the country.

As for the urban areas, well if you think that cities like Paris, London or Vienna look like...well Paris, London and Vienna respectively EVERYWHERE; believe me you are going to get disappointed.

Most of tourists who come to Athens, think that the whole city looks like well you know...we all live in places like Plaka, Psyri, Monastiraki and such; as well as we eat gyro while typing on our keyboards and other cliches.

It happens with every and each big urban agglomeration. But guess what, it's almost impossible, there's no city on earth with pops larger than 500,000 which looks traditional in a 100%. They ALL have at least a part which lacks of style.

Now in small towns and villages, well that's a different story.

Btw, I'll keep posting other cities around Greece with their traditional architecture intact, and maybe when we're going to pass the first hundred of them you'll change your mind; by the time I just posted 5 of them (Egina, Hydra, Kastoria, Spetses and Xanthi); we got a long way ahead.

Bluedome · September 30th, 2007, 06:10 AM

Keep them coming Grigori! This is great work thanks for taking the time for this thread!

arxeos · September 30th, 2007, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrigorisSokratis

Please arxeos read the prologue of the thread and you'll realize you are quite wrong. Actually most of Greek towns and villages kept their traditional architecture intact.

That's the real Greece, the one of the hinterlands. It's just that you have on your mind the large urban monsters like Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra and maybe a dozen more. But Greece is made up mostly of towns and villages; actually thousands of them (just open a map and you'll realize it's as I say) or even better if you have the time take your car, hit the road and tour the country.

As for the urban areas, well if you think that cities like Paris, London or Vienna look like...well Paris, London and Vienna respectively EVERYWHERE; believe me you are going to get disappointed.

Most of tourists who come to Athens, think that the whole city looks like well you know...we all live in places like Plaka, Psyri, Monastiraki and such; as well as we eat gyro while typing on our keyboards and other cliches.

It happens with every and each big urban agglomeration. But guess what, it's almost impossible, there's no city on earth with pops larger than 500,000 which looks traditional in a 100%. They ALL have at least a part which lacks of style.

Now in small towns and villages, well that's a different story.

Btw, I'll keep posting other cities around Greece with their traditional architecture intact, and maybe when we're going to pass the first hundred of them you'll change your mind; by the time I just posted 5 of them (Egina, Hydra, Kastoria, Spetses and Xanthi); we got a long way ahead.

im from Rodopoli in Serres prefecture my town ain't so old so it doesn't have much tradition but its actually a nice looking little town with a population around 2,500 (im not sure on this number could be more or could be less) and its growing , anyhow i live in Sweden but im in Greece very often and yes i was thinking of the bigger citys in greece , the thing im really disappointed with in greek city's is that you have like an old byzantine church standing in one place and then you see all theese white or very often grey fast built and cheap apartment buildings surrounding it very close to the church when there should be a park around it thats just 1 example but this post is getting a bit off topic keep posting theese great pictures for us

GrigorisSokratis · October 7th, 2007, 05:06 AM

Chania

Today we are heading all the way to the south, to Chania, the second largest city in Crete with a population of 53,373 according to the last demographic studies. It's located 410 kms south of Athens and it has been inhabitated from prehistoric times. Its historic times can be traced back to the Minoans in the 3rd century BC. It held a principal role throughout the history of Greece from Minoan, Mycenean and ancient times to the Byzantine and modern eras.

Its architecture is mainly characterized by its strong Venetian style but you are going to find also representative buildings from each historical period including a rich neoclassical architecture representing more recent times.

Architecture:

The architecture of this city is rich and we could easily say that each period of Chania's history is well represented being the 13th c-18th c. period the most representative of this town, so we could define Chania as a living example of medieval and modern (1453-1789) times.

So when visiting this place and wandering around its streets and alleys you are going to run across hundreds of 15th, 16th and 17th centuries residential houses, medieval churches and much more.

PHOTO GALLERY

The 1630 Manierist Venetian style St Roco church

The Court House

Ag Magdalini built in 1903

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The lighthouse
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A victim of the WWII still waiting for some help
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mmmmh casa de l'amore!
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1600's Aghia Triada monastery
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The restored Synagogue of Chania
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A house at the outskirts of the town
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The 1585 Megalo Neorio (shipyard)

Ag Anargyroi

The 1870 built War museum

The court house

The 19th century Eleftherios Venizelos home

The French school

The municipal market

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And just in case you wonder how the sorroundings of Chania look like, well let me tell you that this town is located in a charming geographic location bording the Aegean to the north while to the south it's bordered by the impressive White mountains range at around 2,500 meters. There you can visit the Samaria gorge, the longest in Europe.

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Well that's it, hope you enjoyed Chania as much as I did.

Our next stop is far faaaar to the NorthWest in Metsovo, Epirus...but we'll have to wait a few days for that.

onZikisAyas · October 8th, 2007, 06:46 PM

WOW.To my suprise I wasn't aware of so many of the traditional Turkish (style) buildings found in Xanthi and Kastoria, I thought they were all demolished.

September 15th, 2007, 09:38 PM	#1
GrigorisSokratis Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, New York Posts: 1,331 Likes (Received): 0	Traditional architecture towns in Greece As you know, we have discussed and said a lot about the architecture styles of our cities, and many times we use to criticize the newer styles); but there's something we use to forget or just overlook and that is the fact that Greece is mainly made up of traditional villages, with regional picturesque architecture styles; varying from Cycladic architecture, to Neoclassical, to mountain Balkanic villages in Western Macedonia and Epirus, to archontiko style, or Venetian influenced towns and the list goes on. Actually, it should be remarked that there are literally thousands of these towns all around Greece in comparison to the just 10-15 cities with appartment buildings and modern architecture, sometimes lacking of any style, dominating large parts of those urban agglomerations; furthermore you are going to find a significant number of areas and neighborhoods in those larger cities with a dominant traditional architecture (examples of this are Plaka, Monastiraki, Psyrri in Athens or the Ano Poli in Thessaloniki to mention just a few examples). So, the idea of this thread is to make a visit to the real Greece, to the traditional towns, where old architecture and centuries old homes are still prevalent over the newer styles. This is the Greece we should conserve and take care of (specially after the terrible blow we received in the May-September 07' period; the biggest of the postwar era). Of course it's impossible to depict all of those towns and villages as there are literally thousands pf them all around the place, but I'll try to do my best in order to make you get an idea of how rich and varied is Greek architecture. Let's begin the journey. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX OF TRADITIONAL TOWNS: __________________ Geography guide of Greece Greek Automobiles Industry Please help the victims of the catastrophic arsons in Greece, visiting www.ihelp.gr Plant your roots in Greece. Make your contribution to reforest the destroyed, by catastrophic arsons, Greek mountains and countryside Last edited by GrigorisSokratis; April 28th, 2008 at 03:30 AM.

September 16th, 2007, 04:46 AM	#2
GrigorisSokratis Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, New York Posts: 1,331 Likes (Received): 0	So, let's continue our trip to the traditional towns and villages of Greece. Now is the turn of Hydra town in the island of Hydra. THE TOWN OF HYDRA It's located about 160 kms from Athens and it's just a 2 hours ride by car. You can also get there by hydrofoils that depart from Piraeus; the trip lasts for 1.30 hour. The town which is the centre of the whole island, is built amphitheatrically around the port. It looks glamorous like an art-paint, with grey, white and blue colours above the blue of the sea, an exemplar of architectonics and aesthetics. Right and left from the entrance of the port, there are the Parapets with the Canons, which protected the town. Main characteristic of Hydra is that there are no wheeled vehicles and the transportation of people is being made only by donkeys, a thing that makes the Island even more romantic. The port of Hydra is filled with little and big yachts, boats and cruisers. On the Island you will enjoy romantic walks in the narrows, picturesque, paved alleys. Generally, Hydra is famous for the calm life it offers to the visitors in the day, but also for the intense, cosmopolitan night life. Bar, pub, disco, with foreign-Greek music and rave-up till the morning. The beautiful roads and alleys, paved with slabs and the houses, adorned with flowers, give to the island of Hydra a touch of magic and a romantic mood. Its worth visiting the Manors of the Island and watch the harbour from down the hill. Architecture: The Island's quaint traditional architecture, which combines insular and land-lubber characteristics with simple houses and manors, differentiate with a quaint, but yet impressive architecture, which is not met in other parts of Greece and abroad. This architecture is in every way unique and someone must come and see it for himself. Most of the town's constructions are from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. The Manors of Hydra, stand witnesses to the economic bloomming the Island had, during the 18th century. These Manors stand imposing until today and impress with their size and magnificence. Also, they maintain their simplicity, by keeping a lot of elements from the simple, plain houses, but because of their size, they remind fortresses from the outside. All the manors of Hydra are stone made and usually they are three or four stories tall, because of the sloping ground. Most of the Manors have got external ladders, which lead to a flat roof. They have got rooms, which are spacy and high-ceiling. These rooms have got decorations, such as wall paintings, garlands, painted wooden ceilings, door cases and geometrical drawings on the marple floor. The simple houses are surrounded with yards, which have got fences. The houses are plain, parallelepipeds, with roofs from tiles, eaves from porolitho and aclinic forefront. In the most houses of Hydra we also see cisterns, and marble drinking fountains. Unique piece of decoration in these houses is the white frame around the windows, which is made from lime and it is used to counteract the gray colour stone. The main building materials of Hydra and island Dokos is the grey stone, the wood and "kokkina", an argil mortar. At the east side of the harbour, you can see the Tsamados Manor. At the same side of the city, there is the Kriezis Manor and the Manor of Lazaros Kountouriotis, which is a part of the museum of History. At the west side of the city, you can visit the four-stories Manor of Tompazi, which belongs to the School of Arts, and the Manors of Boulgari, Botsi and Oikonomou. Also west of the city of Hydra, we can see the Manor of Bountouris, which it has got its own garden and little church. Artists Hydra, from the 50's, has been one of the most importand cultural centers, which has been gathering famous personas of Arts and Literature from Greece and abroad. This has rendered Hydra as a center of artistic creation. The cultural way of life owes a great deal to the Hydraian painter Gikas. Also from Hydra is the modern poet Miltos Saxtouris. Deeply connected to the Island are the painters and writers Nick Xatzikiriakos-Gikas, Panagiotis Tetsis, Konstantinos Vizantios, Seferis, Elitis, Eggonopoulos, Petsalis, Pikionis and Henry Miller and many other artists and cultural people, who came to the Island and love it, recongnizing to it the ideal place of inspiration and creation. The painter Periklis Vizantios (1893-1971), in 1936 with the former director of the School of Arts, formed the division of the School of Arts, which accommodated the Manor of Admiral Tomopazi. There, importand people of the Arts and Literature have been housed, such as Chagall and the writer Daninos. Amongst the foreign artists,who connected their names to Hydra, is the famous singer and writer Leonard Cohen. In 1960, Mixalis Kakogiannis filmed the movie "The girl in black", which advertised the Island of Hydra all around the world. The Greek photographer Kostas Bergas with its album "HYDRA", gives the look of the Island in 2000. This album is very beautiful but it is also and a part of history. Today in Hydra, the famous painter Grigoris Christeas, exhibits its paintings to the Historical Museum of Hydra. Photo gallery image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Hey taxi, follow those smugglers donkeys! image hosted on flickr hehe I got you! caught in the act! image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr A small house near the top of the town on Hydra (Ydra), Greece image hosted on flickr Hey kitty! image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Need a rest? image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Welcome to my island... image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Any doubts that this town is a real paradise? Anyway, we have to continue our trip. Our next stop is all the way far to the north in the region of Macedonia; the city's name is Kastoria a real pearl by the lake. See ya! __________________ Geography guide of Greece Greek Automobiles Industry Please help the victims of the catastrophic arsons in Greece, visiting www.ihelp.gr Plant your roots in Greece. Make your contribution to reforest the destroyed, by catastrophic arsons, Greek mountains and countryside

September 17th, 2007, 03:54 AM	#4
GrigorisSokratis Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, New York Posts: 1,331 Likes (Received): 0	All right it's September 16th, 07' and you can imagine we're living a very important day; but after a long day filled with political issues, let's chill out for a while and continue our visit to the towns and villages of Greece. THE CITY OF KASTORIA Our next destination is Kastoria a city located 552kms NW from Athens and 210 kms W from Thessaloniki. Kastoria is also connected with Athens by air, through the “Aristotle” International Airport at Argos Orestikon. It has a population of 20.636 (2006). History Its history goes back to milleniums BC. One of the testimonies of that is the prehistoric settlement of Dispilio which is one of the oldest lake settlements ever discovered in Europe and it gives us a full overview of an early civilization with admirable achievements. Its early phase dates back to around 5500BC. The settlement’s inhabitants used to live in huts they built inside the lake, on pile platforms. They were organizing and using space in a unique way. The 3.000 people, living there, were fishing, hunting, cultivating the earth, breeding animals, constructing tools and utensils, and they were acquainted with writing and music. The Roman historian, Titus Livius, says that in the 5th century BC, a city called Kilitron was lying at the current location of Kastoria, while in the 6th century BC, Prokopius from Caesarea mentions that there is a lake in Macedonia called Kastoria. The broader region is identified with ancient Orestida, inhabited by the Orestes “Makednoi”, as Herodotus calls them. Orestida, despite the fewness of findings, seems to have been an important urban center with active participation in the developments and the artistic trends of the time. In the Roman times, Diocletianoupolis was the center of the region. It was built where Argos Orestiko now stands. The name of the city, which was founded by Emperor Diocletianus (284-305 AC), was ravaged by the Goths or the Ostrogoths at the end of the 4th century AC. The region falls into the hands of the Romans in 197 BC, under the regime of a peculiar type of local autonomy. When the Roman State divided (396BC), the region became part of the Eastern Roman State and later, of the Greek Empire. Due to its strategic location, the city had many troubles and used to be, that time, the “apple of discord” for many. In 550 AC, Justinian renamed the city into Justinianoupoli and turned it into a powerful fortress, surrounding it with a double castle, residues of which have survived to date. From 927 to 969 AC, the city was occupied by the Bulgarians. In 990 AC, the Bulgarian Tsar, Samuel, conquerred Kastoria during his raid in the Greek territory. When liberated in 1018 by Basil II Voulgaroktonos (Bulgar-slayer), the city became the base for the following military operations of the Emperor. Later in the years of the Turkish domination, the region managed to preserve the Greek national consciousness and religious faith and to develop into one of the most important commercial and cultural centers in the Balkans. It was also a pole of reinforcement for the pre-revolutionary movements that prepared the grounds for the revolution of 1821, as well as for the liberating movements of the 19th century. The situation significantly improved for the conquered people of Kastoria, after 1528, when the region became a “hassi”, that is property of the Sultan. The city was full of craftsmen, saddlers, goldsmiths, tailors and famous furriers. Since the 17th century, the furriers had been promoting their products outside the borders of the Ottoman Empire, thus gaining wealth and prestige. On the other hand, arts and letters flourished during that time. The exceptional architecture and painting works preserved date back to that period. Kastoria was the region where the liberating Macedonian Struggle started (1904-1908). The fight against the Bulgarians was organized here, under the leadership of Pavlos Melas who died in 1904. His death raised the awareness of all Greeks, thus triggering new developments. Finally the city was liberated in 11th of November 1912, when the cavalry major, Ioannis Artis, entered the city as a victor. Byzantine Museum The Byzantine Museum of Kastoria hosts collections of icons, sculpture, mosaics, wooden-carved objects, ecclesiastic objects (manuscripts, liturgical vessels etc) dating back from the 12th to the 17th century. It is a museum of great importance where the visitor can witness the different time periods and expressions of Byzantine art. It is built on the top of the hill of the Byzantine acropolis and it is hosted in a modern building. The icons, which date from the second half of the 12th up to the 17th c., are divided into six units based first on their date and second on the artistic workshop to which they belong. They represent isolated faces or multiple persons arranged in a conventional space, which underlines the transcendence and the spirituality of figures. Some of the most important exhibits are: the icon of Prophet Elijah dating back to the 12th century, with an austere figure, which is the product of a major art centre of the time; the icon of Saint Nicolas dating back to the 12th century, is painted on a silver background and is surrounded by ten scenes from the saint's life; the Icon of Christ Pantocrator, dating back to the 14th century, with a votive inscription by monk Neilos. Costume Museum This museum introduces the visitor to the daily life of the people of Kastoria in the previous centuries, through the clothes they were wearing. The costumes along with the jewels accompanying them, are one of the most live expressions of folk culture. They depict, through their diversity and special traits, the way of living, the social structure and the contacts of the inhabitants of this region with the rest of Europe. The Museum is housed in the mansion of Emannouel brothers, an excellent example of traditional architecture built in 1750 and its exhibits include men and women costumes, children costumes as well as a rich collection of jewels from the broader region. It is run by Armonia, a music and literary association in charge of the enrichment and maintenance of the collection. Folklore Museum Housed in the Nerandzis-Aïvazis the visitor can tour in the impressive “krevata”, the hall that used to host the formal ceremonies and celebrations, the “kalos ontas” (master bedroom), as well as the summer everyday room that now hosts a representation of a fur workshop. In the mansion’s shed, we can see the kneading room, the food cellar and the wine cellar. Architecture Churches The eighty churches of the city date back to the 9th to the 14th century. They are built inside and outside the city walls and they are masterpieces of Byzantine art. They are classified as three-aisled vaulted basilicas, longitudinal hall churches with wooden roof and more rarely as domed triconch church. Their wall structure is very characteristic. The walls are made of stones that are surrounded by mud-bricks, as well as mud decorative elements, usually representing suns, circles and monograms. The most famous church of Kastoria is Panagia Koumbelidiki, built in the first half of the 11th century. It took its name from its characteristic dome, which is called “koumbes” in Turkish. Exceptional wall paintings dating back to the 13th century adorn the church, among which the rare human-like representation of the Holy Trinity. In the area of the Cathedral, we find Taxiarches Mitropoleos, a three-aisled vaulted basilica, with wall paintings dating back to the 10th century. At the south aisle, the church hosts the bones of Pavlos and Natalia Mela. Agios Stefanos was built in the late 9th century and it is the only church with a women’s loft. Its beautiful wall paintings date back to the 9th century. One can still see the Episcopal throne in the sanctuary, and the walls are exteriorly adorned with ceramoplastic jewels and tiles. Agioi Anargyroi is an impressive three-aisled basilica of the 10th century. The magnificent wall paintings of the 12th century, ordered by the famous family of Limniotes, are a work of unique expressional power and elegance. The church of the Koimisis tis Theotokou (Assumption), in the deserted settlement of Zevgostasi, is an important Byzantine monument, dating back to the 11th century and it is full of beautiful wall paintings. On the outer wall of the church, one can see the representation of the Holy Mother and the Holy Infant. Another work of the same painting workshop is the decoration of Agios Nikolaos Kasintzis, a hall church located at Omonoia Square. It dates back to the late 12th century. Agios Georgios in the village of Omorfoklissia is one of the most beautiful churches in Macedonia. It was built in the 13th century as a Katholikon (main church of a monastery complex). It is cruciform with narthex and rich ceramoplastic decoration on the outer walls. Among other admirable hagiographies, there are also exceptional works by the monks Varlaam and Joasaf. The great whole-body wooden relief of Saint George is a unique work of Byzantine art. It looks like a statue and it is 2.96 m tall. The monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa is located 4 kilometers from the city center, in the middle of a beautiful lakeside path. It was probably built in the years of Alexios Komninos the 1st (1081-1118) and it played a major role in all the phases of the history of Kastoria. Mansions and houses The glorious past of the city is still present, in the majestic mansions and houses of Kastoria. They were built in the 17th and 18th century and they are the indisputable witnesses of the economic and artistic prosperity of that time, when the furriers expanded their activities outside the borders of the country. In these houses, one can feel the balanced relation with environment, the sense of moderation and the harmonization with the human scale. These typical examples of traditional architecture are three-storeyed or four-storeyed, depending on the inclination of the ground. They have gardens and patios, high fences, closed balconies and windows with banisters. The ground floor is made of stones with minor openings, while the second floor is made of lighter materials and it is lightened by a double raw of windows. The ground floor and the basement include the work places, food storing spaces while on the mezzanine, we see the household objects. The first floor usually hosted a fur workshop. The main room had three beds. It was a single hall with beds arranged to shape a Π. This room, with small changes, was used for multiple purposes. The interior of the houses was decorated with paintings on the walls, as well as woodcuts on the roofs, the lockers, the fireplaces and the banisters. The mansions that were by the lake, reached the lake with their courtyards, called avgates. The house owners had their boats in the courtyards, since boats were necessary for transportation. These extraordinary architectural works were made by the hands of “maïstores” (masters) from Macedonia and Epirus, traveling in the Balkans. The mansions of Kastoria belong in three architectural types. The first one - some typical examples of which are the Mansions of Tsiatsapa, Sapountzi, Basara and of Emannouel brothers - is the most ancient one and presents a rectangular plan with only one axis. The second type is represented by the mansions of Skoutaris and Nerantzis Ayvazis and it is square with Π-shaped niche on one side. The third and latest type has a symmetrical cross-shaped plan on the floors and it is represented by the mansions of Papaterpos, Tzotzas and Vergouleika. The Natzis Mansion, built in the 18th century, is well known for its unique plan, its rich interior decoration, the wall paintings depicting Constantinople and the dormer windows with the colourful cut glass. Opposite to that, we see the Basara Mansion, built in the 18th century by kyr-Michalis, a merchant from Constantinople, and it has a wooden open balcony. The mansion of Emanouel brothers, two educated brothers from Kastoria, well known for their activities as members of the Hellenic community in Venice, was built in 1750 and one can still see its open balcony. At a small distance, we meet the Mansion of Nerantzis Ayvazis that nowadays hosts the Folklore Museum of the city. Photo Gallery Nice 17th, 18th and 19th century constructions mixture A nice example of residential 16th century architecture image hosted on flickr 13th century Panaghia Kumbelidiki image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr I'm 400 years old, please help me. image hosted on flickr If you wonder what is exactly what the people of Kastoria see each morning when opening their windows, or when strolling about the lake promedade, well, here you are image hosted on flickr And here is the Kastoria's backyard image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr So, it's time to say good bye for the moment to Kastoria. Btw, Neorion thank you for your kind words. So Spetses is one of your favorites in the Saronic; well your wish is my command, next week we'll continue our travel to the town of Spetses in the homonymous island. __________________ Geography guide of Greece Greek Automobiles Industry Please help the victims of the catastrophic arsons in Greece, visiting www.ihelp.gr Plant your roots in Greece. Make your contribution to reforest the destroyed, by catastrophic arsons, Greek mountains and countryside

September 17th, 2007, 08:17 PM	#6
Raleigh-NC Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 6,349 Likes (Received): 0	Excellent thread __________________ Raleigh MSA Raleigh MSA Images Visit this thread on my hometown (Kalamata, Greece) and this one, too. The right decision

September 18th, 2007, 11:06 AM	#7
*SouthernEuropean* Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Larnaca,CY Posts: 2,898 Likes (Received): 8	amazing thread,it's like your in my mind i wanted to start a thread like this for some time now,,keep going like that..seriously there are so many jewels scattered among Greece.... __________________ HELLAS ✤WELCOME TO MY CITY PROJECT✤ ♔DERMOND♔

September 16th, 2007, 04:54 AM	#3
neorion BANNED Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,750 Likes (Received): 0	Bravo Grigoris, some of the best pics I've seen of the magical isle of Hydra. All the saronikos kolpos nisia are beautiful, but Hydra and Spetses are my favourites... Keep em comin...

September 17th, 2007, 05:52 AM	#5
MidtownGuy Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 348 Likes (Received): 0	This is a fantastic thread. Thank you for this wonderful tour.

September 19th, 2007, 02:27 AM	#8
NicolasII Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 186 Likes (Received): 0	Congratulations for posting a trully amazing set of photos. What an amazing architectural heritage we have. Something that we should all aim to conserve, restore and pass on to future generations.

September 19th, 2007, 10:25 AM	#9
alexaus Alexaus Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 54 Likes (Received): 0	Indeed Greece is a wonderful microcosm of architectural styles. I would add Chios, Syros, Nafplio, Chania/Rethymno, Kerkyra and Symi to show the different styles and feel of the islands and Pilio, Xanthi, Kavala, Metsovo, Mani to show the characteristics of mainland styles. Great work.

September 19th, 2007, 02:10 PM	#10
Kuvvaci Strange User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Istanbul Posts: 20,046 Likes (Received): 26	very similar to Sicily or South Italy, or South Italy has a Greek characteristic. I don't know. But you also have some typical Turkish archtectur too. For example this photo. No, offence. Impression is normal. We have Greek style places too. __________________ Turkey Railways Development /High Speed Rail Turkish Airports /Aviation

September 19th, 2007, 09:00 PM	#11
arxeos Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stockholm , Serres Posts: 615 Likes (Received): 65	About traditional buildings are they rebuilding anything in the city's?

September 22nd, 2007, 09:24 AM	#13
GrigorisSokratis Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, New York Posts: 1,331 Likes (Received): 0	Let's continue our trip, and this time we are heading to the town of Spetses in Spetses island. Located 190 kms SW from Athens you can reach the place either by car (you must cross by ferry the 2kms stretch once you arrived to Porto Heli in Argolida, Peloponnese; it's just a 10 minutes ride from there) or Hydrofoil from Athens; Plaka (near Leonidio, Arkadia) and Nafplion on the Peloponnese. Its population is around 4,500 and its history goes back to the 3rd millenium BC. In ancient times, it was known as Pityoussa and later as Petses. The town is the only settlement on the island and was one of the two only provinces in Greece that has fewer than five settlements and two municipalities. It is presently an independent municipality, with no local boundaries within the municipality. The use of motor vehicles is severely restricted on the island, so the public transportation system is generally provided by horse & carriage and water taxis. Some conventional taxis and buses are in operation, but they require a special license. Architecture Spetses is famous for its beautiful traditional architecture consisting in a mixture of 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th century architectural style, testifying about the cultural and economical development and wealth of the island during those years, when it was, along with the island of Hydra, one of the greatest marine and industrial powers of Greece. Almost all the traditional houses have a courtyard decorated with pebble mosaics, inlaid with local motifs; those decorative beauties can be seen, if someone is lucky, when the garden’s gates of the houses are opened. Another characteristic of the traditional Spetsiote architecture is the flat, unadorned façade of the buildings. Beautiful Venetian mansions with tiled roofs, wooden balconies and bright coloured walls are standing next to superb neoclassical residences and 19th century two-storey houses with tiled roofs on which stone sculptures are standing, decorating it; those houses are usually painted in ochre or crème and have many large coloured windows. These buildings have an arched ground floor patio supporting the balcony of the second story. Fine marble squares are scattered around the settlements, matching with the austere facades of the buildings. Pebble-mosaic cobblestone streets are surrounding the old mansions and houses, linking the various architectural styles together. Museums The Spetses Museum The museum is housed in the superb mansion of Hatzigiannis Mexis (The museum is housed in the superb mansion of Hatzigiannis Mexis, one of the notables who played a leading part during the fight for the Greek Independence. This 18th century building is an excellent example of the local architecture and has a flat façade with an arched ground floor patio supporting a second-storey), one of the notables who played a leading part during the fight for the Greek Independence. This 18th century building is an excellent example of the local architecture and has a flat façade with an arched ground floor patio supporting a second-storey The first floor is the only one open to the public and displays a collection of relics and objects depicting the island’s history and culture from the Early Helladic (or Classical) period to the beginning of the 20th century. Sculptures, Roman coins, Byzantine icons, local costumes, embroideries, religious relics and items, portraits, historical documents and weapons are some of the various objects on display. The Bouboulina Museum This private museum is housed in the home of Bouboulina, and displays a collection of personal objects and household furnishing of the Spetsiote heroine. This traditional Spetsiote mansion is really interesting to visit for its collection but also for the astonishing wood-carved Florentine ceiling in the main salon. Lascarina Bouboulina is one of the few female heroes of the Greek Revolution and the most strong and commanding women in modern Greek history. She was born in 1771, lost her two husbands from pirate attacks and used the fortune and ships of the second one help the fight for independence. She was part of the secret society, Filiki Etairia, which was founded by some Greek merchants and ship owners to organise the Revolution. Sotirios Anargyros Mansion It is one of the finest examples of the early 20th century architecture, with a spacious garden where palm trees and a pebble walk path with local motifs create a wonderful scene. The house used to belong to Sotiris Anargyros, a Spetsiote who became rich in the tobacco industry in the United States, and who spent most of his money in various projects on Spetses. The building has been declared of great historical and architectural value and is under historic preservation. Photo tour image hosted on flickr I said, open up! image hosted on flickr Anargyros Mansion Poseidonion hotel The outskirts image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Surroundings image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Our next stop...the city of Xanthi in Thrace. See ya! __________________ Geography guide of Greece Greek Automobiles Industry Please help the victims of the catastrophic arsons in Greece, visiting www.ihelp.gr Plant your roots in Greece. Make your contribution to reforest the destroyed, by catastrophic arsons, Greek mountains and countryside Last edited by GrigorisSokratis; September 29th, 2007 at 11:04 PM.

September 29th, 2007, 11:02 PM	#14
GrigorisSokratis Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, New York Posts: 1,331 Likes (Received): 0	Located in Thrace, Xanthi is a city with a long history. Glorious present and even better future, the capital of the prefecture of Xanthi. It can be reached by car from all over Greece. It is located 725 kilometres from Athens and 224 kilometres away from the city of Thessaloniki The city features a vast array of restaurants, taverns, ouzeri, that serve local delicacies. Special mention must be granted to the seafood taverns, both in the city and those scattered around the town’s outskirts, near the sea. Also, Xanthi is famous throughout Greece for its carnival. Every year, and for fifteen consecutive days during the period of Mardi Gras, a grand carnival is organised with references to both local customs and traditions and modern day life. In the beginning it was a small village, having experienced all the tumultuous eras of the Thracian history. References to the city of Xanthi, or Xanthia, date back to ancient times when its name was Topara. From the 2nd centuryBC and during all the Roman period and early Byzantine the city became an important commercial center thanks to the existence of the Egnatia Road which passed by this city. In 879 the name of Xantheia or Xanthi is first recorded, so thence the city is known with that name. During Ottomans times; Xanthi remained as one of the major Greek and Christian centres in Thrace along with Adrianoupolis and Philipoupolis ans its foreign population never surpassed the 5%. By 1715 Xanthi became renowned for its tobacco, Many foreign sightseers travelled throughout the region and described the life and struggles of the locals. Tobacco commerce throughout Europe led Xanthi into a course of prosperity. During this period of development during the 18th and 19th century the Greek element propelled upwards in the local economic and social life. Greek store-owners built the mansions that are still intact and the Greek community re-built schools and churches. At the heart of the city, trade, administrative and industrial projects develop steadily. Though during the Greek revolution in 1821, Xanthi played an important role in the independentist struggle leading that to an economic slow down; that soon in the 1830's was recovered. During the 19th century there were innumerable movements towards the unification of Thrace with the independent Greek state, something that was achieved in 1913 for a short period and finally in 1919. The need to develop a programme for the protection, restoration and upgrading of the Old Town in the near future arose from the area’s cultural and historic significance, as well as from the troublesome living conditions, such as the locals’ inability to preserve and maintain the remaining houses and by the area’s growing tourism. The programme’s targets should be focused on five basic axes , such as the maintenance of the overall housing project’s character, through the creation of public benefit networks, the preservation of the natural habitat and the eradication of the negative elements that have altered the local community’s character, the improvement of the living conditions and the creation of a complete documentation of the remaining restored buildings. In creating the aforementioned targets, the complete restoration study was funded by the First Community Support Programme and was completed in 1993.Its overall application was submitted to and was funded in part by the Second Community Support Programme in the framework of various programs, such as URBAN II, INTERREG II, . Concurrently, a series of independent support programs are taking place, concerning the continuing education of Technicians, Restorators, and Labourers, which are also funded by the European Union ( EKT, PACTE, etc.) The significance of this effort and its results were visible to all. In October of 1996, the municipality was awarded at Lisbon, Portugal with a plaque for its strategy and projects in the framework of Europe’s Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign. Most of its residential architecture dates back from the golden commercial age of 18th and 19th centuries. PHOTO GALLERY image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr So sad... image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr __________________ Geography guide of Greece Greek Automobiles Industry Please help the victims of the catastrophic arsons in Greece, visiting www.ihelp.gr Plant your roots in Greece. Make your contribution to reforest the destroyed, by catastrophic arsons, Greek mountains and countryside

September 30th, 2007, 01:45 AM	#15
arxeos Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stockholm , Serres Posts: 615 Likes (Received): 65	Xanthi is a real pearl , its just to bad other greek citys havent kept traditional buildings in my opinion greek citys today except xanthi and some others are of the ugliest citys in the world

September 30th, 2007, 06:10 AM	#17
Bluedome Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 284 Likes (Received): 0	Keep them coming Grigori! This is great work thanks for taking the time for this thread!

October 7th, 2007, 05:06 AM	#19
GrigorisSokratis Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, New York Posts: 1,331 Likes (Received): 0	Chania Today we are heading all the way to the south, to Chania, the second largest city in Crete with a population of 53,373 according to the last demographic studies. It's located 410 kms south of Athens and it has been inhabitated from prehistoric times. Its historic times can be traced back to the Minoans in the 3rd century BC. It held a principal role throughout the history of Greece from Minoan, Mycenean and ancient times to the Byzantine and modern eras. Its architecture is mainly characterized by its strong Venetian style but you are going to find also representative buildings from each historical period including a rich neoclassical architecture representing more recent times. Architecture: The architecture of this city is rich and we could easily say that each period of Chania's history is well represented being the 13th c-18th c. period the most representative of this town, so we could define Chania as a living example of medieval and modern (1453-1789) times. So when visiting this place and wandering around its streets and alleys you are going to run across hundreds of 15th, 16th and 17th centuries residential houses, medieval churches and much more. PHOTO GALLERY The 1630 Manierist Venetian style St Roco church The Court House Ag Magdalini built in 1903 image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr The lighthouse image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr A victim of the WWII still waiting for some help image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr mmmmh casa de l'amore! image hosted on flickr 1600's Aghia Triada monastery image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr The restored Synagogue of Chania image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr A house at the outskirts of the town image hosted on flickr The 1585 Megalo Neorio (shipyard) Ag Anargyroi The 1870 built War museum The court house The 19th century Eleftherios Venizelos home The French school The municipal market image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr And just in case you wonder how the sorroundings of Chania look like, well let me tell you that this town is located in a charming geographic location bording the Aegean to the north while to the south it's bordered by the impressive White mountains range at around 2,500 meters. There you can visit the Samaria gorge, the longest in Europe. image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Well that's it, hope you enjoyed Chania as much as I did. Our next stop is far faaaar to the NorthWest in Metsovo, Epirus...but we'll have to wait a few days for that. __________________ Geography guide of Greece Greek Automobiles Industry Please help the victims of the catastrophic arsons in Greece, visiting www.ihelp.gr Plant your roots in Greece. Make your contribution to reforest the destroyed, by catastrophic arsons, Greek mountains and countryside Last edited by GrigorisSokratis; October 7th, 2007 at 05:17 AM.

October 8th, 2007, 06:46 PM	#20
onZikisAyas Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: UKUKUKUKUKUKUKUKUKUKUK Posts: 673 Likes (Received): 0	WOW.To my suprise I wasn't aware of so many of the traditional Turkish (style) buildings found in Xanthi and Kastoria, I thought they were all demolished.

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