Its historic buildings come to life jokingin the context of the strategy implemented Ministry of Culture and Sports to create cultural centers in the picturesque area of ​​the center of Athens.

YPPOA has undertaken the restoration and promotion of buildings belonging to the wider surrounding area of ​​the Ancient and Roman Agora that are of architectural and historical interest.

This includes, among other things:

• “House of Coletti” (Polygnotou 13)
• the building that will house the archive of Odysseus Elytis (Polygnotou 7 and Dioskouroun 4)
• the building that will house the Karolos Kuhn Museum (Dioskouroun 7)
• Melina Mercouri Foundation (Polygnotou 11)
• building at 6 Dioscurona Street, which houses the offices of the Ephorate of Antiquities and Private Archaeological Collections (EAIAS) of the Ministry of the Interior.
• the building that houses the Federation and Associations of employees of the Ministry of Health (Dioskurun 1 and Polygnotou 5)
• “House of Kokovikos” (Trypodon 2)

The official echelon of the YPPOA, led by Lina Mendoni, conducted an autopsy of the ongoing restoration projects being implemented by the Office for the Protection of New Cultural Heritage.

Studies have been initiated to renovate buildings and improve the wider area, which is also the archaeological site of the Ancient and Roman Agora.

The total budget for restoration research is 500,000 euros. The research is funded from the YPPOAS budget and has an annual implementation schedule so that restoration projects are included in the financial program.

Know Buildings

The Coletti House on Polygnoto borders the archaeological site of the Ancient Agora. On a plot of 1100 square meters, the main building of about 500 square meters has three levels, a garden and a separate entrance. The building is planned to be used as the Documentation Center for the projects of the Acropolis “Charalambos Buras”. Its restoration work, with a budget of 3,500,000 euros, is ongoing, with a delivery schedule of 2024. The building was probably built between 1870 and 1874, originally rectangular in plan with a hipped roof and two probably independent functional levels (ground floor and first floor) with entrances from the south, where there should have been a canopy and an external staircase to the floor. The superstructure of the second floor and the extension to the south of the outbuildings were made after 1890 and before 1928 – probably before the end of the first decade of the 20th century.

The building at the intersection of Polygnotou and Dioskorou streets will house the great legacy left by the Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseus Elytis. The surviving building and two ancillary buildings belonging to the Ministry of the Interior at the intersection of Dioskouroi and Polygnotou streets are being restored by the competent service of the ministry. The project budget is 657,200 euros with a completion date of June this year.

The building has spaces for an exhibition, as well as for the storage of the Elytis archive, as well as for important visual material demonstrating his varied work. At the same time, through photographs, texts, audio and video materials, the life of the Poet is presented in relief, and his office has been restored with his personal belongings. The Elitis Archive is currently owned by Ms. Julitas Iliopoulou, who also initiated a proposal to the Ministry of Culture in 2013. Restoration studies for the building were approved by the Central Board of New Monuments in July 2013.

Mendoniz’s statement

“The Ministry of Culture and Sports has developed and is implementing a comprehensive program for the protection and promotion of buildings in Plaka, an area that, more than any other, is associated with the character of the historical center of Athens. From the archive of the Acropolis Monuments Service to be housed in the Coletti House, to the “house” of the Odysseus Elytis archive and the Karolos Koun Museum, YPPOA is creating a new core of building infrastructure for cultural purposes. , highlighting various aspects of the culture and history of the city. The new cultural “route” of Plaka is in full swing, in accordance with our commitments and in accordance with the schedules we have set. At the same time, preparations for the restoration studies of the building of the Melina Mercouri Foundation, the building that will house the Karolos Kun Museum, the Kokovikos House on Trypodon, and the buildings serving the needs of the Ministry of Interior were launched. Our goal is to strengthen the special historical and cultural character of Plaka, as well as to increase the tourist interest in Athens.”

At the autopsy, Lina Mendoni was accompanied by the head of the Directorate for the Protection and Management of New and Modern Monuments and Monuments of Technical Culture and Historic Sites Gianna Karani, the head of the Service for New Monuments and Technical Projects of Attica, Central Greece and the Cyclades Stavros Tsavalos, YPPOA architects Vassilis Tsiantis and Hariklia Kanza and officials persons of the Ministry of the Interior.

⇒ News today

Subscribe to kathimerini.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest news from Greece and the world at kathimerini.gr