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Sights of Interest in Greece
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Arsakeion Megaron
08-06-2013 13:19The Arsakeion Megaron is among the finest examples of modern Athenian architecture and is located on Panepistimiou Street very close to the Panepistimio metro station. It is in walking distance from Syntagma square and the National Library, Academy of Athens and University of Athens.
The Arsakeion served as the first privately owned school of the “Educational Company”. The first schools of the Educational Company operated in leased buildings, fact that caused a lot of problems in both finances and practicality, as the number of the schoolgirls increased and significant difficulties in finding appropriate buildings presented. So the idea of erecting a school of private property was born.
In 1842 the “Educational Company” buys a plot of a building square defined by the streets Panepistimiou, Pesmatzoglou, Stadiou and Arsaki. Thanks to the financial contributions of offers and fundraisers the project is set to action.
The building of the school is designed by the famous architect of the time Lysander Kaftantzoglou but the initial funds prove to be less than those needed for the project to be fulfilled, risking the building to be interrupted.
In 1850, Apostolos Arsakis, a doctor, scholar and politician from the region of Epirus provided significant donation for the completion of the main building. The Board proclaims him a great benefactor of the Schools of the “Educational Company” changing its names to Arsakeion.
Apostolos Arsakis endorsed the significance of the education of women as a factor for the intellectual and social recovery of Greece supporting this purpose for 24 years. Expressing the gratitude to the great benefactor, Queen Amalia chooses to award him the medal of Grand Commander of the Royal Order of George I.
In the mid-1930s, the building was converted by Emmanuel Kriezis to accommodate shops and in the 1980’s its original design was restored by Alexandros Kalligas and the building is used by the Council of State High Court ever since.
Adjacent to the Arsakeion there is the Books’ Arcade, an ideal book-lovers’ haunt with bookshops and cafés, a place dedicated to culture and recreation as here is also one of the most important theatres in Athens “Karolos Koun”.
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