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News
Sights of Interest in Greece
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An interesting monument at Monastiraki square...
Tzisdarakis Mosque
05-02-2013 15:40The Mosque in Monastiraki square was built by the Turkish Woiwode of Athens, Tzisdarakis, in 1759. It was also called the Mosque of the Lower Fountain after the fountain that used to stand there, while the whole district was known as the Lower Bazaar.
Tzisdarakis, who was the local governor of the Ottoman Rule in Athens, brought to the mosque some columns from the Temple of Olympian Zeus, without the Sultan’s permission. For his action, he was heavily fined and chased out from his position. According to an old painting of 1839 there was also a minaret at the southwestern corner of the Mosque, which was destroyed after the outbreak of the Greek Revolution 1821.
With the founding of the Greek State, the Mosque was used for various purposes, as barracks for the army band, as a jail, and in 1915 it was restored by Anastassios Orlandos. From 1918 it housed the Museum of Folk Art under its original name “The Museum of Greek Handicrafts” which it retained until 1959.
As the Mosque could not meet the demands of the collection, it was transferred to the building at Kydathinaion street and the Mosque reopened in 1975 and up today is being used to exhibit the ceramic collection donated by Professor Kyriazopoulos to the Greek State.
The Mosque suffered severe damages of the earthquake in 1981 and during the restoration interventions the whole construction went through major reinforcement, repair and strengthening works.
The Kyriazopoulos collection includes ceramic objects crafted in various traditional workshops all over Greece and Cyprus, providing with important elements of the Modern Greek pottery.
Among the artisans whose artifacts are exhibited here there are three Asia Minor refugees, Minas Avramides, Makarios Vardaxis and Demetris Mygdalinos. They brought to Greece the shapes and decorative motifs of the ceramic traditions they had been taught in their first homelands contributing in the art of pottery new ideas and techniques.
Notable artisans were also those from the islands with long tradition in pottery like Sifnos, Rhodes, the island of Cyclades and Eastern Aegean Sea.
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Top bews!
Aktaion - Writing gastronomic history since 1922
Like a relay race of three generations; a journey with happy days, sad days, joys, sorrows, wars, Occupation, poverty, hunger, deaths, volcanic eruptions, catastrophic earthquakes, flee for a better life, return, better days, feasts, tourism explosion, financial crises and so on… Everything has been indelibly inscribed on the walls of this small building, Aktaion. I feel grateful that life has given me the opportunity to hold the reins of Aktaion all the way to its centennial.
Parea Restaurant: a beautiful terrace for the perfect dinner.
We have been choosing Parea Tavern for our meals and dinners for 14 years! Every time someone from Touristorama travels to the island of Santorini, he enjoys authentic Greek cuisine at the terrace of this restaurant in the heart of Fira. And we are not the only ones. Thousands of tourists include it among their favorites on the volcanic island.
Privacy on the vivid island of Santorini? Yes, you can have it!
Explore the fascinating volcanic island of Santorini the way you want it yourself! Enjoy a unique accommodation experience, with huge doses of privacy and luxury by choosing to stay in Incognito Villa.
We found the best scandinavian bar in Naxos!
Touristorama has been travelling all around Greece and its islands for over a decade. This year, during our trip to Naxos, the biggest of the Cyclades complex, we discovered an interesting spot, perfect for your night out on the island… which is what we do best: finding the best places and then propose you should visit them! Prime is a Scandinavian Bar, located on a privileged position in Chora of Naxos, opposite the port. It’s been operating for 21 years and enjoys a great fame to both foreign and local tourists.
Something old, something new.... Marmita combines them both!
The Marmita Restaurant is now a part of the history of Santorini, since it has been operating in Megalochori since 2004. From 2013 it s been running under the observation of new owner Giannis Manikas and the sense of renewal is obvious.
Santorini has a secret... but we have to share it.
It opened in 2004 and soon became one of the favourite dining spots in Santorini. It is called Metaxy mas which means.. between us, but it is not a secret any more that this restaurant has a rich menu with almost 40 different dishes and appetizers based on traditional Greek cuisine.
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