What I can see

This old hotel is of eclectic order, with a ground floor, 3 floors and a loft. It was designed by Georgios Kambanellos and the symmetry of the openings on the facades is characteristic. The openings of the balconies have skylights and the balconies of the first floor have different railings compared to the other floors (placed in a built frame), a quite common practice at that time, probably to emphasize the different use of the floor. Marble corbels support the balconies and marble dentils support the cornice. The only clear decorative element is the decorative strip with geometric patterns under the cornice which runs through the building.

What I can't see

It was one of the interwar hotels, when Thessaloniki aspired to play a key role in the Balkans. One of the most serious disadvantages was the lack of rooms with their own bathroom. Nevertheless, it was considered one of the city’s best hotels. In the interior, the original wooden frames, floors and railings have been preserved, while the ceilings bear plaster relief decorations. The pacifist MP Grigorios Lambrakis stayed here before he was murdered by parastatals outside the hotel. These days, the Cosmopolite Hotel houses the Social Centre/Immigrant Shelter.

Info

• Address: Spandoni & Ermou St.

Bibliography