What I can see

It was a building owned by Alexandros Afentoulis, which is why it was originally called Afentoulis Mansion. It was a neoclassical building, but after the war it was radically renovated, especially in the interior, and according to Professor Eleni Fessa-Emmanouel, it acquired a “classical-modern” form. This was an architectural trend of the time for private “prestigious buildings”.

What I can't see

The pre-war building was one of the first in which reinforced concrete was used for its construction. Although reinforced concrete could support the balconies and shelter the building, the owner demanded marble corbels under the balconies and a tiled roof. This demand is indicative of the hesitancy for modern solutions and aesthetic interventions at that time. It operated for many decades as a hotel, initially under the name “Georgios” and then “Ilion Pallas”, “Splendid” and “Athénée Palace” or “Athinaion Melathron”. Meanwhile, the ground floor housed some of the city’s historical stores.

Info

• Address: 1 Kolokotroni & Stadiou St.

Bibliography