Eleftherias Park- Cultural Centre
The sculptural layout of the space includes hills, which create a natural landscape.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
1877 Infantry barracks (stone buildings) were built. The Greek army marched for the Balkan wars from here. Venizelos was waving to the soldiers.
1960 At the end of this decade the park was constructed. Designed by Panagiotis Vokotopoulos.
1967 Beginning of the sculpture’s construction. The stone buildings were places of torture by the junta.
1969 The statue was placed.
Ottoman era (1453- 1821)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
The Eleftherias Park is one of the best examples of landscape architecture and one of the very few good architectural works carried out during the Junta in Greece. The sculptural layout of the space includes hills, which create a natural landscape. The sloping shape emphasises the central statue of Eleftherios Venizelos, forming a general monumental composition. Approaching the statue are successive stairways, mediated by plateaus. The 4m bronze statue (work of Giannis Pappas) shows Eleftherios Venizelos in motion, giving liveliness and symbolising his strong political personality. The face is very realistically modelled (the sculptor knew Venizelos personally). The pedestal is made of marble and acclaims for his legislative work are written on it. The park today is mainly dominated by skaters and graffiti.
What I can't see
Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936) was the Prime Minister of the Cretan State before its unification with Greece and seven times Prime Minister of Greece. In World War I he sided with the Entente against the king’s intentions, which caused the National Schism. During his days, he sought the modernisation of the state, doubled the territory of Greece and signed the Treaty of Lausanne, which included the exchange of Greek and Turkish populations after the Greco-Turkish war. Earlier, he had discouraged the unification of Cyprus and the Dodecanese with Greece. Initially, he had the warm support of refugees, for whom he sought to develop a unified urban identity earning political benefits. With the Lausanne Treaty, however, he evened compensations of Greeks with those of the Turks and refugees had lost all hope to return to their ancestral homes. Hence, he lost many supporters, who turned to the popular royalist party. Finally, he was a fierce opponent of communists and anarchists, penalising even their ideas (Special Law).
Info
- Address: Vas. Sofias Av.
- Phone: +30 210 7232603
Bibliography
Yohalas T., Kafetzaki Τ., (2013), Αθήνα, Ιχνηλατώντας την πόλη με οδηγό την ιστορία και τη λογοτεχνία [Athens, Tracing the city guided by history and literature], ESTIA Bookstore
Field observation by scientific editors
Zivas D.A.., (2012), Αρχιτεκτονικός Οδηγός Αθηνών, [Architectural Guide of Athens], Cultural Foundation of Pireos Group
Nikolakopoulos Η. (2003), Οι εκλογές 1910-1920, Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος: από το θρίαμβο στην ήττα, [The elections of 1910-1920, Eleftherios Venizelos: from triumph to defeat], in Ιστορία του Νέου Ελληνισμού, 1770-2000, [The History of Modern Hellinism, 1770-2000], v.6, p.p. 31-40
Papapolyviou P., (2003), Κύπρος 1909-1922, Η «πολιτική κρίση» του 1912, στο Ιστορία του Νέου Ελληνισμού, 1770-2000, [Cyprus 1909-1922, The “political crisis” of 1912] in Ιστορία του Νέου Ελληνισμού, 1770-2000, [The History of Modern Hellinism, 1770-2000], v.6, p.p.295-308
Choumerianos M., (2003), Από το ΣΕΚΕ στο ΚΚΕ, το Εργατικό Κίνημα στο Μεσοπόλεμο, [From SEKE to KKE, the Labour Movement in the Interwar], in Ιστορία του Νέου Ελληνισμού, 1770-2000, [The History of Modern Hellinism, 1770-2000], v.7, p.p.47-64
