Ioniki Bank
Former Ioniki Bank is an impressive building of neoclassical architecture on Pesmazoglou Street.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
1911 Constructed.
1916 Extended towards Stadiou Street.
1958 It was merged with the neighbouring building of the then Laiki Bank, also a work of Anastasios Metaxas (1927), with serious changes to its interior. The merger of the two buildings was designed by Konstantinos Kambanelis.
1983 Listed.
1999 The two buildings were restored and re-separated with "surgical" precision.
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 building of the former Ioniki Bank (now owned by another, well-known bank) follows the neoclassical tripartite arrangement of base-main body-crowning, and consists of a semi-basement, an elevated ground floor and 2 floors. It is considered a work of late neoclassicism, designed by Anastasios Metaxas. However, it is also considered a work of modernized eclecticism, as it includes Jugendstil and Art Deco elements.
What I can't see
It is one of the symbols of the transition from the building simplicity to the large buildings of the metropolises of the time; in this case, neoclassicism worked as a conventional architectural “garment”, preparing the ground for a new architecture, which, in addition to morphology, also had to do with the size of the buildings and the layout of their spaces. Those years, this type of neoclassicism was criticized for being overloaded. On the occasion of this particular building, Solon Kydoniatis had said that it is “alien to Athenian simplicity”. Its most recent restoration was carried out with great care and respect for the original layout, decoration, colours and the role of proper lighting. Over the central trading hall, a skylight with stained glass covers the entire surface of the ceiling’s central part.
Info
- Address: 12 Pesmazoglou St.
Bibliography
https://archaeologia.eie.gr/archaeologia/gr/arxeio_more.aspx?id=223
Last visit 10/3/2025
Zivas D.A.., (2012), Αρχιτεκτονικός Οδηγός Αθηνών, [Architectural Guide of Athens], Cultural Foundation of Pireos Group
Technical Chamber of Greece, (2000), Athens, London, Paris, TCG,
http://www.culture2000.tee.gr/ATHENS/GREEK/main2.html
Last visit 10/3/2025
Filippidis D., (2009), Οικοδομικό Τετράγωνο 19, η παρουσία της Alpha Bank στο κέντρο της Αθήνας, [Building Block 19, the Alpha Bank presence in the centre of Athens], Alpha Bank
