Melina Cultural Centre- Charidimos Shadow Theatre Museum

What I can see

It is a noteworthy example of late 19th-century industrial architecture. There are scattered neoclassical elements, such as the windows’ pilasters with Doric capitals. The holes on the building are from the shootings of the 1944 December events of the Greek civil war. Today, it houses the “Melina Merkouri” cultural centre of the Municipality of Athens, which hosts two collections of exceptional importance. The first operates as an independent museum and is the shadow theatre collection of the Charidimos family, which – for three generations – identified its name with shadow theatre and the symbolic folk hero Karagiozis. In the approximately 1000 exhibits, we find figures, fabrics, paintings, sets, sketches, texts, and photographs. The second is the “Travelogue in old Athens”. In this room, an entire Athenian neighbourhood of the early 20th century is represented in natural size, and includes buildings, houses, shops, photographs, and many objects. Moreover, the cultural centre has two additional spaces for periodic exhibitions.

What I can't see

The hat factory (Pilopiion in Greek) belonged to businessman Helias Poulopoulos, which is why it was also known as PIL-POL. Approximately 250 workers used to work here and was one of the most successful industrial units in the country, with a major contribution to the Greek economy. The factory premises were developed around a central atrium. Today, only a part of the complex survives.

Info

• Address: 66 Irakleidon & Thessalonikis St.
• Phone: +30 210 3452150

Bibliography