Centre of Byzantine Research of A.U.Th.- Osman Ali Bey Villa
The Osman Ali Bey Villa, which now houses the Centre of Byzantine Research of A.U.Th., has many Neoclassical and Renaissance elements.
Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )
1914 Turns into Bulgarian Consulate. A year later (WWI), consuls of Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey and Germany were arrested by French and English forces. Turns into French military headquarters.
1922 It housed the Melissa orphanage. 20 years later, it is occupied by the Germans. After the end of the war, the orphanage reopened here.
1966 The Centre for Byzantine Research was founded.
Ottoman era (1453- 1912)
1896 Constructed by the Turkish merchant Osman Ali Bey.
1908 Bought by a Bulgarian Attaché on behalf of the Bulgarian state and four years later hosted the king of Bulgaria Ferdinand.
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 rectangle building has a basement, two floors and an attic. During restoration works ceiling paintings were revealed, which had been covered with paint. Moreover, its overall architectural value was exposed, with its many neoclassical (e.g. half-columns) and renaissance elements (e.g. double staircase). Despite the fact that the first owner was a Turk, the trend towards European standards, with ancient references is clearly visible. Today, it belongs to the orphanage “Melissa” (1922-1977) and houses the Centre for Byzantine Research of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, together with all its functional areas (libraries, offices, classrooms).
What I can't see
Before the coastline’s embankment, the courtyard of the mansion reached the sea. During the First World War, it was used as the headquarters of the French. Today, the purpose of the Centre of Byzantine Research of AUTH is research in Byzantine history, literature, theology, archaeology, art and Byzantine law, the promotion of Byzantine culture, specialisation of scientists, training research experts and the collaboration with foreign scientific institutions.
Info
- Address: 36 Vas. Olgas St.
- Postal Code : 54641
- Phone: +30 2310 992002, 992003
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.kbe.auth.gr/
Bibliography
Ζafeiris Ch., (2014), Θεσσαλονίκη, η παρουσία των απόντων, η κληρονομιά Ρωμαίων, Μουσουλμάνων, Εβραίων, Ντονμέδων, Φράγκων, Αρμενίων και Σλάβων, [Thessaloniki, the presense of the absent, the heritage of Romans, Muslims, Jews, Doenme, Franks, Armenians and Slavs], Thessaloniki: Epikentro
Ζafeiris Ch., (2006), Θεσσαλονίκης τοπιογραφία, [Thessaloniki’s landscape], Thessaloniki: Epikentro
Center for Byzantine Research, (2011), Home,
http://www.kbe.auth.gr/
Lastvisit: 21/8/2015
Collective work, (1985), Νεώτερα Μνημεία της Θεσσαλονίκης, [Modern Monuments of Thessaloniki], Ministry of Culture
