What I can see

The building we see today was built in place of the Jake Abbot’s mansion, an English merchant and landowner. The Turkish architects of the new building (Barouh and Amar) maintained the grid of the façade of the previous building. It has a neo-Baroque style with evident French and neoclassical influences. There have also been later additions (1921, 1924). Among the particular characteristics of the building are the decorative stripes that separate floors and the closed in the ground floor- patio, which is covered by a glass dome. Furthermore, the oldest outdoor sculptures (19th century) in the city are preserved in the courtyard. Two female figures symbolising Economy and Faith and a male figure of Triton. The statues were probably imported from abroad and keeping them, when the building housed the Ottoman Bank, in conjunction with their symbolism, show an effort of the Ottoman Empire to develop a more European profile.

What I can't see

The oldest building, Abbott’s house, was sold to the Ottoman Bank because of financial distress and became its branch. Here, for the first time in Thessaloniki, bank counters were rented out. It was operated with British and French funds and was functioning as a ministry of finance under the supervision of these Great Powers, which were practically ruling the Ottoman Empire. The building was blown up by a Bulgarian anarchist group (Gkemetzides), and the new one was built afterwards. It later on became the property of the Greek State (IKA) and housed the Conservatory of Thessaloniki, which had already been established decades earlier. The purpose of the conservatory was the teaching of European and preservation of Greek music. In addition to education, events, seminars and competitions are held. Attendance is free, it is a member of the European Union of Conservatories, member of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres and since 1987 has been participating in the Mediterranean conservatories meetings.

Info

• Address: 15 Fragkon & L. Sofou St.
• Postal Code : 54625
• Phone: +30 2310 550551, 522157
• Website: http://www.odiokrat.gr/

Bibliography