Artists in Old Xanthi

The route is about 1.3 km long, lasts about 50 minutes and is of low difficulty.

On this route the visitor will have the opportunity to visit houses, buildings and churches, which are related to the artistic activity of the city in the present and the past. Houses in which an influential artistic figure of the place lived or was active, such as the painter Aik. Stavropoulou, the well-known composer Manos Hadjidakis, the photographer N. Paraschos or the architect G. Nikoletopoulos.

In other buildings of the route one can admire works of traditional architecture or art of contemporary Xanthi’s artists, the space of their workshops, such as the Municipal Art Gallery or the House of Shadow respectively.

Points Expand/Collapse

19. Bachzetzis House

Brief documentation:

The building was built around 1880, by the gardener by profession Konstantinos Bachzetzis. In 1979 this building was bought by the well-known composer Manos Hadjidakis, having returned to his hometown to organize here the new institution of "Music Festivals". He bought the building to serve the organizational needs of the institution. Eventually he was unable to complete the project, as there was no support from the local authorities, and in 1982 the building was sold again. Until today the building remains uninhabited.
It is a simple, two-storey building made of stonework made of hewn local granite. It has a semi-basement, ground floor and first floor. A stone cornice separates the floors of the main façade, and hollow cornices surround the roof.
The main façade of the building is coated with mortar that mimics the isodomic system. Of particular interest is the raised, curved skylight above the entrance, as well as the elaborate iron bars on the windows, made of cast iron in local workshops of the time and protecting the openings.

Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST

History:

The building was built around 1880, by the gardener by profession Konstantinos Bachzetzis. In 1979 this building was bought by the well-known composer Manos Hadjidakis, having returned to his hometown to organize here the new institution of "Music Festivals". He bought the building to serve the organizational needs of the institution. Eventually he was unable to complete the project, as there was no support from the local authorities, and in 1982 the building was sold again.
Until today the building remains uninhabited.

Elements of architecture:

It is a simple, two-storey building made of stonework made of hewn local granite. It has a semi-basement, ground floor and first floor.
A stone cornice separates the floors of the main façade, and hollow cornices surround the roof.
Of particular interest is the raised, curved skylight above the entrance, as well as the elaborate iron bars on the windows, made of cast iron in local workshops of the time and protecting the openings.

Description of other elements:

Its main façade is coated with mortar imitating the isodomic system.

Purpose - Use: Residence, Cultural space

Characterization: Preserved, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/11/63051, Government Gazette 73/86

Dating (period): Late 19th century

Year of construction: Around 1880

Monument location: 41.14379, 24.88767

Bibliographic references:

• V. Aivaliotis. "Blonde, sweet stepmother." Xanthi: PAKETHRA 2007, p. 59

Address: Antikas 11

Visitable: No