Benefactors of the Greek Orthodox community of Xanthi
This route is about 2 km, about 60 minutes and of moderate difficulty. In it, the visitor will be able to tour buildings of architectural or religious interest at the same time, which were either built thanks to the donation of a benefactor from Xanthi, or are related to the residence or shop of the benefactor's family.

The role of benefactors was particularly important for the Greek Orthodox Christian populations during the Ottoman period, since they took care of the construction and decoration of schools, churches and buildings of public character (e.g. clubs) and thus contributed to the preservation of the ethnic and religious identity of the community.

The visitor starts from the chapel of Zoodochos Pigi on Lefkou Pyrgou Street and ends at the chapel of Agia Paraskevi in the heart of the old town. Along the way he will learn about the tobacco benefactors An. Sigalas, P. Stalios, M. Matsinis, the Kougioumtzoglou family, the teacher D. Chasirtzoglou, M. Floris etc. He will also "meet" the metropolitans of Xanthi and Peritheoriou Eugenios, under whose guidance and encouragement the churches of the old town were rebuilt and decorated after the catastrophic earthquake of 1829, and Ioakeim Sgouros, who rebuilt the Metropolitan Mansion and part of the monasteries.

Important were also the donations of professional guilds to the churches, such as the shoemakers' and the cobblers’ unions, which donated to the church of Akathist Hymn the icon of the Holy Trinity, or of Epirotan G. Kagialidis, who dedicated to the Metropolitan Church the icon of St. George of Ioannina, or of the Velios family, who donated several icons to Kavaki.

24. Greek Community Club – F.E.X. House of Culture

Brief documentation:

This building was built in the early years of the 20th century, during the Ottoman administration, to house the Club of the Greek Orthodox Community of the city. The construction of the building was funded through fundraisers to the members of the Greek Orthodox Community, while it is said that the building was donated by the benefactor of the city, tobacco merchant Michael Matsinis.
After the accession of the area to the Greek state, it became the property of the Greek state, and then passed into the ownership of the Municipality of Xanthi. Until 1937 the Commercial Club was housed there, and then until 1955 the Military Club. From that year until the early 1970s, the first floor of the building was used for the needs of the newly founded municipal library, while the ground floor functioned as a venue for events of the Progressive Union of Xanthi (F.E.X.). Today the building has a similar use, as here is the House of Culture of F.E.X. and various actions, events and concerts take place.
It is a two-storey, grandiose building of the early 20th century. It is built in neoclassical style and is a typical example of a community building of the last years of the Ottoman period. In the corner part of the façade of the building there are decorative pseudo-pilaster surrounds, which are located just below the coronation of the masonry. On the ground floor of the building there is a spacious hall, which used to be the lounge of the Club.
The building is located at a central point of the traditional settlement, on one of the main shopping streets of the city during the late Ottoman period.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL/HISTORICAL/CULTURAL/FOLKLORE INTEREST


History:

This building was built in the early years of the 20th century, to house the Club of the Greek Orthodox Community of the city. The construction of the building was funded through fundraisers to the members of the Greek Orthodox Community, while it is said that the building was donated by the benefactor of the city, tobacco merchant Michael Matsinis. After the accession of the area to the Greek state, it became the property of the Greek state, and then passed into the ownership of the Municipality of Xanthi. Until 1937 the Commercial Club was housed there, and then until 1955 the Military Club. From that year until the early 1970s, the first floor of the building was used for the needs of the newly founded municipal library, while the ground floor functioned as a venue for events of the Progressive Union of Xanthi (F.E.X.). Today the building still has a similar use, as here is the House of Culture of F.E.X. and there are various actions, events and concerts taking place.


Elements of architecture:

It is a two-storey, grandiose building of the early 20th century. It is built in neoclassical style and is a typical example of a community building of the last years of the Ottoman period. In the corner part of the façade of the building there are decorative pseudo-pilaster surrounds, which are located just below the coronation of the masonry. On the ground floor of the building there is a spacious hall, which used to be the lounge of the Club.
The building is located at a central point of the traditional settlement, on one of the main shopping streets of the city during the late Ottoman period.


Description of other elements:

The building occupies exactly the space it has and therefore does not have a rectangular floor plan. It has a very special triangular balcony in the floor.


Purpose - Use: Cultural Area


Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/1390/19720, Government Gazette 523/86


Dating (period): Early 20th century


Year of construction: 1902


Location of the monument: 41.14253224319719, 24.887568068826543


Bibliographic references:

•    Dimitris Mavridis, Houses of Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou – DEAX, Xanthi 2009
•    Dimitris Mavridis, Angelophylaktos Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, Xanthi 2007
•    Thomas Exarchou, Islets of Xanthi City 1, P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2002
•    Katsari-Vafiadis, J. Ed. 2023. "History and recording of the neoclassical buildings of the traditional settlement". Xanthi: Municipality of Xanthi, p. 87


 Address: Filippou Amiridi 12 and Mavromichali


Visitable: No

 

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