Epirotes in Xanthi
This route is about 1 km long, lasts about 50 minutes and is of low difficulty. Through the route, the visitor will be able to get a taste of Epirus in Xanthi and admire the architectural mastery of the famous stone masons of Epirus.

The contribution of these builders to the reconstruction of old Xanthi was significant after the catastrophic earthquake of 1829 and is also associated with the settlement of other families from Epirus in Xanthi in the 19th century (e.g. notary and insurer Stefanos Blatsios, pediatrician Konstantinos Karabetsis, doctor Georgios Maletsidis etc.).

The craftsmen of Epirus built churches, houses, fountains and bridges in the city and the region, as well as carved stone reliefs found in temples and houses (e.g. crosses, figures of saints, etc.). Finally, the people of Epirus are associated with commissions and dedications of icons and other relics in the temples of old Xanthi. For example, the Epirote Georgios Kagialidis dedicated to the Metropolitan Church the icon of St. George in Ioannina.

36. Shop and house – Bookstore 2

Brief documentation:

The building was built during the period 1880-1890 in the district of Agios Vlasios, on one of the most central shopping streets of the city at that time.
The building was designed from the beginning so as to house a commercial store on the ground floor and a residence on the first floor. It has not changed use since its establishment, as the ground floor area has been used to house various kinds of shops (furniture shop, bookstore).
Today's Eleftheriou Venizelou Street was formerly called Chrysa street, as it led to Chrysa, a suburb of Xanthi, and had a commercial character, something that is perceived by the various kinds of shops that are located until today. The building is two-storey, of simple architecture, designed to be used as a shop on the ground floor and a residence on the first floor. It is constructed with carved stonework, with the characteristic local granite. In all likelihood, the construction of the building was carried out by a group of Koudareoi (Epirote) craftsmen. The commercial function of the building determined its morphological characteristics, as it includes symmetrical arched openings on the ground floor (entrance and shop window), which are covered with large iron shutters.
Above the entrance and the windows of the ground floor there is a canopy, which is based on metal supports. On the windows of the first floor there are elaborate ironwork.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST


History:

The building was built during the period 1880-1890 in the district of Agios Vlasios, on one of the most central shopping streets of the city at that time.
The building was designed from the beginning so as to house a commercial store on the ground floor and a residence on the first floor. It has not changed use since its establishment, as the ground floor area has been used to house various kinds of shops (furniture shop, bookstore).
Today's Eleftheriou Venizelou Street was formerly called Chrysa Street, as it led to Chrysa, a suburb of Xanthi, and had a commercial character, something that is perceived by the various kinds of shops that are located until today.


Elements of architecture:

It is a two-storey building, of simple architecture, designed to be used as a shop on the ground floor and a residence on the first floor. It is constructed with carved stonework, with the characteristic local granite. In all likelihood, the construction of the building was carried out by a group ofKoudareoi (Epirote) craftsmen. 
The commercial function of the building determined its morphological characteristics, as it includes symmetrical arched openings on the ground floor (entrance and shop window), which are covered with large iron shutters.


Description of other elements:

Above the entrance and the windows of the ground floor there is a canopy, which is based on metal supports. On the windows of the first floor there are elaborate ironwork.


Purpose - Use: Residence ,Commercial space


Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/2387/42584, Government Gazette 567/92 - Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Education, Category "A", Decision 5385, Government Gazette 1097/95


Dating (period): Late 19th century


Year of construction: 1880-1890


Location of the monument: 41.14015077872336, 24.886255595530887


Bibliographic references:

•    Xanthi. The city with a thousand colors, Municipality of Xanthi – P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2008


 Address: Eleftheriou Venizelou 29


Visitable: Yes

 

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