82. Mansion of Bey – Center for Social Protection and Solidarity of the Municipality of Xanthi
Brief documentation:
Originally the building must have been built, probably in the middle of the 19th century, to function as the residence of an Ottoman Bey. From 1923 to 1992 the National Orphanage for Girls was housed here, initially to host about 120 orphaned girls (6-18 years old) of refugees from Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace. The orphaned boys lived in the Orphanage for Boys of Xanthi, which operated in the Monastery of Pammegistoi Taxiarchs (today's Ecclesiastical School). Since the mid-1990s, this building houses the General State Archives and the Center for Social Protection and Solidarity of the Municipality of Xanthi.
It is a typical 19th century konak, which is built in the district of Sunne. The district at that time was home to Sunni Muslims and administrative officials of the Ottoman state.
The building is a typical example of the traditional architecture of the Balkan area of the Ottoman period. It consists of two floors, which are built in a "Π" shape, a typology that is particularly common in the Balkan area during the 19th century.
Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST
History:
Originally the building must have been built to function as a residence. From 1923 to 1992 it housed the National Orphanage for Girls, initially to host about 120 orphaned girls (6-18 years old) of refugees from Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace. The orphaned boys lived in the Orphanage for Boys of Xanthi, which operated in the Monastery of Pammegistoi Taxiarchs (today's Ecclesiastical School). Since the mid-1990s, this area houses the General State Archives and the Center for Social Protection and Solidarity of the Municipality of Xanthi.
It is a typical 19th century konak, which is built in the district of Sunne, which at that time was the place of residence of Sunni Muslims and administrative officials of the Ottoman state.
Elements of architecture:
It consists of two floors, which are built in the shape of a Π, a typology that is particularly common in the Balkan area during the 19th century.
Description of other elements:
The present building is a typical example of traditional architecture of the Balkan area of the Ottoman period.
Purpose - Use: Residence, School building, Administrative building
Characterization: MD YPO/DILAP/G/218/9600, Government Gazette 165/Β/1995-03-10
Dating (period): Probably mid-19th century
Year of construction: Probably mid-19th century
Location of the monument: 41.14036951332065, 24.885741162372177
Bibliographic references:
• "Xanthi the city with a thousand colors", Dimitris Mavridis (ed.), Cultural Development Center of Thrace, 2008
• "Houses of Xanthi", Dimitris Mavridis, Municipal Development Enterprise of Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, 2009
Address: Eleftheriou Venizelou 30
Visitable: No