09. Mansion – Municipal Art Gallery
Brief documentation:
The building was built by the tobacco trading family Kalevras, probably around the middle of the 19th century. It is one of the oldest surviving mansions in the city. In 1993 the descendants of the family sold the mansion to the Municipality of Xanthi. Since then it houses the Municipal Art Gallery of the city, named "Christos Pavlidis".
Ch. Pavlidis (1913-1998) was one of the first painters of the city, he painted "naturally" and thematically chose landscape painting, still life and portraiture. The Municipal Art Gallery now hosts works by him and other artists, while various events take place there, especially during the Old Xanthi Festivals.
The building is a typical example of popular Macedonian architecture of the 19th century. It includes stone masonry on the foundation and the ground floor with wooden frames and a wooden wall on the first floor, where there are several windows. Also, on the first floor of the building there are the characteristic protrusions, the so-called sachnisi, which, in addition to the decorative role they perform, also satisfy basic functional needs of the building, as they add additional space on the first floor.
The interior is decorated with ceiling paintings and wood-carved decorative elements.
Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL/HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL/FOLKLORE INTEREST
History:
The building was built by the tobacco trading family Kalevras, probably around the middle of the 19th century. Its value is particularly important, as it is one of the oldest surviving mansions in the city. In 1993 the descendants of the family sold the mansion to the Municipality of Xanthi. Since then it houses the Municipal Art Gallery of the city, which bears the name"Christos Pavlidis".
Ch. Pavlidis (Antalya 1913 – Xanthi 1998) was one of the first painters of the city, he painted " naturally " and thematically chose landscape painting, still life and portraiture. Ch. Pavlidis and his daughter donated many works of the painter to the Municipality. The Municipal Art Gallery today hosts works by other Xanthi artists and not only, while various events take place there, especially during the Old Xanthi Festivals.
Elements of architecture:
The building is a typical example of popular Macedonian architecture of the 19th century. It includes stone masonry on the foundation and the ground floor and a wooden wall on the first floor. The stone wall of the ground floor includes a reinforcing horizontal wooden binding. On the first floor of the building there are several windows, which are framed by simple, wooden frames. On the first floor of the building there are the characteristic protrusions, the so-called sachnisi, which, in addition to the decorative role they perform, also satisfy basic functional needs of the building, as they add additional space to the floor. Inside the building there is a staircase, which leads to the central hall around which the rooms of the house are organized with a typical layout.
Description of other elements:
The interior of the mansion is decorated with ceiling paintings and wood-carved decorative elements.
Purpose - Use: Residence, Cultural space
Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/776/12456, Government Gazette 215/88
Dating (period): Mid-19th century
Year of construction: Mid-19th century
Monument location: 41.14345200350316, 24.88815341571298
Bibliographic references:
• Xanthi. The city with a thousand colors, Municipality of Xanthi – P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2008
• Thomas Exarchou, Islets s Polis Xanthi 2, P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2003
• Christos Pavlidis, Municipal Art Gallery of Xanthi, 2022 https://pinakothiki.cultureofxanthi.gr/artists/christos-pavlidis/
Address: Orfeos 22 and Pindarou
Visitable: No