Neoclassical and eclectic buildings of Old Xanthi
This route is about 3 km, about 80 minutes and of moderate difficulty. It starts from Antikas Square and ends at the border of the old town with the modern city to the west. Through this route, the visitor has the opportunity to get to know the practice of neoclassicism and eclecticism, as expressed in about 50 buildings of old Xanthi.

Neoclassicism appeared in the 18th and 19th centuries and is strongly influenced by the principles governing the architecture of classical antiquity. The buildings are distinguished for the simplicity of their geometric forms, the Doric detail, the simplicity, the absolute symmetry, the dividing lines of the vertical spreads and the pilasters with false capitals at the corners.

Eclecticism, on the other hand, is the architectural style of the 19th and 20th centuries, in which a variety of elements from various eras and styles are selected and used, in a single building. The eclectic buildings in Xanthi are influenced by neoclassicism (e.g. absolute symmetry, verticality), while individual elements are influenced by Art Deco (e.g. strong decorative mood), central Europe (e.g. turret roof configuration or turret development), English Baroque (e.g. the use of red brick) and Romanesque style (e.g. arched openings and curved arches).

41. Metaxas Mansion

Brief documentation:

The building was built in 1900, as evidenced by the dedicatory inscription located above the main entrance, in the area of the districts of Agios Georgios – Agios Vlasios by the tobacco trading family Metaxas.
It is an imposing three-storey mansion of bourgeois character. The architectural style of the building is influenced by neoclassicism. Its exterior includes a number of decorative elements, such as false pillars with false capitals, cornice on the windows, the main entrance and the coronation of the masonry, as well as decorative sculptural elements on the window frames.
The main entrance of the mansion is arched and includes a dedicatory inscription and a ceramic lion's head as a decorative element.
The building has two balconies with ornate ironwork and painting decoration of folk aesthetics on the lower side. The staircase of the entrance is also decorated with a painting depicting the four goddesses of antiquity Athena, Artemis, Hera and Aphrodite.
In front of the building there is a small courtyard, surrounded by an iron courtyard, which is decorated with propellers and spears.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST


History:

The building was erected in 1900, as evidenced by the dedicatory inscription located above the main entrance of the building. It is located in the area of the districts of Agios Georgios – Agios Vlasios and belonged to the homonymous tobacco trading family. The building was originally designed to function as a residence and does not seem to have changed use since its foundation.


Elements of architecture:

It is an imposing three-storey mansion of bourgeois character, which is built according to the standards of neoclassicism. The exterior of the building is constructed with absolute symmetry and includes a number of decorative elements, such as false pillars with false capitals, cornice on the windows, the main entrance and the coronation of the masonry, as well as decorative sculptural elements on the window frames.
The main entrance of the mansion is arched and includes a dedicatory inscription and a ceramic lion's head as a decorative element.


Description of other elements:

The building has two balconies with ornate ironwork, which are decorated with paintings of folk aesthetics in the their underside.
The staircase of the entrance also includes painting decoration depicting the four goddesses of antiquity Athena, Artemis, Hera and Aphrodite. In front of the building there is a small courtyard, surrounded by an iron rail, which is decorated with propellers and spears.


Purpose - Use: Residence


Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Education, Category "A", Decision 5385, Government Gazette 1097/95


Dating (period): Early 20th century


Year of construction: 1900


Location of the monument: 41.141743762449345, 24.885384011219628


Bibliographic references:

•    Dimitris Mavridis, Angelophylaktos Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, Xanthi 2007
•    Dimitris Mavridis, Houses of Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou – D.E.A.X., Xanthi 2009
•    Eleni Kouni, Vasilis Aivaliotis, Sofia Adamantidou, Lefteris Kounis and jewelry in Xanthi, P.A.KE.THRA. – d.e.a.x., Xanthi 2006
•    Xanthi. The city with a thousand colors, MUNICIPALITY OF XANTHI – P.A.KE.THRA., XANTHI 2008
•    Katsari-Vafiadis, J. ed. 2023. "History and recording of the neoclassical buildings of the traditional settlement". Xanthi: MUNICIPALITY OF XANTHI, P. 163


 Address:  Markou Botsari 26


Visitable: No

 

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