Neoclassical and eclectic buildings of old Xanthi

The route is about 1 km long, lasts about 60 minutes and is of low difficulty. It starts from Michaloglou mansions and ends approximately next to the river Kosynthos. In it, the visitor has the opportunity to get acquainted with the styles of neoclassicism and eclecticism, as expressed in numerous buildings of old Xanthi.

Neoclassicism emerged 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. In Xanthi, influences from neoclassicism (e.g. absolute symmetry, verticality) are recognized, while individual elements bear influences from 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).

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16. Matsopoulos House

Brief documentation:

This house was built in the decade 1890-1900, by the doctor George Matsopoulos. Since 1894, Matsopoulos settled in Komotini and was persecuted during the First World War by the Bulgarian conquerors of the city. In 1920 he was elected MP for Rodopi. He was honored for his work by the Prime Minister of the country Eleftherios Venizelos, with the medal of the "Cross of the Order of King George I". Until today this building has been used as a residence.
It is a neoclassical, two-storey building, narrow-faced and coated with red paint. The construction of chiseled, local granite, as can be seen in the semi-basement, becomes obvious. All openings of the semi-basement and ground floor have visible stone frames. On the windows of the lower floor there is simple, decorative wrought ironwork. Access to the first floor is by a wooden staircase, while the skylight above the entrance door ensures the illumination of the staircase.
This building, like others on Antika Street, has served as a backdrop for filming television and film productions, thanks to the aroma of a bygone era that they preserve and emit. Among these productions is the series directed by Kostas Koutsomitis, which brought to the television screen the book "Bloody soils" by Dido Sotiriou and several shootings took place in this building.

Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST

History:

This house was built in the decade 1890-1900, by the doctor George Matsopoulos, son-in-law of the landowner Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos, who was married to Eleni Kougioumtzoglou. Since 1894, Matsopoulos settled in Komotini and was persecuted during the First World War by the Bulgarian conquerors of the city.
In 1920 he was elected MP for Rodopi. He was honored for his work by the Prime Minister of the country Eleftherios Venizelos, with the medal of the "Cross of the Order of King George I". Until today this building has been used as a residence.

Elements of architecture:

It is a neoclassical, two-storey building, narrow-faced and coated with red paint. The construction of chiseled, local granite, as can be seen in the semi-basement, becomes obvious. All openings of the semi-basement and ground floor have visible stone frames. On the windows of the lower floor there is simple, decorative wrought ironwork. Access to the first floor is by a wooden staircase, while the skylight above the door entrance ensures the illumination of the staircase.

Description of other elements:

This building, like others on Antika Street, has served as a backdrop for filming television and film productions, thanks to the aroma of a bygone era that they preserve and emit. Among these productions is the series directed by Kostas Koutsomitis, which brought to the television screen the book "Bloody soils" by Dido Sotiriou and several shootings took place in this building.

Purpose - Use: Residence

Characterization: ΥMATH/5385/24-11-1995, ΦΕΚ 1097/Δ/1995

Dating (period): Last decade of the 19th century

Year of construction: 1890-1900

Monument location: 41.14356, 24.88794

Bibliographic references:

• D. Mavridis (ed.). Xanthi, the city with a thousand colors. Xanthi, PAKETHRA 2008, p. 191

Address: Antikas 4

Visitable: No