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The Elders’ council of Xanthi and its representatives
The route is about 2 km long, lasts about 60 minutes and is of moderate difficulty. It starts from the district of Agios Vlasios and ends at the district of Akathist Hymn. In it, the visitor will have the opportunity to learn through the buildings about the Greek Orthodox community, the Elders of Xanthi, the most important elders, as well as about buildings related to the activity of the community.

The Elders’ council was the administrative system of the Greek Orthodox community during the Ottoman Empire. The elders, otherwise known as provosts or kodjabashis, were unpaid or salaried representatives, elected by Christians with the approval of the Ottomans. On the one hand, they facilitated the administration and collection of taxes on behalf of the Ottomans and, on the other, they administered the community, took care of its schools, managed the revenues of churches, monasteries and community property, resolved court issues and imposed penitentiary penalties. President of the Elders’ council was the Metropolitan of Xanthi and Peritheoriou. Active metropolitans were Eugenios (1792-1848) and Ioakeim Sgouros (1864-1912). In Xanthi, the Elders met at the Church of Timios Prodromos and later at the Metropolitan Mansion. The schools of the Elders’ council consisted of the Stalios Kindergarten, the Matsinis School, while a school also operated in the courtyard of Agios Vlasios. Well-known names who served as Elders are Michaloglou, Valixoglou, Karabetsis, Chasirtzoglou, Stalios, Sigalas, Matsinis, Velios, Ladas, Stavropoulos etc. Many of them served as ecclesiastical commissioners in the various churches of the city, as curators/teachers of schools, while their benefactions and donations to the Greek Orthodox community of Xanthi were important.

04. Metropolitan Mansion

Brief documentation:

The Metropolitan Mansion was built in 1897, at the request of Metropolitan Joachim Sgouros in 1892 in the Greek community Council of the city. The Mansion was built to house the services of the Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, which until then was housed in a private house, but also to be the residence of each Metropolitan. The Metropolitan Palace continues to have the same function uninterruptedly, from its foundation until today.

According to the Minutes of the Council, the money required for its construction would come a) from the amounts due to a loan from the Ottoman authorities to Greek residents of the area and b) from the withholding of a daily wage from the tobacco workers, which would be made after consultation of the Council with the local tobacco merchants. The Metropolitan Mansion is a neoclassical building, with an imposing appearance and absolute symmetry of facades and floor plans. The false pediments in the windows of the upper floor, as well as the imposing entrance, with the arched lintels and the large balcony characterize the main façade of the building.

Inside there is a spacious hall, as well as reception areas for visitors and listening rooms. On the back, north side of the building, in the large window of the staircase there is an impressive skylight, painted with the technique of stained glass.

The building has similarities to the metropolitan mansion in Ohrid in the state of North Macedonia and may have been built by the same architect. The building was renovated in 1998 at the expense of the State.

Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST

History:

The Metropolitan Mansion was built in 1897, at the request of Metropolitan Joachim Sgouros in 1892 in the Greek community Council of the city. The Mansion was built to house the services of the Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, but also to be the residence of each Metropolitan. The Metropolitan Mansion continues to operate uninterruptedly, from its establishment until today.

Elements of architecture:

It is a neoclassical building, with an imposing appearance and absolute symmetry of facades and floor plans. The false pediments in the windows of the upper floor, as well as the imposing entrance, with the arched lintels and the large balcony characterize the main façade of the building. Inside there is a spacious hall, as well as reception areas for visitors and listening rooms. The building has similarities with the metropolitan mansion in Ohrid in the state of North Macedonia and may have been built by the same architect. The building was renovated in 1998 at the expense of the State.

Description of other elements:

On the back, north side of the building, in the large window of the staircase there is an impressive skylight, painted with the technique of stained glass.

Purpose - Use: Church building

Characterization: Preserved, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/11/63051, Government Gazette 73/86

Dating (period): Late 19th century

Year of construction: 1897

Monument location: 41.144454084213855, 24.88792894720306

Bibliographic references:

•    Dimitris Mavridis, Angelophylaktos Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, Xanthi 2007
•    ΠP. Kalafatis, Minutes of the Eldership, Code A', Session V of 19 June 1892, p. 21.

 Address: Mitropolitou Anthimou 1

Visitable: No

 

03. Stalios Kindergarten – 1st Kindergarten of Xanthi 03. Stalios Kindergarten – 1st Kindergarten of Xanthi 05. Matsinis School – 1st Primary School 05. Matsinis School – 1st Primary School
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