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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.

38. Valixoglou Mansion

Brief documentation:

he building was built during the last decade of the 19th century in the district of Agios Vlasios by the tobacco merchant Alexandros Valixoglou, who was a prominent personality of the local community. Valixoglou served as Ecclesiastical Commissioner, Superintendent of Schools and Elder of the Greek Orthodox Community during the last years of the city's Ottoman period. The building was originally designed to function as a residence and does not seem to have changed use since its establishment.
It is a two-storey mansion of urban character, which is built according to the standards of neoclassicism. The exterior of the building is constructed with absolute symmetry and includes simple decoration, such as false pillars with false capitals, a cornice between the first and second floors, as well as the coronation of the wall and arched decorations above the windows and the main entrance.
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 built during the last decade of the 19th century in the district of Agios Vlasios by the tobacco merchant Alexandros Valixoglou, a prominent personality of the local community. Valixoglou served as Ecclesiastical Commissioner, Superintendent of Schools and Elder of the Greek Orthodox Community during the last years of the city's Ottoman period. The building was originally designed to function as a residence and does not seem to have changed use since its establishment.

Elements of architecture:

It is a two-storey mansion of urban character, which is built according to the standards of neoclassicism. The exterior of the building is constructed with absolute symmetry and includes simple decoration, such as false pillars with false capitals, a cornice between the first and second floors, as well as the coronation of the wall and arched decorations above the windows and the main entrance.

Description of other elements:

In front of the building there is a small courtyard, surrounded by an iron courtyard, which is decorated with propellers and spears.

Purpose - Use: Residence

Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/3056/48055, Government Gazette 7691/90

Dating (period): Late 19th century

Year of construction: 1890s

Location of the monument: 41.14076836571157, 24.885488688146538

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 – DEAX, Xanthi 2009
•    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. 167

 Address: Agiou Vlasiou 13

Visitable: No

 

37. Karabetsis Mansion 37. Karabetsis Mansion 39. Michaloglou Mansions 39. Michaloglou Mansions
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