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.

64. Mavromichalis House

Brief documentation:

The building was built in the second half of the 19th century by the Mavromichalis family. In this building Georgios Mavromichalis lived, who was Councilor during the Ottoman period of the city and Mayor of the city after the integration of the area into the Greek state, during the period 1922-1924. In 1935 his wife Irene sold her share of the inheritance (1/4 of the house).
It is an imposing three-storey building, which is built according to the standards of Balkan architecture of the 19th century. The basic building materials of the building are stone, visible on the ground floor of the building, and wood. The building includes stone masonry on the foundation and the ground floor. In the building there are windows and three doors, one on Mavromichali Street (on the first floor level) and another two on Pygmalionos Christidi Street. Ornate ironwork covers the windows of both the first and second floors.
Right next to the building there is a public fountain with an epigram with the date 1874. The upper side of the fountain, which was known as Mavromichali fountain, creates a balcony.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST


History:

he building was designed from the beginning to function as a residence. It does not seem to have changed use since its inception. In 1935 the wife of G. Mavromichalis sold 1/4 of the house to Cleo, wife of Pierros Pierrakos.
It was built in the second half of the 19th century by the Mavromichalis family. In this building Georgios Mavromichalis lived, Councilor during the Ottoman period of the city and mayor after the integration of the area into the Greek state, during the period 1922 – 1924. In 1935 his wife Irene sold her share of the inheritance (1/4 of the house) to Cleo, wife of Pierros Pierrakos.


Elements of architecture:

It is a three-storey imposing building, which is built according to the standards of Balkan architecture of the 19th century. The basic building materials of the building are wood and stone. The building includes stone masonry on the foundation and the ground floor. Ornate ironwork covers the windows of both the first and second floors. Just in front of the building there is a fountain, which has an epigram with the date 1874.


Description of other elements:

t is a large three-storey stone construction. In front of the building there is a fountain, which was built, as mentioned in its dedicatory inscription, by Nektarios, a priest, in 1874. The fountain is known as the Mavromichali fountain.


Purpose - Use: Residence


Characterization: Government Gazette 612B/30-4-1976 and Government Gazette 661/Β/17-5-1976, Government Gazette 1097/14.12-1995


Dating (period): Second half of the 19th century


Year of construction: Second half of the 19th century


Location of the monument: 41.14310003160047, 24.886535849366425


Bibliographic references:

•    Thomas Exarchou, Xanthi: Ten monographs (Benefactors – Donors, Tobacco Merchants and Public Figures, Mansions, Tobacco Warehouses and Buildings, 1891 – 1961), P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2001


 Address:  Mavromichali 24


Visitable: No

 

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