The benefactors of the Greek Orthodox community of Xanthi
The route is about 2 km long, lasts about 80 minutes and is of moderate difficulty. In it, the visitor will be able to tour buildings of architectural or religious interest, which were either built thanks to the funding/donation of a Xanthi benefactor, or are related to the residence/shop of the benefactor's family.

The role of benefactors was particularly important for the Greek Orthodox Christian populations during the Ottoman period, since they took care of the construction of schools, churches and buildings of public character (e.g. clubs) and preserved through them the ethnic and religious identity of the community.

The visitor, starting from the chapel of Zoodochos Pigi on Lefkou Pyrgou Street and ending at Kavaki, will learn about the tobacco merchants-benefactors Sigalas, Stalios, Matsinis, Kougioumtzoglou, Chasirtzoglou, Michael Floris who rebuilt the Church of Agios Vlasios and the metropolitans of Xanthi and Peritheoriou Eugenios and Ioakeim Sgouros, who rebuilt or renovated churches, the Metropolitan mansion and the monasteries in the suburban forest.

Important were the donations of icons of professional guilds to churches, such as the union of cobblers and shoemakers, or the Epirote Georgios Kagialidis or the elders of the Velios family. There are many more known and unknown benefactors, whose donations and work we can admire today through their material remains.

01. Mansion of M. Chasirtzoglou

Brief documentation:

The building was built during the 1890s by Menandros Chasirtzoglou (1861-1934), who belonged to one of the oldest and largest families in the city. M. Chasirtzoglou was involved in the tobacco trade and was a senior official of the Ottoman state. He served for many years as a municipal elder, ecclesiastical commissioner, as well as consul of Austria-Hungary in Xanthi. The consulate of Austria-Hungary (one of 4 that existed in the old Xanthi) was housed in his residence.

It is a majestic, two-storey residence, which draws influences from the architectural standards of eclecticism. The building combines particularly harmoniously the stonework of local gray granite with wooden masonry. The arched entrance of the mansion and the window frames are also made of granite, while the ground floor windows, and the lintel of the main entrance are covered with elaborate ironwork.

On the back side of the building there is a large courtyard. At a later stage, the buildings next to the mansion were built, which were used as auxiliary spaces. Inside the building there is a bath (hammam).


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST


History:

The building was built during the 1890s by Menandros Chasirtzoglou (1861-1934), who belonged to one of the oldest and largest families in the city. He was involved in the tobacco trade and was a senior official of the Ottoman state. He served for many years as a municipal elder, ecclesiastical commissioner, as well as consul of Austria-Hungary in Xanthi. The consulate of Austria-Hungary was housed in his residence. In 1983 the descendants of the family sold the house to Dr. T. Asimidis. In 1993 the building was purchased by the Municipality of Xanthi. In the following years, various municipal services were housed there, such as the Municipal Development Company of Xanthi (DEAX), the Cultural Center and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Municipality.


Elements of architecture:

It is a majestic, two-storey residence, which draws influences from the architectural standards of eclecticism. The building combines particularly harmoniously the stonework of local granite with wooden masonry. The arched entrance of the mansion and the window frames are also made of granite, while the ground floor windows and the lintel of the main entrance is covered with elaborate ironwork. On the back side of the building there is a large courtyard.


Description of other elements:

At a later stage, the buildings next to the mansion were built, which were used as auxiliary spaces. Inside the building there is a bath (hammam).


Purpose - Use: Residence


Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Education, Category "B", Decision 5385, Government Gazette 1097/D/1995


Dating (period): 1890s


Year of construction: 1890s


Monument location: 41.14526334614395, 24.887548416740803


Bibliographic references:

•    Dimitris Mavridis, Houses of Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou – DEAX, Xanthi 2009

•    Dimitris Mavridis, Angelophylaktos Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, Xanthi 2007


 Address: Matsini 8


Visitable: No

 

Print
image
Terms Of UsePrivacy StatementCopyright 2024 by Municipality of Xanthi
Back To Top