The cultural and folklore character in Xanthi of yesterday and today
The route is about 800 meters long, lasts about 50 minutes and is of low difficulty. In it, the visitor will come into contact with an incomparably rich cultural character, which Xanthi has highlighted over the years and has been indelibly imprinted on its urban fabric. There are several surviving points that remind and can reconstruct the so-called Belle Époque period (1871-1914), during which the city experienced great economic and artistic flourishing.

The frescoes with Bavarian or German landscapes in the Kougioumtzoglou Mansion and the ceiling paintings with decorative and floral motifs in the Daniel Mansion or the Megha Kin cinema and the "Apollo" theater, in which the French actress Sarah Bernhardt is rumored to have played in some performances, give a taste of the arts of painting and theater, as they were expressed at that time.

On the other hand, dozens of places and buildings function today as expressions of the city's folklore, where artistic events and events of small and large scale take place. Starting from the Daniel Mansion and ending at the Adamides House, near Mitropoleos Square, the visitor will have the opportunity to get to know the city through buildings that functioned and function as seats of cultural associations, groups, writers and artists who have been and are active in the city of Xanthi.

Apart from the established Old Town Festivals (late August-early September), some of these spaces are functional throughout the year. They function either as visitable exhibition spaces, such as the Folklore and Historical Museum of F.E.X., the House of Shadow and the Municipal Art Gallery, or as venues for events, concerts, etc., such as the House of Culture of F.E.X.

24. Greek Community Club – F.E.X. House of Culture

Brief documentation:

This building was built in the early years of the 20th century, during the Ottoman administration, to house the Club of the Greek Orthodox Community of the city. The construction of the building was funded through fundraisers to the members of the Greek Orthodox Community, while it is said that the building was donated by the benefactor of the city, tobacco merchant Michael Matsinis.
After the accession of the area to the Greek state, it became the property of the Greek state, and then passed into the ownership of the Municipality of Xanthi. Until 1937 the Commercial Club was housed there, and then until 1955 the Military Club. From that year until the early 1970s, the first floor of the building was used for the needs of the newly founded municipal library, while the ground floor functioned as a venue for events of the Progressive Union of Xanthi (F.E.X.). Today the building has a similar use, as here is the House of Culture of F.E.X. and various actions, events and concerts take place.
It is a two-storey, grandiose building of the early 20th century. It is built in neoclassical style and is a typical example of a community building of the last years of the Ottoman period. In the corner part of the façade of the building there are decorative pseudo-pilaster surrounds, which are located just below the coronation of the masonry. On the ground floor of the building there is a spacious hall, which used to be the lounge of the Club.
The building is located at a central point of the traditional settlement, on one of the main shopping streets of the city during the late Ottoman period.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL/HISTORICAL/CULTURAL/FOLKLORE INTEREST


History:

This building was built in the early years of the 20th century, to house the Club of the Greek Orthodox Community of the city. The construction of the building was funded through fundraisers to the members of the Greek Orthodox Community, while it is said that the building was donated by the benefactor of the city, tobacco merchant Michael Matsinis. After the accession of the area to the Greek state, it became the property of the Greek state, and then passed into the ownership of the Municipality of Xanthi. Until 1937 the Commercial Club was housed there, and then until 1955 the Military Club. From that year until the early 1970s, the first floor of the building was used for the needs of the newly founded municipal library, while the ground floor functioned as a venue for events of the Progressive Union of Xanthi (F.E.X.). Today the building still has a similar use, as here is the House of Culture of F.E.X. and there are various actions, events and concerts taking place.


Elements of architecture:

It is a two-storey, grandiose building of the early 20th century. It is built in neoclassical style and is a typical example of a community building of the last years of the Ottoman period. In the corner part of the façade of the building there are decorative pseudo-pilaster surrounds, which are located just below the coronation of the masonry. On the ground floor of the building there is a spacious hall, which used to be the lounge of the Club.
The building is located at a central point of the traditional settlement, on one of the main shopping streets of the city during the late Ottoman period.


Description of other elements:

The building occupies exactly the space it has and therefore does not have a rectangular floor plan. It has a very special triangular balcony in the floor.


Purpose - Use: Cultural Area


Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/1390/19720, Government Gazette 523/86


Dating (period): Early 20th century


Year of construction: 1902


Location of the monument: 41.14253224319719, 24.887568068826543


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
•    Thomas Exarchou, Islets of Xanthi City 1, P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2002
•    Katsari-Vafiadis, J. Ed. 2023. "History and recording of the neoclassical buildings of the traditional settlement". Xanthi: Municipality of Xanthi, p. 87


 Address: Filippou Amiridi 12 and Mavromichali


Visitable: No

 

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