Athens from East to West, 1821-1896 a brilliant photographic exhibition and historical documentary by Maria Iliou, presents the history of 19th century Athens and its transformation from a small Ottoman city to the European capital which was awarded the Athens 1896 Summer Olympic Games that marked the birth of the Modern Olympics.
In the course of the screenings of the documentary Smyrna, the Destruction of a Cosmopolitan City which was presented at the Benaki Museum in 2012, Angelos Delivorrias and Maria Iliou discussed the creation of a new project which would comprise historical documentaries on the history of modern Athens from 1821 to today. Eight years later, the screenwriter, director, and producer, Maria Iliou, has created five documentary films, the first of which Athens from East to West, 1821-1896 will be presented from February 12th to April 26th 2020 at the main Benaki Museum in conjunction with a photographic exhibition.
The exhibition uses visual material from archives in Greece, Europe, America, Canada, and Australia with the in-kind contribution of numerous institutions. The exhibition describes Athens’ transformation from a minor city to a cultural hub in the most eloquent way, using sounds and music of that era.
Although nature lovers may visit them all the time, many of us aren’t even aware that they exist. Parnitha’s refuges, Mpafi and Flambouri, are two of the best mountainous destinations just a stone’s throw away from the city center! Mount Parnitha is a densely forested mountain range north of Athens, and the highest peak on the peninsula of Attica with an elevation of 1,413 m. Parnitha is a landscape of particular natural beauty that has been included in the NATURA 2000 network; it has also been declared a special area for the protection of birds.
Mpafi Refuge
At an altitude of 1,161m, just an hour away from Athens, Mpafi Refuge awaits visitors who wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, take a breath of fresh air and enjoy breathtaking views. The refuge, as the characterization suggests, provides accommodation, food, and heating. The rooms are thoughtfully decorated and furnished, ideal to welcome guests of any age, especially during the winter. Αpart from the numerous educational activities organized at Mpafi, there is also a library where visitors can borrow books.
Flambouri Refuge
Μέσα στον εθνικό δρυμό της Πάρνηθας, στα 1.158μ. συναντάμε το καταφύγιο Φλαμπούρι που αγναντεύει περιμετρικά την Αθήνα, την Αίγινα, τον Πόρο, με καθαρό καιρό την Ύδρα, τη λίμνη του Μαραθώνα, τον ευβοϊκό κόλπο, τη Δίρφυ, την Εύβοια… Το καταφύγιο Φλαμπούρι του ορειβατικού συλλόγου Αχαρνών διαθέτει χώρους διαμονής και κουζίνα, οργανωμένες περιβαλλοντικές εκδρομές και δραστηριότητες για μεγάλους και παιδιά. Το καταφύγιο ηλεκτροδοτείται με φωτοβολταϊκά, ενώ διαθέτει και ενεργειακό τζάκι, φροντίζοντας να μην επιβαρύνει το περιβάλλον.
NOTE: Visitors who wish to stay overnight should make a reservation and are required to bring two sheets, a sleeping bag, a pillowcase, and slippers for hygienic purposes.
The Benaki Museum, Pireos Annexe is hosting one of the most interesting exhibitions of the past few years. Titled “From Homer’s World: Tenos and the Cyclades in the Mycenaean Age”, the exhibition showcases the findings from the Mycenaean tholos tomb at Agia Thekla on Tenos, which was excavated by Georgios Despinis in 1979. Burial place of members of an “aristocratic” clan, the Agia Thekla tholos tomb reveals a lot about the Mycenaean Civilization, one of the most splendid civilizations in Europe; the precious objects recovered from it reflect the high cultural level of the period. Displayed too are antiquities from other important prehistoric sites in the Aegean, specifically from Naxos, Delos, Mykonos, Paros, Melos, Sifnos, Thera and Kea, which also flourished during that period.
Representative items of pottery, metalwork, miniature art, figurine-modeling, and jewelry-making, reveal facets of the remarkable cultural heritage of the Mycenaean Civilization, shedding light on basic human activities, such as everyday life, worship, war, and funerary customs.
Unique color combinations, atmospheric lighting, explanatory narrations with background music, the use of geopolitical maps, and careful placement of the exhibits draw the visitors’ attention, encouraging them to examine the artifacts and get acquainted with the glory and splendor of the Mycenaean Civilization, which inspired the Iliad and the Odyssey, the pinnacles of world literature!
The exhibition will remain open until 08/03/2020.
Named after its donors Ioulia and Alexandros Diomidous, the Diomidous Botanical Garden is located in the Haidari area of Athens. Its 1860 sqm of greenery make it a haven for leisure-seekers, a popular jogging spot, as well as an ideal open-air classroom for creative teaching sessions.
The Diomidous Botanical Garden is the Eastern Mediterranean’s largest garden of its kind, and was founded in 1951 through a charitable foundation set up by Diomidous. Thanks to the contribution of botany professor Konstantinos Mitrakos, the configuration of the gardens began based on the blueprints of Professor Herta Hammerbacher of the University of Berlin.
Listing a total of 550 plant species, the garden is a habitat where indigenous forests and spontaneous flora harmoniously coexist with more than 4,000 cultivated plants. This unique combination of naturally emerging and cultivated plants make this botanical garden exceptionally special!
The garden’s cultivated area includes the historic plants section, medicinal plants, plants of economic importance (plants used in the pharmaceutical industry, the textile industry, and agriculture), as well as an impressive greenhouse and two lakes! Pets are prohibited in the garden area to avoid disturbing the balance of this magnificent ecosystem.
Numerous research projects are carried out on the grounds of the garden, as well as numerous environmental education programs aiming to sensitize the younger generation to the beauty of nature and the urgent need to preserve it.
If you are a plant lover or simply looking for a quiet and tranquil spot to escape the hustle of the city, a visit to the Diomidous Botanical Garden is a must!
