Visiting folk museums that present how houses and other spaces were set up in the past can be a fascinating experience, but during one’s visit, it’s hard to forget one is in a museum.

One of the key charms of the Katakouzenos House Museum (KHM) is that it almost feels still lived in. The 300m sq apartment on Vas. Amalias Ave is filled with impressive and highly elegant furnishings, books, and paintings by the likes of Chagall, who was one of the illustrious and globally famous friends of the owners. It is a cultural gem on the 4th floor looking out to the Parliament Building that still, not enough people know about.

The KHM was once the private residence of acclaimed psychiatrist Angelos Katakouzenos and his intellectually pioneering wife Leto, who belonged to the cultural elite of Europe’s so-called “1930s generation,” and were cultural ambassadors of Greece abroad and arbiters of international tendencies in Greece.

When she was a young woman, the museum’s director Sophia Peloponnisiou, connected with Leto Katakouzenou during the last decades of her life.

They developed a close and loyal friendship during which Peloponissiou made her dedication to her friend’s cultural visions a priority, offering her time and efforts in helping her publish her autobiography, soon published in its fifth version, and helping to organize cultural initiatives. Following Leto Katakouzenos’s death, the young woman discovered that she had been assigned the honor of continuing the pair’s cultural vision by keeping the apartment and its legacy ‘alive’.

Hosting a year-round series of cultural events such as talks, music and theatre performances, readings, and screenings, the KHM contains an extensive collection of over 40 paintings, some drawings, and prints, numerous works of art (decorative objects, sculptures), paintings in various media from the 1930s-1970s and a quality collection of 18th and 19th C. French and Hellenic furniture. The series of paintings includes a set of four large mahogany doors especially painted for the Katakouzenoi by their close friend Nikos Chatzekyriakos-Gkikas and many more paintings by the same artist in various media.

Further works by Spyros Vasileiou, Giannis Tsarouches, Giorgos Gounaropoulos (all prominent artists of the “1930s generation”) are hung all over the house. The watercolor and pastel portrait of Leto by Marc Chagall is perhaps the best work of art by a non-Hellene artist. “What makes the KHM collection of paintings quite unique, apart from their undoubted artistic and monetary value, is the way they were acquisitioned” notes Peloponissiou. “None of the works was purchased; indeed most were given by the artists themselves as gifts, tokens of friendship or gratitude.”

To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com

Sea buckthorn berries have been used in traditional medicine throughout Central Asia and Eastern Europe for centuries.

The small orange-yellow berries are described as a superfood. They are full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids that have been shown to aid in hair and nail growth, benefit eye health, and even boost the immune system as well as increase concentration.

Ancient Greek figures in pharmacology, medicine, botany, and nutrition have long been known for the healing, beneficial qualities of the sea buckthorn berries.

Alexander the Great ate the superfood

Alexander the Great noticed the beneficial qualities of the sea buckthorn berries superfood during his military campaigns in the then known world which he incorporated into his own diet as well as the diet of his troops to give them strength and vitality.

According to ancient sources, the famed Greek leader noticed that his horses loved the berries, and after eating them, they had more strength, shinier hair, recovered more quickly from injury and illness, and seemed to radiate health.

It’s from Alexander that sea buckthorn berries got their scientific name, Hippophae, which comes from the Ancient Greek words hippos and phaos, meaning “shining horse,” referring to the radiant effect the berries had on his horses.

To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com

The family-friendly island of Sifnos is a great choice for travelers looking to snap some gorgeous holiday pictures, according to the publication.

The Greek island of Sifnos topped the list with the ten most photogenic destinations of the world, according to the Spanish edition of Condé Nast Traveler, the largest travel magazine worldwide.

The Cycladic island came first with the Church of the Seven Martyrs, the idyllic landscapes, the Castle, the numerous churches, and the picturesque villages that charm all the travelers that visit the island of Apollo every year, the writer of the article Alberto Piernas Medina says.

Second was Morocco followed by Valencia, Portugal, and its lakes, France, the Canary Islands, Mexico, London, and the verdant regions of Italy.

Originally published on: greece-is.com

Main image: @greek_vibes_wd

The first step towards the expansion and renovation of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens was taken on Friday, March 11th, after the Museum Council of Greece approved the technical criteria upon which relevant architectural studies will be drafted.

The revamped museum will have an underground car park, dining areas, a new garden, and entrance, and will harness natural light to highlight exhibits and spaces. The museum’s priority is to showcase the Greek civilization through exhibits spanning the centuries.

However, it will not be limited only to ancient Greek art, as it will also seek to open new paths into contemporary art. The plan stipulates that the main exhibition space will increase to 11,000 square meters from 7,800, while spaces intended for temporary exhibitions will be expanded to 1,430 sq.m. from 400 sq.m.

To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini.com

What city springs to mind when you think of neoclassical architecture? Rome? Paris, maybe? Well, you would be surprised to know that Athens, as the capital of Greece and the classical world, except for its legendary historical monuments dating back to the Classical Era, has also a charming neoclassical side.

A walk through the historic center reveals some of the city's most stunning neoclassical structures, carrying so much history and splendid grandeur within its walls.

Zappeion Hall


@landscape.shots.sat

The Zappeion Hall is located within the National Gardens of Athens and is considered one of Greece's most impressive neoclassical structures. It was the first building in the world constructed specifically for the Greek Olympic Games. Its construction was funded by national benefactor Evangelos Zappas, who assigned the work to Danish architect Theophil Hansen. The building now frequently hosts art exhibitions and other events.

Academy of Athens


@photozulu

The neoclassical building of the Academy between Panepistimiou and Akadimias Street was designed" in 1859 by the Danish architect Theophil Hansen, as part of an architectural "trilogy along with the University and the National Library. Highly influenced by the Acropolis and the overall architecture of the Golden Age of Athens, many believe it to be Hansen's most important architectural achievement and one of the most astonishing neoclassical structures worldwide.

Iliou Melathron


@theodorosgalanis

On the same street as the Academy of Athens, you will find this majestic three-story building. Built between 1878 and 1880 for Heinrich Schliemannby renowned architect Ernst Ziller, it was considered the most glorious residence of Athens. Its elaborate design is inspired by Neoclassicism and the Renaissance Revival movement. The marble columns and the replicas of the triglyph and metope of the temple of Athena in Troy are the most distinctive features of this iconic building. Today it hosts the Monetary Museum of Athens.

Stathatos Mansion


@dimitris.tsioulis

The Stathatos Mansion is a neoclassical villa on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. It was built in 1895 by the Saxon-Greek architect Ernst Ziller and, until 1937, served as the residence of Othon and Athina Stathatos. In 1982, it was purchased by the Greek government with the intention of housing visiting royals and state officials, although this never happened. Today it is part of the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art.

Presidential Mansion


@stefkont

On Irodou Attikou Street lies this spectacular mansion that now serves as the official residence of the President of the Hellenic Republic. Formerly known as Royal Palace, its construction began in 1891 by architect Ernst Ziller, intending to present Crown Prince Constantine with a private dwelling. Despite its otherworldly glamor, the building is also known for its magnificent gardens, constituting a green haven in the heart of Athens.

Kalamata olives are only found on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece and have played a part in the human diet for thousands of years. Growing under the amazing Greek sun, the olive trees here have much larger leaves than other types of olive trees around the nation and the world and absorb more sunshine.

This dark cherry-sized fruit — yes, the olive is a fruit — that has been used by Greeks for thousands of years not only tastes great, but it also serves up a host of nutritional benefits.

It’s no secret that doctors and dieticians call it one of the healthiest foods on earth and that’s because they are high in sodium, rich in healthy fats, and contain a natural antioxidant.

Kalamata olives contain a range of health-promoting vitamins and minerals and are particularly high in iron and vitamin A. It is said that regular consumption may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and various cancers.

History of Kalamata olives

The earliest cultivation of olive trees was probably over five thousand years ago, since Ancient Greek times. Despite being known as ‘Greek black olives,’ they are in fact deep purple in color and compared to green and black olives, they are bigger in size and have plumper, oblong shape.

Growers pick these Kalamata olives by hand to avoid bruising the fruit. Following the harvesting of the olives, workers either process them into olive oil or prepare them to be table olives.

Kalamata olives contain a stone in the middle, and generally, they are not pitted before being sold. However, when fresh the olives are incredibly bitter, and so they enter a process of ‘debittering.’

General Nutrition of Kalamata Olives

Kalamata olives are a good source of fiber, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K. They also provide some magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium per serving as well as B vitamins.

While Kalamata olives are high in fat considering their serving size, the majority of their fat is monounsaturated, also known as a “healthy” fat. It is said a 4-tablespoon serving of Kalamata olives has 2.7 grams of monounsaturated fats and 0.3 grams of polyunsaturated fats.

To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com

Greece took one more step towards making destinations accessible to people with disabilities following a recent agreement between Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias and the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities (ESAmeA).

Under the protocol of cooperation, the ministry and ESAmeA commit to a series of initiatives including the provision of comprehensive accessibility information, the inclusion of relevant curriculum at tourism schools on all levels, the development of education and training programs for people with disabilities in tourism professions and support actions for their employment and inclusion in the labor market.

Speaking in February during a special committee, ESAmeA President Ioannis Vardakastanis had said efforts were being made to host the Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the European Disability Forum (EDF) in Athens in June. However, Vardakastanis said the confederation, which this year presides over the assembly, was finding it difficult to find 20 accessible rooms “despite the plethora of expensive 5-star hotels”.

Vardakastanis went on to stress that an agreement with tourism stakeholders was crucial in order to make accessible tourism a priority with specific results-oriented time-frames and targets that will ensure accessibility onboard ships, tourist buses, at hotels, on mass transport, on beaches, and at archeological sites, “and to ensure these works are reliable consistent,” he said.

Earlier this year, Kikilias said establishing Greece as an accessible tourism destination was a ministry priority, adding that the focus was now on turning words into actions and “giving people with disability the chance to participate wholly and equally in the tourism chain”.

To read this article in full, please visit: news.gtp.gr

EJEKT Festival 2022 welcomes back MUSE!

The British superstars of rock music will be the headliners of the EJEKT Festival 2022 on Wednesday the 29th of June at OAKA.
Six years ago, Muse made their debut at the stage of EJEKT Festival. History was made with an unforgettable show that left the 30.000 fans amazed and confirmed the band's status as the top rock act of the planet.

Muse are exactly that and they prove it at all their concerts: the absolute mega rock act of our era, at the height of their powers. With a long list of massive hits (“Uprising”, “Starlight”, “Madness”, “Resistance”, “Hysteria”, “Feeling Good”, “Knights of Cydonia”, “Time Is Running Out”, “Dead Inside”, “Undisclosed Desires”, “Psycho”, κλπ), they are able to present a stunning show in a class on its own.

On June 29th of 2022 Muse will return to the stage of EJEKT Festival with their new, impressive show. Known for their obsession with the perfection of every detail of the audiovisual spectacle they present, in every new tour, they seek to present something that the audience has never seen, leading the live experience to new standards.