Once known for smog, traffic and tacky architecture, Athens is a city reformed thanks to fortunes brought by the 2004 Summer Olympics. Spotless parks and streets, an ultra-modern subway, new freeways, an accessible airport and all signs in perfect English make the city easily negotiable. Meriting more than a stopover en route to the islands, sophisticated Athens sites include many pillars of Western history, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, as well as treasures in the National Archaeological Museum.
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5.0 based on 1 reviews
"Ikastikos Kiklos Sianti" is an art space with a long contribution to the artistic expression, where highly qualified and skilled experts with a love for the arts, are always willing to assist you in choosing a work of art of diachronic value.
5.0 based on 60 reviews
The museum of the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens houses the Foundation's rare Collection of modern and contemporary art, with works by Cézanne, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, El Greco, Chagall, Rodin, Miró, Parthenis, Tetsis, Tsarouchis, Moralis and will also hold temporary exhibitions of Greek and foreign artists. Apart from exhibition spaces, the museum - with a total surface area of 7,250 m2 spread over 11 floors - also houses a shop and Café - Restaurant, art library, children’s workshop and a state-of-the-art auditorium. Concerts, theatrical productions, discussions, activities for children and adults and educational workshops complement the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation philosophy, in a series of innovative events harmoniously incorporated in the museum setting.
I was very proud of my "acquaintance" with the Museum of the Basil & Eliza Goulandris Foundation . "Jewel" not only for Athens but also for the whole country, this precious gift of the couple who loved the art and wanted to share it with the general public by giving him a wonderful collection unique works of art that he has fought in many cases to obtain. Almost fifty years ago, Basil and Eliza Goulandris made their legendary collection — one of the most important private collectionscreated in the second half of the 20th century - with patience and longing to be exhibited at the museum But it was not easy! It took a long time (27 years !!!!) to negotiate, postpone, frustrate until the doors of the "jewelry" museum open. In an imposing building that balances between neoclassical and modern, a few meters from Kallimarmaro it was housed the dream of Basil and Eliza Goulandris, 180 works and objects by creators whose name alone provokes an "uproar" for art lovers, creators who never imagined they would come to Greece and they adorned the walls of a Greek museum. Works by Dominic Theotokopoulos, Paul Cézanne (the first artist to purchase the couple), Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Goggen, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonar, Georges Braque, Juan Miro, Vasili Kandinsky, Paul Clay, Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon, Alberto Giacometti, Mark Sagall, Cesar, Ben Nicholson, Giorgio de Quirico and others find visitors on the 1st and 2nd floors. On the 3rd and 4th floor Greek artists such as Constantine Parthenis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Gikas, Giannis Tsarouchis, George Bouzianis, Giannis Moralis, Giannis Gaitis, Panagiotis Tetsis ,, Dimitris Mytaras, Alekos Fassianos, George Zogolopoulos , Sofia Vari, George Rorris, Pavlos Samios, Michalis Tombros, Sotiris Sorongas, Kostas Tsoklis ... "get to know" the visitors. One room is dedicated - by the Goulandris couple - to their important collection of French furniture and artifacts. You are amazed at the furniture from their Paris apartment — including Vasilis Goulandris's office — dating from the 18th century as well as unique aesthetic Chinese artifacts from jade and porcelain. And "bow" with respect to the front in their portrait (crafted by George Rorris), thanking them mentally for their great contribution.
4.5 based on 968 reviews
We visited this museum in July (still catching up on reviews) and thought it excellent. There is a wealth of artefacts to see - we took about 115 photos in just under two hours. Artefacts include icons, mosaics, pottery, glass, jewellery and sacrophagi. The museum is beautifully laid out, with the permanent exhibition arranged around five themes: (1) From the ancient world to Byzantium; (2) The Byzantine world; (3) Intellectual and artistic activity in the 15th century; (4) From Byzantium to the modern era; and (5) Byzantium and modern art. The museum is closed on Tuesdays from November to March. Photography without flash is permitted.
4.5 based on 480 reviews
In 1964, the Hellenic State decided to found the War Museum, wishing to honor all those who fought for our country and its freedom. The design of the museum was undertaken by a team of distinguished scientists, headed by Professor Thoukidides Valentis of the National Technical university of Athens (N.T.U.A). On July 18, 1975, the President of the Hellenic Republic H.E. Constantine Tsatsos and the Minister of National Defense Evangelos Averof-Tositsas inaugurated the Museum. Its various activities include the publication of books, the establishment and maintenance of monuments and memorials and the aid to services and agencies all over Greece. The Museum’s exhibition areas are distributed over four levels (floors) and present images of Greek history from antiquity to the present.
We thought the adjacent Tree Of Peace Sculpture an apt countermeasure to all that’s recorded and documented in the museum. With a sweep from stone age to modern it is a fabulously comprehensive account of warfare and battle down the ages. A number of stone weapons are shown and while rudimentary they undoubtedly yielded a heavy blow. Triremes, ancient warships, that were instrumental in guarding and defending the Athenian empire are well worth seeing. The Greek struggle for independence from the Ottomans features voluminously. Horrors endures are powerfully conveyed in paintings such as Hunger in Athens by Nicholas Egon. Sculptural representations from this war include the heroic Markos Botsaris, amongst others. Liberation Celebrations from WW II occupying forces are depicted in evocative black and white photos. A Statue of Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz shows the Greek-Polish athlete who fought in the Greek resistance and was executed by the Germans.
3.0 based on 31 reviews
A collection of 20th century Greek art in addition to Renaissance Western European art housed in a striking modern building.
Taking metro to Katehaki station followed by about 800m walk past the army and police installations brought us to a small unsigned gate. Entering what’s called Army Park we could see open-air sculptures so reassured that destination was imminent. We were disappointed to be told about the absence of paintings, but were delighted with the fine collection of modern Greek sculpture. In one large exhibition space sculptural styles comprised from the more classical to abstract. Amongst the former could be placed Spirit of Copernicus by Georgios Vroutos and Satyr playing with Eros. Drossis Leonidas's Penelope from 1873 is beguiling. Another fine famous work is To the Dreams Left Behind and Defeated by Konstantinos Dimitriadis. Frosso Efthymiadi-Menegaki has a couple of great pieces - Lot's Wife and Nike II. Michael Lekakis's Apantheosis is dramatic. Our final viewing was the impressive Apollon by Angelos Papadimitriou,
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