The original building at 47 Stadiou Street has been designated as a newer monument
A building-evidence of the development of the commercial-historical center of Athens, the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the house of Alexandros Soutsos at 47 Stadiou Street, is being restored, in order to house part of the valuable collections of the Theater Museum. According to a press release from the Ministry of Culture, the Central Council of Newer Monuments of the Ministry of Culture gave a unanimous positive opinion on the final study, financed with 1,300,000 euros by the Ministry of Culture.
The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendonthe, stated: “The building at 47 Stadiou Street is part of a wider set of notable buildings, which capture the old image of Stadiou Street, which since the mid-19th century has been one of the central commercial axes of Athens. It has remarkable characteristics from an architectural and morphological point of view and is located in a particularly important urban planning position, maintaining its original typology, without significant alterations. It is a typical example of an urban classicism building, with rich morphological decoration, in the main view on Stadiou street. It was the home of Alexandros Soutsos, benefactor of the visual arts. In 1896, with his will, he donated his house to the Greek state along with its collections and furniture to create the National Gallery. In 1900, with the opening of the National Gallery, the collection was transferred to the Foundation. The neoclassical building at 47 Stadiou Street, due to its conversion into a commercial store, presented serious static problems, already for decades, which is why it was gradually abandoned in 2012. The earthquake of 2018 and the fire of May 2020 burdened further the building. We schedule, after the completion of the study, all the necessary actions for the inclusion of the project in a financial program. Thus, we are consistent in our commitment to restore the building and give it a new use, which respects and highlights the original form of the building. The Soutsou house, after its restoration, will house part of the rich heritage of the Theater Museum, its valuable archive and its protected Theater Library, so that they can once again be accessible to everyone”.
The general principles and objectives of the restoration are summarized in the satisfaction of functional needs, with new constructions dictated by the new use and modern requirements, in the removal of later elements that alter the building functionally and morphologically, in the restoration of the original form of the building with repair and restoration of the original morphological and structural elements, ensuring its solidity and tightness, its energy upgrade, based on the current legislation – to the extent that this does not affect its authenticity – and its structural system, effective fire protection, safeguarding his safety as well as the protection of employees and visitors, the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs points out, among other things.
He also adds that, within the restored shell, in a permanent and safe space, it is intended to include the Archive and the Theater Library of the Theater Museum, designated as a monument as a whole, so that they will be objects of exhibition and research for specialist scholars and the general public . The collection, owned by the Ministry of Culture, is the richest collection of theatrical material in Greece and perhaps the only source of study and research of all archives related to Greek theatre. It includes the Theater Library, with thousands of volumes of studies and plays and the most complete collection of press clippings. It consists of publications related to Greek and foreign theater, which date from 1736, as well as a rich collection of manuscripts from 1860 onwards. Indicatively, it includes theatrical publications and anecdotal plays or manuscripts, Greek and foreign theatrical publications and studies, archive of press clippings, theatrical and artistic magazines, albums, various publications of general artistic interest, etc. There are also digitized collections of all 19th and early 20th century primary material, as well as more recent audiovisual records. The digital database includes 26,915 items and 1,000 hours of audio-visual material. The Theatrical Library, today, remains stored in the premises of ERT, on L. Mesogeion, without being accessible.
Source :Skai
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