The Hydrian furniture, usually brought from the West, was of excellent quality and played a major part in adding to the beautiful décor of these mansions. A distinctive decorative feature in these houses is the white frame around the windows which contradicts the –otherwise- grey building.
All the mansions have beautiful gardens with fences and are complete with marble drinking fountains. Most of these mansions are still in the hands of private families and therefore not open to the public. Some of them however are now being used for public services and therefore allow visitors to take a peek inside, a chance that you should truly not miss out on.
Some of the mansions in Hydra are:
Kountouriotis Mansion: Kountouriotis Mansion was built between 1802 and 1816 and was originally the home of George Kountouriotis, a wealthy shipowner who fought in the War of Independence and whose grandson, Paulos Kountouriotis became first president of the Greek Republic. The building complex consists of three buildings and a garden. The lower levels of the central building were used as store rooms while the upper levels had reception halls and bedrooms. The garden consisted of three levels as well.
The mansion was recently acquired by the Greek Ministry of Culture and was renovated to house the Kountouriotis family Museum and the Post Byzantine Art and History Museum of Hydra. The Museum houses personal items of the family, as well as exhibits dating back to the Greek War of Independence that reflect Hydra’s nautical heritage. The Museum remains open from April to October, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.
Tombazis Mansion: Tombazis Mansion is a massive four-storied building on the west side of Hydra harbour near the statue of Kountouriotis. The original owner of the mansion was Iakovos Tombazis, the First Admiral of the fleet of Hydra. The interior of the building is decorated with paintings of historical events and ships of 1821. The mansion now houses the School of Fine Arts of Athens and also has a hostel for its students. You can usually get a peek inside while the lectures are on.
Kriezis Mansion: Kriezis Mansion is located on the eastern waterfront on the main road to Kamini. The mansion currently houses the Home for the Aged.
Voulgaris Mansion: Georgios Voulgaris Mansion, also called Economou- Miriklis Mansion is located on the western waterfront. Georgios Voulgaris was the Governor of Hydra between 1802 and 1812 and was in charge of building the wells at Kala Pigadia. The mansion is known for its interesting and beautiful décor, but unfortunately is not open to the public.
Goroyannis Mansion: Goroyannis Mansion was built in 1780 and remains one of the oldest mansions in Hydra. It is located in Kala Pigadia and is presently in the hands of a private family. While it is not open to the public, the walk up to the mansion on Miaoulis Street from the center of the harbour is well worth the effort.
Anastasios Tsamados Mansion: Tsamados Mansion, located at the east side of the harbour was built between 1780 and 1810. The owner, Anastasios Tsamados, was a heroic admiral who died during the Greek War of Independence in 1821. The mansion now houses the School of Mercantile Marine Officers of Hydra, the oldest school of its kind in Greece. The school started to operate in 1749 and has been housed in Tsamados Mansion since 1930.
Visitors are sometimes allowed inside in between lectures.
Other well known mansions on Hydra include the mansions of Voulgaris, Votsis and Oikonomou, as well as Boudouris mansion, Miaoulis mansion and Boudouris mansion on the west side of the city. Just like Hydra is incomplete without these beautiful structures adorning its landscape, your visit to the island is incomplete without a visit to one of these beautiful mansions. |
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