By Dimitris Rigopoulos
You want to rub your
eyes in disbelief when you first espy the square towers and elegant
ramparts of the Pyrgos Vassilissis (Queen’s Tower) in Ilion, a rather
nondescript neighborhood in western Athens. More than anything, it is a
reminder that however well you think you know a city, there is always
something new to explore.
The Queen’s Tower is one such landmark, and the January opening of the
Kentro Gis (Earth Center) in the gardens of the recently renovated
castle provides a unique opportunity to discover an exciting part of
Attica, in one of its biggest green spaces, the Antonis Tritsis Park.
The tower is located on a 30-hectare plot of land purchased in 1838 by
Britons John Williams and George Miles in the fertile valley of the
Kifissos River, which they hoped to develop into a model farm.
Their plans failed and they sought a buyer for the land. By good
fortune, in 1848 Queen Amalia, renowned for exploring the city on foot
or horseback, was enchanted by the area during one of her strolls and
convinced King Otto to purchase it and turn it into a farm. She also
wanted to build a hill to bring to seven the number of vantage points on
her newly acquired expanse, and in 1854 she built her tower on her
seventh hill, which also gave the area the name Eptalofos, or Seven
Hills.
According to Maro Kardamitsi-Adami, an architect and author of the Greek
book “Castles of Greece” (published by Melissa and the National
Historical Museum), the Queen’s Tower was designed and built by French
architect Francois-Louis-Florimond Boulanger (1807-1875), who, among
other important landmarks in Greece, also built what is now known as the
Old Parliament on Stadiou Street. It was basically designed around an
earlier castle on the location, possibly from the Venetian era.
Kardamitsi-Adami
informs us that in his brief monograph “The Queen’s Tower,” Georgios
Laios explains that the decoration of the walls was inspired by
Bavaria’s Hohenschwangau Castle, where Otto was born, which was much
larger in size and designed by architect Domenico Quaglio for Otto’s
brother, King Maximilian II of Bavaria.
Despite the difference in size, the two buildings share numerous
similarities in their neo-gothic composition, such as the square towers,
arched windows, the imposing grand entrance and interior features as
well.
Once the tower was built, Queen Amalia ordered the farm to be developed
with thousands of fruit trees, vineyards and olive groves. Today,
cypresses that are over 150 years old and wonderfully preserved stables
are among the most impressive outdoor elements of the estate.
The current owners of the Queen’s Tower, who declined to be named,
renovated the building and revived the gardens around it, while also
providing headquarters for the nonprofit environmental group Organosi Gi
(Organization Earth), which established the Earth Center.
The Earth Center went into operation just a few days ago and is an
environmental education center, covering 2.5 hectares and with a
permanent exhibition and gardens that are open to the public. The group
also holds educational activities (mostly for children, though adults
are more than welcome), which will in the future extend to guided tours
of the castle.
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The Earth Center is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To
participated in a group tour, call 210.232.5380 or 210.238.8275. |
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