A very important building which is located at Dionisiou Areopagitou street is in danger of disappearing, after the decision which was made by the Central Archaeological Council and the Central Council of Recent Monuments of the Ministry of Culture, by a marginal majority, on Tuesday the 2nd of July 2007 about its delisting, expropriation and demolition.

It concerns a block of flats at 17 Dionisiou Areopagiotou street which was designed by the Northern Epirote architect, sculptor and painter Vasilis Kouremenos (1875-1957). Next to that building, at 19 Dionisiou Areopagitou street, there is another important listed building the future of which depends on the Ministry’s of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works decision. This block of flats was built in the 1930’s and it is one of the most remarkable examples of Art-Deco buildings in Athens. The building stays in memorable mainly due to the two bas-reliefs of women figures at both sides of the monumental door. The building was decided to be condemned to be destroyed due to the fact that it blocked part of the view of the new Acropolis museum. It should be noted that during the design competition for the new museum, the existence of both buildings was set as a precondition.

The decision to demolish such an important building causes speculation and contributes to the effacement of the historical memory, the 1930’s architecture, the planning cohesion, the architectural continuity, the uniqueness of the Dionisiou Areopagitou path…

For more information please visit: areopagitou17.blogspot.com where an appeal is being organized for the saving of the building.

MOnuMENTA