Museum of the City of Athens
(Vouros-Eftaxias)
The
Museum of the City of Athens was founded in 1973. It began to
function in 1980 and received the award of the Academy of Athens
in 1990. The museum houses the art and historical collection
of its founder, Labros Eftaxias. This collection includes paintings,
engravings, furniture, everyday objects and important relics
from medieval and more recent Greek history, from the period
of Frankish rule to the 19th century.
The
museum is housed in two of the oldest buildings in Athens which
are now connected by a covered bridge. For some time the building
at nr. 7 was the residence of King Otto and Queen Amalia. Therefore
it also is known the “Old Palace”. The first floor
was reconstructed with the original furniture of Amalia’s
reception room, Otto’s reception room, the throne room
as well as Otto’s study and library.
There
are interesting collections of paintings, watercolors and engravings
by travelers who visited Athens. The large (3 x 5m – 9.84
x 16.40ft) oil painting of 1674 by Jacques Carrey, is one of
the most important sources of information on Athens in the 17th
century.
There
also is a plaster model of Athens as it was in 1872. It was
made by Ioannis Travlos and Nikos Gerasimov to a scale of 1:1000.
The model was based on a drawing of the city by Fr. Stauffert
made between 1836 and 1843 and on numerous photographs, written
sources and drawings. The model offers a picture of Athens when
it only had 25.000 inhabitants and was gradually being transformed
into the capital of the newly founded Greek State. The museum
contributes to the city’s cultural life with lectures,
concerts and exhibitions.