Museum
of the
University of Athens
Although it is not known when exactly it was built, it is one
of the few remaining buildings from the Ottoman period and can
possibly be identified as the building depicted in the painting
by Jacques Currey dating from 1674 that is on display in the Museum
of the City of Athens.
The
building is known as the “House of Kleanthis”. It
was purchased and developed by the Architect Stamatios Klanthis
in 1831. According to more recent information, the house belonged
jointly to Kleanthis and Eduard Schaubert, the architects who,
in 1833, developed the first city plans for Athens. The house
of the two friends was a place where artists and intellectuals
gathered to discuss cultural affairs.
In
1835 the building was chosen by the Greek Government to house
the first secondary school of Athens. Only a year later it proved
to be insufficient to cover the school’s expanding needs.
The school was then transferred elsewhere. A few months later
it was decided that the House of Kleanthis would become the newly
founded Greek university.
The
university remained here until 1841 when it was transferred to
the half-finished building that still exists on Panepistimiou
Street. Later, the House of Kleanthis was leased to the Greek
Ministry of Education and after that, it was used by the army
until 1861, a year before Kleanthis’s death, when it was
sold.
In
1963 the house was expropriated by the Archaeological Service
which declared it a listed building. The building was donated
to the University of Athens in 1967 and it was restored to
its original form. Since 1987 it has been functioning as the
Museum of History of the University of Athens.
The
museum’s collections consist of rare editions of books and
scientific studies, documents, decrees, newspapers, magazines,
pamphlets and letter, portraits (mostly by 19th century Greek
painters), stamps and other objects related to university life
(banners, flags and medals). Also on display are scientific instruments
related to physics, chemistry, medicine and pharmacology.
The
museum hosts international meetings, scientific meetings, seminars
and lectures organized by the University of Athens.
Opening hours and admission
5, Tholou Street - Plaka
Monastiraki
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