A newly founded Philhellenism Museum opened its door in March 2021, just in time for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the start of the Greek War of Independence, shining a light on the vital role played by foreign playwrights, poets, painters, nobility and ordinary people who believed in the Greek cause. This new ad...
Read moreAs the world celebrates the 200th anniversary of Greece’s revolution, Athens Insider recommends a mandatory reading of Roderick Beaton’s Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation. Beaton treats Modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, and encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebra...
Read moreGreece’s National Gallery is home to some of the world’s most coveted artworks, yet it spent a better part of its 143-year existence homeless and abandoned. All that is about to change as the new National Gallery opens its swanky doors on March 24 in Athens’ Pangrati district. A bright and cheery triptych by Panagiotis Tetsis with vibrant...
Read more“When news came of the Modern Greeks fighting for their freedom against the Ottomans, there was a wave of sympathy across America,” notes historian Dr Alexander Kitroeff in his fascinating overview of what spurred a myriad bunch of volunteers to support the Greek Revolution. At a fascinating lecture organised by the Colleg...
Read moreTo honour Greece’s bicentennial anniversary, the U.S. Mission to Greece launches “USA & Greece: Celebrating 200 Years of Friendship,” which highlights the role of American Philhellenes in the Greek Revolution and the bonds of mutual respect and shared values that unite both nations. Greece’s struggle for independence, based on the sa...
Read more“Byron shows us what Philhellenism is. It is quite simply a transformative love affair,” writes John Kittmer, who – just like Lord Byron – fell head over heels for Greece on his first visit as a young man. In this heartfelt paean to Greece, the former British ambassador distils the enduring essence of Philhellenism, past and present. ...
Read moreAs Greece gets ready to celebrate its 200th anniversary March 25, 2021, the bicentenary will be marked with great pomp and ceremony not only in Greece but in Greek communities of the diaspora around the world including the 450,000 strong Greek community in Canada, notes Dr. Constantine Passaris of the University of Brunswick. But they wil...
Read moreHer haunting bass voice and rousing lyrics of hope and inspiration were wartime anthems for Greek troops. On the anniversary of her death, Insider celebrates the courageous chanteuse Sofia Vembo, who defied German orders to entertain young Greek soldiers - often undercover - and remains a national treasure for generations of Greeks; still...
Read moreLord Byron and Eugene Delacroix may steal the spotlight as the most vocal champions of Greece’s struggle for independence. But a band of powerful and international female philhellenes also played a stellar role in the founding of the new Greek state. From princesses and poets, to socialites, missionaries and authors, we introduce 30 influ...
Read moreManto Mavrogenous was a freedom fighter from Mykonos who captained Greece to liberation. It cost this educated-aristocrat-turned-rebel her personal fortune and the love of her life. Mykoniot-resident Stacey Harris-Papaioannou profiles this captivating and tragic Greek heroine. [caption id="attachment_9583" align="alignleft" wi...
Read moreA decisive move towards clean energy has transformed tiny and tranquil Tilos from an ageing outpost to a vibrant community with an ever-expanding population; inspiring other isolated Greek islands to stand on their own feet too. In an article in the Financial Times, Kerin Hope highlights Tilos' pioneering move to become an energy-indepen...
Read moreNikos Garyfallos' cutting edge skate bowl, Blue Enigma, has turned a sleepy Andros village into a magnet for skaters, bikers and bladers the world over. Dedicated to his grandparents, this hand-sculpted marvel also works double-time as a dramatic open-air gallery with a difference, Amalia Melis notes. Making your way through t...
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