The School at Aghia Paraskevi

The School at Aghia Paraskevi was built between 1923 and 1926. This is a single-storey school building built on a “Π” shaped stone foundation. This is the work of architect Asimakis Fouskas, with an area of 1300 sq. m, in the middle of land parcel measuring 10 stremmata (2.5 acres) approximately. The gateway is adorned with columns and an Aeolian-order capital is built into a bench at the rear courtyard, an architectural element from the Ancient Temple at Klopedi. The materials used for its construction were extracted from the local area with the exception of the roofing and door/window frames materials, which were imported from the Pontus regions of the Black Sea and the French origin tiles. The school comprises ten classrooms, two offices, the visual educational aid hall, a library and an outlet of the school cooperative. The building construction was implemented through the financial grant of the Community, the Greek government and the proceeds from the sale of the old school’s land parcel. Additional funding came from the donations of the local villagers and expatriates living in America and Australia, the Aghia Paraskevi parish church and the Holy Monastery of Leimon. The Aghia Paraskevi School is one of the most beautiful and grandiose school buildings that can be found on Lesvos decorated with striking eclectic and architectural features.