The Vournazoi Family Residence

This building is now the Old Archaeological Museum of Mytilini and was built in 1912 according to plans drafted by architect S. Vafeiadis haling originally from Smyrna. Achilleas Vournazos was a wholesale traders and businessman of the Lesvian Diaspora, having immigrated to Odessa Russia at a young age, managing at the end to gain an immense property. Besides this building, at the same time he managed to complete one more residence in the Vareia vicinity as his countryside home. In December 1965 a vacation home in the Kioski area owned by Achilleas Vournazos was acquired by the Ministry of Culture and subsequently transformed into a Museum on the initiative of then Antiquities Director General Ioannis Kontis. This eclectic-style building consists of two main floors and one ground floor area serving as an auxiliary space. The museum exhibits, especially figurines, jewelry and clay objects date from the Prehistoric Era to classical Greek antiquity. The exterior space hosts unique Aeolian-order capitals from the ancient temples at Klopedi, grave steles, architectural elements, statues and altars.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Address: Α. Eftalioti 7, Mytilini, Lesvos

Tel: (+30) 22510 28032

E-mail: efales@culture.gr