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the island of Hydra

the Hydra annex

Hydra (the name means water) is one of the Islands in the Saronic Gulf. It is close to the Peloponnese and easily reached from Athens.

Hydra seems an appropriate location to start our project as the island launched the Greek Revolution (war of independence from Turkey) in 1821. Hydra was a major attraction of Greek tourism in the 1960's when it was visited by Henry Miller, Georg Severis and others who followed in their wake. Since then Hydra has become a Mecca for artists and writers from all over the world.

Australian writers George Johnston and Charmian Clift, the Canadian poet Leonard Cohen and Scandinavian novelists Axel Jensen and Göran Tunström all spent time on Hydra.

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We have secured The Athens School of Fine Art Annex in Hydra. The Annex of Hydra is housed in a 19th century building located in the port of Hydra. The building is known as "House Tompazi" because it belonged to Admiral Emmanuel Tompazis, a member of an old naval family of Hydra, and one of the heroes of the  Greek Revolution of 1821.

The house represents an important historical and architectural monument with its typical form and walls of carved stone.

museums & foundations

There are a number of museums in Hydra all within walking distance.

 

The Historical Archives Museum of Hydra has some 20,000 original manuscripts, codices, books and other rare documents as well as national artefacts from Hydriot history. 

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Above the port, in the Church of the Assumption, there is also a small Ecclesiastical Museum with an interesting collection of Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons.

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It is well worth visiting Koundouriotis Mansion. This elegant stone mansion is an outhouse of the National Historical Museum. It includes relics of the Koundouriotis family, such as weaponry, traditional clothes from all over Greece, woodcarvings, paintings and jewellery. Source: www.greeka.com

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The DESTE Foundation is an international organiser of contemporary art exhibitions and a global supporter of arts-based projects and publications. 

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