Travelling to the old city of Athens (1850-1920)
The first foreign tourists escorted by photographers
mid-19th century "passionate" fans travel, yet sent by major publications abroad, arrived in Athens with massive machinery and heavy equipment, after a long, tiring journey, often dangerous ...
ready to face during their stay, heat, lack of water, dust, insects, infectious diseases and problems of understanding with local porters and dragoman (translator of the time).
The last two decades of the 19th century, the photograph is about to enter dynamically into the next century. Due to technical evolution, particularly with the introduction of flexible film (1880), is able to capture the motion that the lens becomes witness. Furthermore, the movement of the first portable camera (1889) encouraged many amateurs can test their skills.
Rare photo. From the first pictures of the Acropolis shortly before the mid-19th century. The photo was taken by Hill Filopappos. The pair that looks the Acropolis are foreign tourists, judging from the 'Franks' clothing, as it was called the Athenians foustaneloforoi the season (file photo Benaki Museum).
On September 30, 1852, a terrible storm broke out suddenly in the sky of Athens. It was a storm, as recorded by the inhabitants of that time, literally swept everything came in its wake. Trees were uprooted, houses demolished, but most importantly, one of the three columns that stood apart from the rest of the Temple of Olympian Zeus in the center of the city fell. This event was both landmark by the Athenians, so many decades later, when they wanted to identify the time, saying that: "the time of the column."
Rare newspaper photograph taken by the foot of the Acropolis. The date unknown, suspected in 1860. Distinguished the gate of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. We see a fallen pillar. Note that the Zappeion, which was completed in 1874, not yet built, and of course the later Panathenaic stadium.
The so-called Gate of the Roman emperor Hadrian stands even today in Athens since 125 AD We note that the photo in the 19th century AD is the area under the Acropolis was completely uncultivated (Archive Benaki Museum).
View of the Acropolis around 1865. O Dimitris Constantinou, second professional photographer in Athens after John Margaritis, is the first Greek who deals exclusively with the photographing ancient monuments. His photographs, quality and aesthetic ideal, now standing next to those worthy of prominent foreign photographers of that era.
View of Athens, 1865. Engraving of Bachelieu the photograph of D. Constantine. Written by K. Skokos in his diary (published 1910) for Athens in 1865: "In Athens now succumb. I remember a few years yet, beneath the Acropolis, the old plate was a pile of homemade, each drawing was correct. Old men sat in cafes fustanellas and girls in the neighborhood ran to the fountain with their pitchers. There are now built palaces (the neoclassic means) and the few houses that remained ever lost civilization could tell me. "
Photo of Acropolis pulled from the height of the current square of Theseus, after the mid-19th century. In 1880, demolished the front buildings, and we mapped out the route of Apostle Paul linked the Monastiraki district of Makriyannis (current pedestrian). The Square Thission was in the early 20th century (photo source unknown).
The area of present Exarchia earthworks in the square. At the time the current was Exarhia suburb of Athens (photo source unknown).
The Greek Hat, the most successful Greek company, founded in 1886 by Elias Poulopoulos, a Draper from Kalamata who came to Athens determined to become an industrialist. The factory was built in Thissio full-back in 1900 and the hats that made rewarded with international prizes. The business operated until the mid-20th century stone building in the street Herakleidon. The building has left only a small part has been restored to its original form and is at the Cultural Center "Melina Mercouri" City of Athens.
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