This very beautiful "humble" mansion had reached the ready-to-collapse level long before its preservation. It used to give overnight shelter to poor illegal economic immigrants from the Balkan countries on their trip on foot to the south, and this brought more damage to the treasures it was hiding. During the preservation works after the unresting efforts of the local Cultural Club of Siatista "Markides Pouliou", the volume of rubble that had to be removed away from just its yard, after careful inspection for reusable architectural pieces or even cultural masterpieces like the icon we show in this album, exceeded several hundred truck-loads.
What it is extremely important and worth mentioning is that this mansion, after its renovation (or should we say «its preservation») has attracted the interest of the local people who have trusted it with their vintage household belongings, inherited to them by their fore-fathers; the mansion now is much more than an empty shell, it is a Folklore Museum that is definately worth visiting.
It would be unforgivably unkind if we failed to mention the tremendous help we were offered by Mr. Nectarios Tsionis, member of the Siatista Cultural Society "Markides Pouliou", in guiding us through this Mansion, as well as by the "heart" of the prenamed Society, Mrs. Siasiou Vassiliki, co-founder of the society. We remain thankful to them for their efforts to preserve the local culture and their help to producing these pages.
Please have in mind that due to the substantial work load required to prepare and upload the photos for this album, the work will progress gradually; please visit us from time to time to see it growing.
Dolgiras Mansion: Approaching it, as it lies some 30 meters (100 ft) offroad |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Coming nearer |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Opening the welcoming gate with the informative sign |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The sign on the outer face of the gate |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The house next door, left to its grim destiny, shown here for comparison |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The outer gate of the house next door, in a much better state than that of Dolgiras Mansion gate before the restoration works |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Standing at the gate, the inner open yard (locally called «the nouvro») is welcoming the visitor.
It is from here that huge quantities of debris and litter had to be removed as part of the preservation works. The guests are already at the main door. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Half of the building and the adjacent «fournario», i.e. room for the wood-heated baking oven |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Same half of the building, with the upper floor («anoi») room, locally called «ondas» |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decorative detail on the face of the mansion in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Right half of the upper floor of the Mansion, showing the rooms (ondas) and part of the so-called tiliakos or iliakos, the mansion's parlor. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Photo of the same part of the mansion as in the previous photo, in the state it used to be before the biginning of the mansion'a preservation works |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Before going into the main building of the mansion, one last photo of the yard gate (inner face).
Robust construction to resist enemy attacks and give time to the inhabitants to elude arrest, through underground secret passages, to neighboring houses and, eventually, away from Siatista. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Southern face of the building
Having walked to the door of the oven-room, shown in one of the previous photos, we photographed the southern face of the mansion. The fireplace chimney shaft leads the smoke to the chimney top shown in the same previous photo. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Main door letting people into the «Mesia» or «Embati», i.e. the hall. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: A closer look at the main door |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Inside the Hall
This is the wall on our left as we walk through the main door. The staircase leads to the upper floor. The door on the right of the photo leads to the "kitchen". On the staircase's protective frame, there hangs a picture which is shown in our next photo. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Inside the Hall, Staircase as it was before preservation
The staircase leading to the upper floor from a picture of the time when preservation work was about to start |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Inside the Hall
Detailed photo of the door in the photo right above |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Inside the Hall
The ceiling and upper part of the entrance to the store-room of the mansion with its decorative lighting fixture. The photographer stands right opposite the door in the previous photo; he has the main entrance door on his left and the entrance to the store-room (green frame) on his right. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Inside the Hall
Entrance to the store-room, left door panel. This door is right opposite the main entrance door to the hall. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Inside the Hall
Entrance to the store-room, right door panel. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Store-room of the mansion.
Household utensils and items, food, wine and pork barrels, olive oil and stock food were kept there. Sometimes also the "poustavi", where grapes were pressed to must. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Store-room of the mansion.
Bread troughs and moulds made of wood |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Store-room of the mansion.
Bronze-ware |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Store-room of the mansion.
Clay containers. On the mould to the right a photo of the store room, before preservation. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Store-room of the mansion.
The photo in the previous picture |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils and jars in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Scales in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Scales in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils and farming tools in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household utensils in the store-room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage chandelier on show |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Household items next ot the chandelier shown in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage chest of drawers with a painting of the mansion's interior, salvaged from the debris |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Same painting in more detail
Here we see a painting depicting a part of the mansion's interior, with decorated cupboard doors and a fresco painting of Constantinople on the wall. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More household items |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More household items |
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Dolgiras Mansion: A painting found in the mansion, not yet preserved |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Closeup of the previous item, showing damages to the painting |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Yet another closeup of the painting, showing damages to it |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Yet another closeup of the painting, showing damages to it |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Yet another closeup of the painting, showing damages to it |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Our Guide, Mr. Nectarios Tsionis, in the mansion's kitchen
Mr Tsionis, much later than when the photo was taken, was elected as president of the Siatista Cultural Society 'Markides Pouliou'. Here, having left the store-room and back into the hall, he opened for us the decorated door shown in our 10th photo, left column; the following photos are of items in this room. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The kitchen fireplace after its preservation
Next to it one can distinguish a photo of the fireplace in the condition it was before preservation |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The kitchen fireplace before its preservation |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The kitchen door next to the fireplace |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The kitchen window
Please pay attention to the curtain Crochet Hook work |
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Dolgiras Mansion: A closer look to the previous photo
Dream play between the sun light through the crochet hook nit curtains and the internal multi-colored decoration of the kitchen |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Kitchen clay jar
It is resting on Crochet Hook work as well |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Another kitchen clay jar
It is resting on Crochet Hook work as well |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Cupboard door panels in the kitchen |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Cupboard door panel detail |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Drawing with the «Lady playing the Lyre» |
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Dolgiras Mansion
Part of the wall to the left of what is shown in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage Canteen |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage Canteen |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage Bronze-ware resting in the hearth of the fire-place |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage household items on the kitchen table |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage household items on the kitchen table |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Old household notebook |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Old sewing and knitting needles and yarn |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage water-jar |
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Dolgiras Mansion: One of the rooms before preservation |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The same room as in the previous photo after it was preserved |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Chandelier in the same room
A sight for sore eyes! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Chandelier in the same room
Detail from the previous photo: roses and rose-bush leaves of unparalleled craftsmanship! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Lighting fixture |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Part of the room as it is today, with a photo of its decadent condition before preservation |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The small photo in the previous picture |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The door in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Same door with the decoration next to it |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decoration on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decoration on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decoration on the wall
Please pay attention of the fawn fed by a male deer! The symbolism of such drawings eludes us! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decoration on the wall
Closeup of the scene in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decoration on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decoration on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Decorative pattern on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Another decorative pattern |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More of these drawings |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The upper part of the house iconostasis
Iconostasis means 'where the icons stand'. Each home used to (and many modern homes still do) have a special niche (with or without shelves) to keep the family Holy Icons. This upper part contains an icon and a hand-embroidered synthesis inspired by the Crucifixion. The whole niche is partly covered with "cut and broider" small curtains and lit (and ornated) by a silver vigil oil-lamp. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The bottom part of the house iconostasis with an icon found in the debris filling up the yard (please refer to the introductive text)
This is a museum item, and it took a lot of toil to preserve it |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Same icon, digitally retouched |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Top half of the same icon |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Bottom half of the same icon |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Hand made small curtains
They are made with the "cut and broider" technique. Some threads, or parts of threads, are removed, thread for thread. The "openings" are embroidered with needl-work |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Hand made small curtains
The one on the left in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More household silver and glassware |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More household silver and glassware |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More household silver and glassware |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More household silver and glassware |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Bronze candlestick |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More glassware |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Vintage water/wine jar |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Kitchen corner with vintage items, among them a coffee-grinder
The modern plastic cups are used to treat group members visiting the Mansion with water |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional household items on shelves |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional household items on shelves |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional household items on shelves |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional household items on shelves |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional household items on shelves |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Fur coat of old times
It is with the actual fur on the inside and the skin on the outside. This way it was offering more warmth against the cold and protection against the rain |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Large baking tins, actually of elaborately decorated bronze sheet |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Detail of the decoration on a large bronze baking tin |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Magnificently decorated wooden ceiling and lighting fixture |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Chandelier stained glass detail |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Our guide helps the photographer to document costume details |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Our guide helps the photographer to document costume details |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Closeup of the belt buckle in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Hand-embroidered jacket sleeve |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Hand-embroidered jacket sleeve detail |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Back side of the jacket |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Traditional woman hat (fessi) |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional costume of Siatista
Hand-made garment |
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Dolgiras Mansion: More 'cut and broider' curtains |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Traditional wooden hope chest and tray with glassware on it |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Embroidery on the chest in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Tray on the same chest |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Deco detail on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Deco detail on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Deco detail on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Deco detail on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Deco detail on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Deco detail on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Cushion decorated with the 'cut and broider' technique |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Getting in the owners' bedroom
Remember the male deer giving suck to the fawn? Well, it is here again, over the door to the bedroom. Please also pay attention to the chandelier in the room: we shall admire it in the next 2 photos! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Chendalier |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Chendalier Detail |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Vintage baby cradle |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Housewife's bedgown, plus more details of the room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Our guide helps us reveal the beauty of the exquisitely woven fine bedgown! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Hand-embroidered ornament on the bedgown's waistband |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Photo of the room as it used to be at preservation time, with windows closed by means of bricks! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Newspaper envelope hanging on the wall! Those people knew how to enjoy life! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
A 'Good Morning' hand-embroidered face towel hanger |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Crochet Hook work bed cover, a masterly worked feat of skill and patience! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Crochet Hook work bed cover, a masterly worked feat of skill and patience! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Fine hand-made garments on the bedcover shown in the 2 previous photos |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Fine hand-made garments on the bedcover |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
Fine hand-made garments on the bedcover |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The owners' bedroom
'God's Willing' hand-embroidered sign hanging on the bedroom wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Bronze candlesticks |
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Dolgiras Mansion: And another one! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: Beauty mirror |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Here the family celebrated the name-days of its members and parties were given where refreshments such as coffee, cake, liquor and hors d' oeuvres were offered. Musicians were also called in. Here we see another fantastic chandelier, with five lights, similar to the one presented higher up in the page. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
The Siatista church of Agios Demetrios as seen through the window. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Heating appliance. Burning coal was used, covered to radiate its warmth. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Niche in the wall, housing a wooden decorated box where bottles with alcoholic drinks were kept. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Closeup of the wooden box in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Right underneath the box in the previous photo: Restorators have left a rectagular part of the wall to show the depth of the restoration work until they could reach the decorated surface. This rectangular protrudes at least 5 mm from the wall. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Guests used to sit on low benches lined up against the walls, almost all around the room. Hand-embroidered cushions were placed here and there to make sitting more comfortable! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
'Naif' decoration pattern on the wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Photo of Dimitrios Xanthos, right hand of Pavlos Perdikas, local captain and hero of the struggle against the Turkish occupation of Macedonia. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Perdikas' knife sheath with his name carved on. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Souvenirs from the second decade of the 20th century |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Oil-lamp on the wide window-sill. |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Decoration of the walls and ceiling |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Decoration of the walls and ceiling |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Decorated wall and a cushion |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
The cushion in the previous photo |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Decorated wall |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Decorated wall detail: A cat with a mouse on its claws! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Decorated ceiling |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
One more cushion, this one with an ancient Greek saying embroidered on it: 'Know thyself'! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
One more cushion! |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Tablecloth embroidery |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
One more cushion |
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Dolgiras Mansion: The Celebrations Room
Vintage glass fruit platter |
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