Liopyrakis
Megaron

25th August Street, Heraklion

The “Liopyrakis Megaron” is undoubtedly the most important sample of the romantic neoclassical style in Heraklion. It is a work of the architect Dimitris Kyriakou. Its construction began at the end of the first decade of the 20th century. It was one of the most luxurious mansions that were constructed in the first two decades in a very central street, the 25th of August Avenue.

The construction of these mansions, which composed an attractive architectural set, gave the street a new, European style. These mansions, which were built next to each other, caused the Venetian Ruga Maistra, known during the Ottoman rule as Vizier Casci, “to be scornfully named the Avenue of Deceit” or “the Avenue of Fallacy”, because it gave a false impression to the visitor concerning the appearance of the city behind it.

The building, which is divided today in two independent properties, is at a corner, with three floors and three two-storey parts in between. The three-storey parts are covered with wooden tiled roofs and the two-storey parts with cement roofs. Shops were housed in the ground floor. The upper floors were private residences. The architectural style of the building is a typical architectural choice of the early 20th century.

The first floor is more decorated than the ground floor, which remains simple. The second floor has reduced height and is simpler in style than the first floor. The second floor is interrupted at three points. As a result, very interesting architectural effects are created.

Text: Chrisoula Tzombanaki

The first building (with entrance from Idomeneos Street) was bought by the Greek Ministry of Culture to house the new Byzantine Museum of Heraklion. However, the museum is eventually hosted in the temple of Saint Catharine Sinai.