The Municipality of West Lesvos has decided to accept a donation from the Corporate Relations and Communication Department of the Greek Electricity Distribution Network Operator, HEDNO, in order to directly finance the study for the restoration of the Ottoman Bath of Kalloni, which will be prepared by the architect Mr. Ioannis Mourtos.
Specifically, the Ottoman Bath of Kalloni, together with its surrounding area, is the property of the Municipality of West Lesvos. In the context of the implementation of a program for the holistic promotion of monuments and their reuse, where feasible, it was decided to use the bath as a cultural multi-purpose space. That is, as a space for periodic exhibitions in collaboration with cultural institutions, such as the Benaki Museum, but also for other small-scale cultural events such as publication presentations, lectures, and other actions. To this end, the attempted overall restoration will also use the fenced surrounding outdoor space, as well as the building that exists in it.
After the study is prepared, which is scheduled to be completed within 2025, the project will be included in a program in order to be implemented.
‘As stated in the decision, the Municipality of West Lesvos is a newly established Municipality of only five years old, poor in cultural infrastructure, as in the past it was not chosen to implement projects in such areas within its borders, despite the fact that it has the overwhelming majority of tourist beds in Lesvos and the main tourist destinations, such as, among others, Molyvos, Eressos, the Petrified Forest of Lesvos and other points of interest.
With the operation of the Ottoman Bath as its core, it was chosen to design and implement a program to promote cultural tourism as a whole, with all that this entails for the local community and visitors to the area.
History of the Ottoman Bath of Kalloni
The Ottoman Bath of Kalloni is an architecturally and historically emblematic monument of Kalloni, the seat of the Municipality of West Lesvos. The bath was built in the first decade of the 20th century, in order to meet the hygiene needs of the residents of the Community.
After the Asia Minor disaster and the exchange of populations, the bath became a point of reference for the thousands of refugees from the Asia Minor coasts who flocked to the area. At times, the Ottoman Bath was used as a school, but also as the seat of the Kalloni Community. Gradually, however, its use was abandoned, while from time to time it also suffered some irreversible alterations, mainly to its interior.
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