The history of Greece goes back centuries — there is a proof of this fact in every city and on every island of this state. Sights and memorable places surround the guests of the country almost everywhere. Even ordinary earthworks, not to mention archaeological excavations, often bring new artifacts that cast light on different periods of life of the ancient Greeks.
All finds are collected in numerous museums located in all cities of sunny Greece. One of the most important museums in the study of Byzantine art is the national Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art in Athens.
The Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art is home to 25 000 exhibits that are evidence of early Christian, Medieval, post-Byzantine and other periods. The artifacts that are stored in the museum date back to various periods — from the III to the XXI century, and their origin covers not only Greece itself, but also other regions where Hellenism flourished. Due to the variety of collections and the value of the exhibits, the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art in Greece can rightly be considered a real treasury of arts and culture of Byzantine and post-Byzantine eras.
The museum came into existence in 1914, and its origin is closely connected with the history of the Christian archaeological society, which was founded long before that, in 1884. The collection gathered by the society needed a museum and was initially housed in the Holy Synod in Athens, and then in the National archaeological museum. By 1923, the first collection of the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art was formed. It included finds that were collected in Attica and transported to Athens to be stored in the National archaeological museum and Theseion. Some of the collections of art, miniatures, manuscripts, and textiles apperared in the museum as purchases and donations, including family heirlooms, from Greek communities around the world.
Since 1923, the goal of George Sotiriou, who took the post of Director of the museum, was to create one of the leading national museums of Greece, which would be a model museum in the entire East. Thanks to him, all the collections that had been gathered by the Supervisory Committee during previous years were organized and presented to the public in 1924 — they occupied 5 halls of the Academy of Athens.
By 1930, the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art got premises where it is located to this day — the Villa Ilissia. This is one of the most beautiful buildings built in Athens in the middle of the XIX century. Stomatios Klintes erected this building as a house for the Duchess of Pleasance Sophie de Marbois-Lebrun in 1848, where she lived for the rest of her life. Then the ownership right of the complex passed to the Greek state, and in the next three years, it housed the Officer Academy of cadets, and after that other military organizations.
The official opening of the museum took place in September of 1930 and was confined to the 3rd International Congress of Byzantine studies, which was held in Athens. After the World War II, the work of the museum was resumed in 1946 — a new exhibition space appeared, and the conservation workshop was reorganized. In the following years, the collections expanded, the museum was updated, along with the acquiring international significance.
In the late 1980s, the works were started, aimed at the museum expanding — it was planned to re-exhibit the collections. The re-exhibition of early collections was completed in 2004, and of post-Byzantine collections — in 2010. The organization of the modern Byzantine and Christian Museum of the XXI century is based on an updated concept that fully meets the requirements of modern museology.
The Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art houses both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibition consists of two main parts:
The first covers the period from the IV to the XV centuries and tells about the main historical events of this period: the destruction of ancient political, economic and religious structures with the arrival and strengthening of Christianity.
The second is called "From Byzantium to the modern era" and represents works of art dating from the XV to the XX centuries.
A huge number of artifacts from different eras help to go in the atmosphere of endless changes in people's lives, to experience the key moments of history and realize the significance and greatness of the Byzantine Empire.
On the museum's website, you can find 5 thematic routes that highlight the role of waterways, gold, women in the life of the Byzantines and their views on death. One of the routes contains unusual exhibits — it is difficult to explain their purpose, origin and importance now.
The building that houses the museum combines elements of classicism and romanticism and is an extremely beautiful architectural masterpiece. Externally, the Villa resembles a Tuscan-style building located at the far end of a closed courtyard. Two additional wings are intended for supplementary use, and a gatehouse is located at the entrance. Several levels show a variety of expositions, which tell about the immense heritage left by the powerful Byzantine Empire. To the early manifestation of Christianity a rare mosaic icon of the virgin Mary from Constantinople might be referred, dated to the XIII century — it is one of the 40, the existence of which is known at the moment.
In the gardens of the Byzantine and Christian museums, you can not only delve into the study of history and art, but also just relax in the shade of fruit trees, breathing the aromas of herbs and enjoying the quiet murmur of fountains. This is a real oasis in the center of a busy city!
Thanks to the three small thematic exhibitions located in the garden, the veil is lifted over such important aspects of life as the water supply of Athens — from ancient times to the present day, the development of the river landscape on the banks of Ilissos, as well as the Byzantine interpretation of the afterlife.
Here, in the garden of the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art — in the shadow of the Duchess’ Palace, there is a cafe-restaurant Ilissia, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a delicious lunch after the excursion.
The Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art in the capital of Greece is located on Vasilissis Sofias street, in two minutes’ walk from Evangelismos metro station. Getting here by metro, you need to use Line 3. You can use the trolleybus number 3 (go to Rigillis) or number 10 (to Ethniko Idryma Ereunon).
From any end of the capital, you can reach the museum by buses:
From Syntagma square you can walk on foot — the whole way will take about 15 minutes.
