The greek nation has a strong affection and admiration for Lord Byron, who was linked to their country and its pursuit of freedom. His statue stands in Athens, near the National garden and the Zappeion.
In 1809, the Psirri district of Athens was notorious for its criminals and revolutionaries. It was there that the acclaimed british poet, a great admirer of greek culture, chose to live at 11 Agias Teclas street (presently a storage). He was motivated to write «the athenian maiden» after being charmed by his landlord’s twelve-year-old daughter, Teresa Makris.
In the 1820s, Byron travelled back to Greece and composed some of «Childe Harold» during his stay at a 17th century capuchin monastery, now no longer standing. He even carved his surname into one of the columns at the Poseidon temple.
In the National History Museum and Benaki Museum, you can find mementos that demonstrate Byron’s contribution to the greek independence cause. Sadly, before the nation had freed itself, he passed away due to a fever in the infected city of Mesolongi, on April 19, 1824.
During his life, he not only provided 4,000 pounds for the improvement of greece’s navy, but also employed his influence to encourage the british public to invest in the liberation of Greece from the ottomans, despite the fact that the british government did not back the movement.
Greeks were heartbroken when Byron passed away. Dimitrios Scalitsis, president of the society of friends of Lord Byron, commissioned a monument in his memory in 1888. The task was given to french sculptor Henri-Michel Antoine Chapu, but he died before it was completed. Jean Alexandre Joseph Falquier took over and finished the statue in 1895. On the pedestal, the inscription reads: «from Greece to Byron». The female figure cast in the sculpture is Greece, holding a palm branch above Byron’s head to symbolise his immortality.
The sculpture of Lord Byron in Athens is situated in the center of the city, which accents the country’s strong affinity for the renowned poet.
