BYZANTINE AND CHRISTIAN

MUSEUMATHENS

T H E 1 0 M O S T I M P O R T A N T M U S E U M S I N T H E C O U N T R Y

illa Ilissia in the centre of Athens has housed the museum since 1926. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in Athens, and was the winter residence of Sophie de Marbois-Lebrun, Duchess of Plaisance, who was charmed by the Greek revolution and settled in town, where her intense past, her wealth and her eccentricities left a mark with the Athenian society.The museum collection includes 30,000 mobile pictures, sculptures, architectural parts of Byzantine temples, ceramics, murals, mosaics, ecclesiastical textiles and miniatures.The permanent exhibition houses 2,700 exhibits and is separated into 5 units: The first presents the transition “From the ancient world to the Byzantine”, while the next, “The world of Byzantium”, covers the period from

C O O L H O T E L S & V I L L A S

V

T H E 1 0 M O S T I M P O R T A N T M U S E U M S I N T H E C O U N T R Y

C O O L H O T E L S & V I L L A S

the 6th century AD to the fall of Constantinople. Then come “Spiritual and artistic mobility in the 15th century”, the unit “From Byzantium to the Modern Era” which also portrays the relationship of byzantine civilization with forms of modern art and its contribution to their development.Among the impressive exhibits there are 4th and 5th century textiles with embroidered decoration, a 6th century child’s woolen tunic with woven decoration portraying people and animals, an impressive medieval metal armor, golden seals of byzantine emperors, etc.In the very beautiful garden you can find the Ilissia café-bistro that serves light meals.

T H E 1 0 M O S T I M P O R T A N T M U S E U M S I N T H E C O U N T R Y