5. Ionia at the University of Athens
Moments later, Kanelis was flying over the three buildings. He wandered above them for a while and absorbed with his eyes the wonderful architectural lines and the decoration of the buildings.
The Vallianeio Building, which accommodates the Library, was designed byTheophil Hansen and opened for the first time in 1903. Kanelis was especiallyimpressed by the spiral staircase which leads to the entrance, behind which thenational cultural written treasure of our country is preserved. It is a repository ofknowledge, Kanelis thought, a real treasure for the city.
Situated directly next to that is the building of the University of Athens with this magnificent decoration, which breathes life into a bygone age. Kanelis landed next to one of the rectangular columns and sat there to rest. He had already seen so many things, that the images were spinning inside his head to the rhythm of a funfair.
- How beautiful is this place, he thought out loud, what a wonderful place!
- Hey, Kanelis, how are you? Don’t you want to learn something about this historical building?
- Oh, yes please, I would love to. But, who am I speaking with?
- I am Ionia and, as you can imagine from my name, I am an Ionic column, ha ha!
- You are quite humorous for a column as tall as you, Kanelis said looking at her from her base to her capital on top.
- The building was designed by the Danish architect Christian Hansen and openedfor the first time in 1841. Hansen’s brilliant design makes the building not only amonument of exceptional beauty, but also very functional. During its first years,there were classrooms, the library, the university’s services, administrative andprofessors’ offices, amphitheaters, the Great Ceremony Hall, while on the top floor,there was the Museum of Natural History.
- All these sound really great.
- Yes, they are, dear Kanelis and, also look at the magnificent statues that adornthe area of Propylaea. They all impersonate significant personalities of Greekhistory, you know. Look at the statue of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first governor of Greece, and at the statue of Adamantios Korais, philologue and one of the mostimportant representatives of the Neohellenic Enlightenment.
- And what about these two imposing figures prevailing on the right and left of the Entrance?
-Hmm, these are two great personalities of Greek history and specifically of the Greek Revolution. The one on the right is the statue of Patriarch Gregory the Fifth and the other one on the left is the statue of Rigas Feraios. There is also the monument of Gladstone, in gratitude to the great philhellene prime minister of England for his support during the Greek effort to unite the islands of the Ionian Sea with the rest of Greece.
- Wow! You are just like an encyclopedia, Ionia, you know so many things!
- Kanelis, I’ve been here for so many years, that I learn constantly and, above all, I don’t forget the history of this country. I am also proud for the knowledge that has been created all these years.
- I am especially impressed by the imagery here at the front.
- You mean the frieze of the façade.
- Yes, this magnificent frieze which, as I have realised all this time, is a tourist attraction and not only that.
- Ha, ha, Ionia laughed cheerfully, you mean the citizens of Athens! You know, Kanelis, it’s not its beauty that is exciting, but the history that it narrates.
- So, tell me, there are so many faces.
- All these were painted by the Viennese painter Karl Rahl. Rahl wanted to depict at the frieze of the University the rebirth of the arts and letters during King Otto’s reign. This is the reason why, as you can see, the king is seated with the sciences on his right and left sides. This method of depiction is typical of that time and combined characteristics of neo-baroque, that is emotional gestures and theatrical expressions.
- Anyway, I am impressed and I warmly thank you for the information.
- It was nice to meet you, Kanelis, but what’s nicer is the fact that you are interested in the history of this place. Where are you going now?
- I’m going to take a look at the adjacent building and then set out for the Acropolis. Goodbye, Ionia, bye.