Features Jim Claven takes us through the historic town of Missolonghi heroic resistance during the Greek Revolution and captivating museums like the Byron Museum and Xenokrateion Archaeological Museum Missolonghi is a name and a place that excites anyone interested in the history of modern Greece It will be forever linked to the movement of philhellenes who flocked to Greece in support of its fight for independence from Ottoman rule the British philhellene who came to the town and would die there during the war is forever connected to this beautiful town on the coast of the Ionian Sea Missolonghi of course is famous in itself for its part in the Greek Revolution Its citizens were one of the first to rise against Ottoman rule in Western Greece joining the uprising and securing their town in May 1821 under the leadership of local notables like Athanasios Razikotsikas They were soon joined by the klepht chieftain Dimitrios Makris and later Alexandros Mavrokordatos one of the overall leaders of the revolution The town’s strategic importance lay in its location with access to both the Peloponnese and the Ionian Sea The town’s defenders would hold out against two Ottoman sieges finally succumbing to the Ottoman forces in April 1826 after a year-long siege The defenders and residents attempted withdrawal from the town was followed by a massacre Lord Byron himself died at Missolonghi in 1824 before the fall of the town For the bravery of its citizens the town was granted the honorary title of Hiera Polis or Sacred City As you arrive in the town no doubt the first thing that strikes you are the remains of the defensive walls with their cannons mounted on the parapets and the great entrance gate from the days of the siege of the city Beyond these defences is the beautiful Garden of Heroes in which stand many memorials dedicated to the various heroes of the revolution including individual philhellenes and contingents such as those who came from Poland Italy and Switzerland – along with many to the Greek fighters and civilians who took part in the defence of the town in 1821-26 The central memorial is that to Lord Byron My good friend Dr Spiridoula Demetriou had recommended that we visit the two principal museums to the Greek revolution and Lord Byron that are located within the town itself This beautiful old renovated building stands on the main square of the town Its many rooms and two floors contain many items of original memorabilia and reproductions telling the story of Missolonghi While these are principally concerned with the revolution (including swords and muskets from the era as well as a great ornate processional canopy dedicated to the memory of the massacre of 1826) I was particularly impressed in viewing the museums portrait of the British philhellene and naval officer Frank Abney Hastings who died following an attempt to liberate the town in May 1828 The Lord Byron and Philhellene Museum and International Research Centre is located on the outskirts of the town about 500 metres from the harbour and near the coast It is easily identified by the impressive Byron statue which stands near the building the new building is modelled on Byron’s last residence in the town which no longer exists The museum is home to an impressive permanent exhibition entitled “Byron and Greece” telling the story of Lord Byron and the revolution in a series of displays across a number of rooms on the first floor The exhibition opened to the public in April last year on the bicentenary of his death The exhibition opens with a timeline of the key events of Byron’s life followed by his role in the European philhellenic movement his arrival and part in the revolution in Missolonghi and his death A further section details Byron’s influence on the Romantic Movement some of the key artefacts of Byron’s (such as his helmet slippers and campaign bed) and subsequent commemorations of his life Many of the original material on display – artworks weapons and documents etc- have been sourced from many archives in Greece and the United Kingdom A research centre is located on the second floor and has an extensive library with great views across the lagoon I was particularly impressed by the collection of important documents on display The museum hosts various cultural events throughout the year which are advertised on its website This museum is a must for all interested in the topic But Missolonghi offers more to the visitor than a deeper appreciation of Lord Bryon not far from the main square we came upon the Xenokrateion Archaeological Museum an institution of the Greek Ministry of Culture It is housed in a beautifully renovated late 19th century neoclassical building which operated as the Municipal Girl’s School through the donation of Constantinos Xenocratis a major benefactor from Sidirochori in Eastern Thrace As you enter the Museum we were impressed by the grand staircase leading to the upper floors telling the story of the Aitoloakarnania region from prehistoric to late Roman times (from 100,000 BCE to the 3rd century CE) We read that many of the artefacts on display were discovered as a result of recent infrastructure works across the region including excavations for new highways and bridges such as the new Ionia-Odos highway – a reminder that when you dig in a place like Greece you need to be very careful It is so reassuring that modern Greece treasures its long history with examples like the creation of this new Museum and it’s amazing exhibits Amongst the usual archaeological displays this Museum includes striking figures with their original colours still evident such as the waterspout framed as the head of a lion from a 550BCE Temple of Apollo in vivid colour This reminds me of pre-Columbian era stonework from Latin America We are also struck by an amazing almost life size 3rd century BCE clay figure of a female deity from the city of Calydon And then there are items of everyday use like the Hellenistic era bronze grater The artefacts are displayed to tell the history of the many ancient and classical-era settlements of the region – such as Calydon (a major city in Ancient times situated on the west bank of the Evinos river) Alikyrna (near modern day Hilia Spitia) and Pleuron (located in the mountains above the lagoon this city is mentioned Homer as a city that supplied ships for the Trojan war) – from settlement access to rivers and the sea as well as to rivalries and war All of this is brought together in an amazing 10-minute video documentary presentation shown to visitors marrying the geology and natural environment of the region with the settlement of its people interpreting both mythological legend and archaeological and written evidence Another stop on your visit to the city is the famous Salt Museum featuring images and stories of the poor workers who worked in often terrible conditions to bring this essential ingredient from the sea to the table Also on display are cannonballs from the war of independence retrieved from the sea Having enjoyed a full day touring we needed some relaxation And what better place in the city than the Persephone Restaurant On the advice of the History and Art Museum we found one of the best eateries in Greece its effusive owner darting between tables offering excellent food zucchini fritters and beetroot with feta salad washed down with my favourite local beer Mamos But the best part of our stay here was that many of the other customers were in fact singers part of a charity choir called Music Paths from Limassol Cyprus who were performing locally and decided on a meal at Persephone’s Soon we were surrounded by the sound of singing and dancing familiar rebetiko songs filling the restaurant thinking about Greece’s ancient history or reading about Lord Byron and the Philhellene’s think of a stop in Missolonghi on your next trip to Greece to take in its amazing museums and hospitality And more importantly if you are travelling in Western Greece – whether you are crossing the Trikoupis Bridge from Patras having tasted the delights of Nafpaktos or are on your way to Lefkada or Ioannina – stop and take in what this beautiful little coastal town has to offer 195 year’s ago today, the Exodus of Mesolongi was one of the most important historical events of the Greek War of Independence. It took place in April 1826. The fighting over the Turks had started a few years ago, and the Greeks tried to gain their freedom. The residents of Mesolongi killed their Turkish governors and set their city free the Sultan sent an army to suppress the revolution His first attempt in 1822 failed and in 1825 he sent an even stronger army fought the Turkish army with courage but the siege lasted for a whole year The Turks had circled the area and the Greeks could not get food supplies People started dying from famine and diseases and the other Greeks were unable to help them the exhausted residents of Mesolongi decided to secretly exit their city on the night of April cross the Turkish camp and hide in the mountains and the close by villages their plan was betrayed to the enemy and when the Greeks opened the gates in the middle of the night the Turks attacked them and killed all women and children and most of the soldiers Only 1,300 men finally managed to save their lives The Exodus is considered to be a great act of courage and it is celebrated every year in Mesolongi the Sunday before Easter as an annual anniversary of this heroic act a parade starts from the center of the town and ends in the Garden of Heroes followed by a memorial to the heroes of the Greek Revolution Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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As Greece celebrates its 200th anniversary of independence the country’s National Gallery-Alexandros Soutsos Museum in Athens held a ceremony to mark the completion of an almost decade-long expansion and renovation The €59m project has more than doubled the museum’s footprint to 20,000 sq creating space for exhibitions and collection storage a café and a restaurant with panoramic views of the Acropolis The gallery reception on 24 March formed part of an official events programme commemorating the bicentenary of the declaration of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire on 25 March 1821 welcomed foreign dignitaries such as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall the Russian prime minister and the president of Cyprus to tour the new displays No date has yet been set for the public opening of the museum as Greece struggles with another surge in cases of Covid-19 the National Gallery remains closed to the public while lockdown restrictions are in force Courtesy of the Ministry of Culture and Sports says the National Gallery’s reopening will put it “on the map of the big international museums” The refurbished gallery “reflects Greece in 2021 while at the same time integrating its rich historical and cultural heritage” the National Gallery holds a collection of more than 20,000 works by Greek artists and international figures Around 1,000 works will feature in the rehang starting with a sculpture by Rodin outside the entrance and Panayiotis Tetsis’s monumental painting Street Market (triptych) (1979-82) in the atrium The museum is set to open with a special display dedicated to the War of Independence titled 1821 in Painting: Greece Demands its Historical Art Gallery Among the works are Scene from the Greek War of Independence (1856) by Eugène Delacroix and The Reception of Lord Byron at Missolonghi (1861) by Theodoros Vryzakis Part of Panayiotis Tetsis’s monumental painting Street Market (triptych) (1979-82) which hangs in the atrium Courtesy of the Ministry of Culture and Sports The current museum site dates back to the 1960s Plans for an expansion were originally put forward in 2004 but it took four more years for an architectural design to be selected in a public competition by the ministry of culture with only part of the collection on display at the National Glytotheque in the eastern suburb of Goudi and additional regional loans to Sparta the renovation has been repeatedly delayed largely due to a miscalculation of the water level of the underground river Ilissos The culture ministry says €42m in public funding was assured “despite the adversities of the financial crisis” but the project was “not a priority” for the previous government The Stavros Niarchos Foundation made a major grant of €13m towards the completion of the revamp in 2017. The foundation is a vital benefactor of arts and culture in Greece and also contributed €3m to complete the long-delayed construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST). we asked art figures to reflect on the crisis and look towards the future news26 February 2020EMST—National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens finally opens its doorsThe institution welcomes the first visitors to its renovated home in the former Fix brewery this week Print Los Angeles Times Art Critic They don’t make paintings like “Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi” anymore ruminative medium of oil paint on canvas has pretty much had it as the sharpest system for the memorable delivery of effective Painting has long since been replaced by the relentless 24/7 information cycle repeated nonstop on cable television and the Internet was a principal artistic pivot on which the total transformation began It’s as if the pressures of unstoppable change pushed him to raise the propaganda bar to extravagant painterly heights “Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi,” painted in 1826 was among his first bravura masterpieces in the genre The allegorical painting is on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts in Bordeaux for a small but incisive exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Bordeaux have been sister cities for 50 years.) The image is keyed to a tragic episode in the long war for Greek independence from Turkish rule Curator Leah Lehmbeck shows it with a Delacroix copy of an oil sketch by Peter Paul Rubens plus the lovely little version of the “Grande Odalisque” by his chief rival There are also lithographs by Théodore Géricault (Gros famously dismissed Delacroix’s war painting “Massacre of Chios” as a “massacre of art.”) a bronze medallion by British artist Alfred Joseph Stothard portrays Romantic poet Lord Byron who died in Missolonghi just a year before the dramatic event Delacroix’s canvas commemorates The poet gets cast in the style of an ancient Greek or Roman hero All these provide fractional context for Delacroix’s big A complex story — what has been called Greece’s Alamo a site of heroic resistance fought to the death in the face of a superior military foe — is stripped to representative elements The painter conjures a personified image of a society badly broken but not destroyed — down but not out And he inflects the scene with a sly if subtle glimmer of ultimate redemption and deliverance It is dominated by a life-size female figure whose blue cloak and white tunic employ the colors of the Greek flag to identify her as a personification of the beleaguered nation the ample-breasted symbol of the French Republic and ancestor of America’s Statue of Liberty The rubble of a ruined city lies all around her blood spattered on the stone block below her slipper-clad right foot Delacroix rendered Greece as strong and powerful The vivid paint bolsters an energetic figure implied by strong limbs articulated beneath her clothing He learned the technique from close study of Rubens who knew the seductive clout of tangible color Baroque painting had largely been conceived to advance the claims of the Roman Catholic Church Delacroix revived propagandistic elements of earlier Baroque style but now he put them at the service of nationalist politics Delacroix’s brilliance was to subsume religious imagery within this secular composition she’s also part Mary lamenting the death of her son The stone slab on which she kneels invokes a tomb the grim inclusion of a slain Greek fighter’s severed arm quietly suggests the bodies of Lazarus and Christ Even the splendidly arrayed Ottoman soldier posed in triumph over the city at the upper right thrums with religious and political contradictions seated with a regal golden standard held high in one hand The pose recalls Ingres’ bombastic 1806 portrait of Napoleon enthroned is the one who had stirred the Ottoman hornet’s nest in his failed attempt at Middle East incursion Ingres’ Napoleon portrait looked back to depictions of God the Father seated on the throne of heaven like the one at the center of Jan van Eyck’s famous Ghent Altarpiece Delacroix shows the Ottoman soldier in profile The juxtaposition of a victorious man and a victimized woman is also typical of Delacroix’s paternalism — itself common in conservative French society The picture was painted for a public exhibition meant to rouse the French government to action so Delacroix filled it with signs of provisional stability and potential change is imploring viewers in the capital to come to her aid Parisian newspapers had closely followed the Missolonghi story and one even published a lengthy Victor Hugo poem inspired by it The tragic tale was epic: The Greeks were thwarted in their attempts to escape an essential port city cordoned off and being starved by the Ottomans who were led by a tactically brilliant Egyptian general Captured Greeks were killed or sent into slavery; the rest blew themselves up in a mass suicide The dead hand Delacroix shows emerging from a tomb might even be an oblique reference to one tossed by the sea in Lord Byron’s “The Death of Selim,” a tempestuous poem of love and revenge in the so-called Orient Delacroix eulogized Byron’s poem in an 1824 entry in his journal: “That hand “Missolonghi” was Delacroix’s second painting on the theme of Greek independence showing the gruesome aftermath of a massacre on the island of Chios just off the coast of Turkey (It’s the painting Baron Gros disdained.) A confluence of transformative historical events set the stage for Delacroix’s brilliant artistic achievements A tumultuous age of revolution and counterrevolution had raised the political stakes The birth of the modern newspaper industry began the mass production of information The consolidation of artistic authority in the French capital created a powerful cultural pedestal He was not yet 27 when the bloody siege at the port city of Missolonghi began held a special place in the imagination of revolutionary Europe and it gave Delacroix an indelible subject But Europe was also saddled with a growing legacy of colonial foreign adventuring including in North Africa and the Middle East The young French artist possessed the natural skill naked ambition to make the most of a social reality riven with contradictions https://www.lacma.org Twitter: @KnightLAT World & Nation Entertainment & Arts Hollywood Inc. Television Books Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map a rural town and a mysterious murder that needs solving: No this is not a new season of “True Detective” – it’s “The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea,” the latest movie by Syllas Tzoumerkas Its title is as enigmatic as the elements that make up the plot; Tzoumerkas says that it was inspired by the lifecycle of eels which travel thousands of miles every year to reach their breeding grounds in the Pacific Ocean His protagonists embark on a similar journey although not in some faraway location but at the Mesolongi lagoon in western Greece is a former officer of the Athens anti-terrorist unit who has been transferred to serve as the local police chief of Mesolongi A mysterious death will bring this dynamic but troubled woman into contact with Rita The insular local community exercises its own form of pressure on both women “The notion of paradise is at the heart of this film we do not show the town as much as the surrounding area and this is why we shot scenes at the deltas of the Acheloos and Arachthos rivers it is actually nothing more than mud and dirt,” Tzoumerkas explains the parallel with nature is one of the most impressive aspects of the film “Hora Proelefsis” (Homeland) and “I Ekrixi” (A Blast) “The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea” is a pure thriller I still took an interest in the dynamics of human relationships I generally hate political movies that look for answers or I love the gaps that sometimes exist between different convictions they emerge through the aggravation of the crisis in a very poor part of the country where the characters are trapped unable to fulfill their potential or their dreams.” with the small community acting as a trigger in the tension between the characters But the “miracle” in the title also refers to a series of religious visions shared by the protagonists Elisabeth and Rita which transcend the otherwise realistic scenario a dream world develops that is shared by the two women a woman of few words and strong religious faith these are my favorite parts and I tried not to make them look self-important but lighthearted and with nature as a dominant element,” says Tzoumerkas Aside from any weaknesses his movie may present Tzoumerkas has done an outstanding job on the characters Elisabeth is a “tough cop” with a bad attitude and a big mouth She nonetheless carries her own baggage of nightmares and failures Rita’s story moves her and spurs her to escape from the swamp she and her teenage son have been living in for the past 10 years She crosses paths with local star Manolis Dinias – portrayed by Christos Passalis – who is also Rita’s brother He seems to be at the heart of a web of mystery in which the community has become entangled “The character of Manolis is probably the most typical of the sociopolitical genre of cinema Here is a man who had gone off to follow his dream of riches only to end up living with his mother and singing at the local bouzouki joint.” Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox 200 years after the revolutionary Romantic poet Lord Byron’s death Greeks are celebrating his place in their national pantheon On Wednesday 18 August 1880, a sale was held at Sotheby’s in London. Among the items up for grabs were “interesting relics of Lord Byron” included the crown of Greek laurel placed on the aristocrat’s coffin “when laying in state” in Great George Street a diplomat-cum-scholar born and raised in Athens Fifty-six years had elapsed since the great Romantic poet died on 19 April 1824 in Missolonghi spearheading the Greeks’ revolt against Ottoman rule Raised by his patriot father on Byron’s legendary contribution to the cause Gennadius successfully contrived to outdo his fellow bidders It would be the start of a formidable collection of Byroniana that today includes a lock of the peer’s distinctly auburn hair – cut by his distraught valet William Fletcher as his master lay on his deathbed – rare manuscripts paintings and a fragment of the Scottish plaid cloak Byron Last week, as Greece marked the bicentenary of Byron’s death the artefacts brought an air of excitement to the august reading room of the library that Gennadius who would become one of the country’s foremost benefactors bequeathed to the American School of Classical studies at Athens laying eyes on objects once so intimate to the poet was tantamount to being “at one remove” from him and nothing short of “thrilling” “I think it’s very important they’ve ended up in Greece,” said the American who long based in Athens where she has written several acclaimed books of verse has found herself “inevitably” thinking about Byron and his relationship with the nation he would ultimately sacrifice his life for “There’s little sense or understanding [abroad] of how important he was to Greece I often find myself having to explain that it’s not a celebrity stunt that the gravity of the appreciation [for him] is genuine.” On Friday – exactly 200 years after Byron succumbed to fever barely 100 days after arriving in the land whose liberty he had championed so vociferously – it was an appreciation that the Greeks went out of their way to display With a pomp usually afforded visiting dignitaries a brass band performed next to a guard of honour outside the Athens parliament as officials laid wreaths before the tomb of the unknown soldier to commemorate foreign philhellenes courage and influence were key to the war’s eventual success Byron may not have fought but he gave us his everything scene of an unprecedented “homage” to the poet celebrations ranged from exhibition openings to the world premiere of The Last Days of Byron an opera commissioned by Oxford’s Institute for Digital Archaeology More than 350 soldiers from Europe and America are believed to have died on the battlefield at the hands of the Ottomans most despaired at the calamitous state the Orthodox Christians had been reduced to by centuries of Ottoman rule that Byron should die before he could prove himself in battle – fever took hold as he was about to lead troops out of the malaria-ridden town – matters little In a country where nearly every city has a street named after the Englishman and many men are called Vyrona in his honour “Byron may not have fought but he gave us his everything a bust of the poet perched behind him in an office brimming with flags bags and mugs emblazoned with Byron’s silhouette “In life it’s all about what you leave behind and ultimately he left behind a free Greece The revolutionary spirit that led Byron into the marshes of Missolonghi – propelled by a valour hailed by those who accompanied him on the doomed expedition – was much bigger than the whiff of scandal that pushed him into self-exile or any of his flaws Historians believe that had it not been for Byron’s generosity or influence London might never have consented to the loans so badly needed by the provisional government in Greece His own support – parting with a huge amount of his fortune to underwrite the war effort – while backing the pro-western polyglot Alexandros Mavrokordatos at a time when the uprising was plagued by factional intrigues is seen as crucial in the creation of the modern nation state where the rebel poet is best remembered as being “mad bad and dangerous to know” – the inimitable putdown uttered by his spurned lover Lady Caroline Lamb – it is a political role that is often overlooked But the commemorative events marking the milestone anniversary also offer opportunity for reappraisal emeritus professor of Modern Greek at King’s College London and the author of Byron’s War the definitive account of his involvement in the revolution “There’s a huge mismatch in the way he is remembered in the UK and Greece,” the academic noted had “astonishingly” never been translated into Greek “In this anniversary there’s a great opportunity for the Greeks to get to know him better as a poet and for the Brits to open up beyond the clichés to see Byron’s contribution to the creation of a European nation state It’s important because he really is part of the story and the self-identity of Greece.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media You may provide up to 30 emails at a time You can provide a custom message that will preface the content in the email The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will present Delacroix’s Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi the leading French Romantic painter of the day Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi is one of the most celebrated French paintings of the 19th century The work is held in the Musée des Beaux Arts in Bordeaux “This exhibition is an extremely rare opportunity to showcase a masterwork by one of the19th century’s most important painters,” said Leah Lehmbeck curator of European Paintingand Sculpture at LACMA “The picture itself is profoundly rich with political and therefore speaks to a range of issues through its engaging dramatic context.”   The exhibition focuses on the singular painting with works from LACMA’s permanent collection to supplement the painting’s narrative Delacroix’s Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi is organized in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Los Angeles’s sister-city relationship with Bordeaux Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi was executed in 1826 During the Greek war of independence from Ottoman occupation Turkish troops besieged the city of Missolonghi attempted an escape that ended in tragedy at the hands of the Turks like many European artists and intellectuals was a fervent supporter of Greek independence In direct response to the fall of the besieged city the artist created Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi in about three short months in time for an exhibition at a private gallery in Paris which was erected solely to plead the Greek cause Along with over 200 paintings exhibited alongside it Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi was intended to generate support and persuade the politically conservative French monarchy to change their course of tacit acceptance of the massacre of thousands of Greek citizens Two years later the French joined British and Russian forces and permanently ended 400 years of Greek subordination to Ottoman rule points to the blood-stained ruins of the exploded city and the hand of the dead is an indication of the bodies beneath the rubble a triumphant turbaned warrior proudly bears his sabre and standard as a strong and noble pronouncement of victory Wearing a blue velvet coat over a flowing white chemise the central figure’s costume refers directly to the colors of the Greek flag it also makes a pointed reference to the Virgin Mary who is traditionally clad in blue and white Greece is decidedly Christian in comparison to the Muslim Turkish victor in the background and their opposition is as reductive as white to his black Whereas these opposites tend to make for a simplistic understanding of the nuances of a complex political event they nevertheless allow the picture to be read at its most basic level as a clear entreaty to the French people to connect to the figure of Greece This connection is further emphasized in her resemblance to Marianne the figure of the French republic: born of the revolution and cemented permanently in Delacroix’s masterpiece created just four years later The painting of a female allegory of suffering Greece succeeded in conveying the plight of the Greeks to the French public a strong interest in non-European cultures Thank you for registering to ARTFIXDaily's Email Newsletter Your first email will be delivered to your inbox shortly The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students the great poet lost his life in the Balkan country where he had gone to fight for its liberty Few of you have probably heard of Messolonghi (or Missolonghi) – a town in Western Greece featuring a large lagoon It’s one part of the Mediterranean country that tourists have somehow overlooked yet this town holds a special place in the heart of every Greek for its heroic stance during the Greek War of Liberation fought against the Ottoman Empire This event at the time drew a lot of attention from Western intellectuals among them none other than Lord Byron – the famous Romantic English poet It was precisely in Messolonghi that Byron met his demise on 19 April 1824 Although he went there to support the Greek war effort with money and ready to lead a battle himself the poet succumbed to fever three months after arriving in the town which robbed him of the chance to participate in more glorious events his genius and importance were recognized already in his time and now two centuries after his death he is one of the few foreigners to be revered as a national hero in Greece Some reports indicate that when the Greeks sent his body to England to be buried it is no wonder that the administration of Messolonghi has decided to honour the sacred legacy of the great poet with a cultural programme on the anniversary of his death today the city is offering residents and visitors the chance to look at several exhibitions dedicated to different aspects of Byron’s life arias from the Opera "The Last Days of Byron" will be presented in a world premiere commissioned by the Institute of Digital Archeology of the University of Oxford This will be followed by arias from Giuseppe Verdi's Opera "II Corsaro" based on Byron's poem The Corsair (1814) The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital The National Fishery of the Intangible Cultural Heritage registered the traditional fishing of the National Park of the Missolonghi-Aetolian Lagoon by decision of the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni According to Proto Thema the decision was taken on the initiative of the Missolonghi- Akarnanian Mountains Lagoon Management Agency in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Man (MedINA) Fisheries and Aquaculture of the University The fishing practices of the Messolonghi-Aetolian Lagoon National Park are a traditional art and professional activity that has been practiced for centuries in the wider area with its cultural origins stemming from the medieval-East Roman era “is the bridge that connects yesterday with today and tomorrow of our culture It is the means of preserving and promoting traditional fishing in the region,” said the Minister of Rural Development and Food The lagoon is home to 290 species of birds and over 100 species of flora The lagoon as a living organism with rich flora and fauna is an important factor of professional activity sustainable development and maintenance of the traditional way of fishing The biodiversity-rich natural environment of the area which hosts 290 species of birds and more than 100 species of flora enhances the traditional character of fishing and is a living illustration of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature in the Mesolongi-Aetoliko lagoon complex there are 14 fish catching facilities – eight traditional and six modern They are located at the points where the lagoon meets with the sea The location of permanent fishing traps and natural fish farms has not changed since 1826 The wetland today has the potential to produce significant amounts of catch as a habitat that attracts large numbers and many aquatic species which are then exploited by fishermen commercially more than 700 fishermen are professionally active in the lagoon Although it is a profession that is practiced under difficult conditions fishermen continue a tradition that is passed down from generation to generation and is part of their historical and cultural heritage Traditional fishing was also one of the main reasons that allowed the Missolonghi to survive for a long time during the Ottoman siege of the city during the Greek War of Independence READ MORE: Greek fire – The ancient weapon is still a mystery today The poet’s generosity 200 years ago helped to pave the way to independence Racked by fever, prone to fits of delirium, consumed by his last great passion – the liberation of Greece – Lord Byron lay on his sickbed The great Romantic poet would be dead the next day my health,” he is recorded as saying in a moment of lucidity the malaria-ridden town where he had spearheaded the Greeks’ revolt against Ottoman rule a celebrity of his day who was loved and loathed in equal measure had spent a mere 100 days in the land whose freedom he had championed so vociferously “The loss of this illustrious individual is undoubtedly to be deplored by all Greece,” its provisional government declared hours after the news filtered through “But it must be more especially a subject of lamentation at Missolonghi where his generosity has been so conspicuously displayed.” As Greece celebrates the bicentenary of its war of independence a banknote unearthed by the Observer in the country’s state archives sheds new light on the poet’s fabled generosity It also offers indelible proof of his commitment to the Greek cause View image in fullscreenNote of exchange for £4,000 signed by Lord Byron Photograph: General State Archives of GreeceIn the cheque Byron stipulates that £4,000 – roughly £332,000 today – be paid to Giovanni Orlando a representative of the provisional government that The money was to go towards emergency needs – notably financing a fleet to defend Missolonghi from besieging Ottoman Albanians Both sides agreed it would be repaid against a much bigger loan to be raised in London where Orlando was headed “Because of his fame, Byron was much forged,” said Dr Christine Kenyon Jones, who studied many of the poet’s manuscripts in the course of co-authoring a new study of Byron’s portraits, Dangerous to Show “But it looks as if this is an original signature attached to the script of a clerk which he seems to have impatiently corrected so there’s a contrast between the clerk’s careful hand and his own confident signature with its bold open ‘B’ and characteristic flourish on the ‘n’.” That the document should have lain unnoticed in the country’s archives for so many years was extraordinary part of the British-run Ionian Islands where the poet and his coterie of fellow travellers had stopped on their way to Greece was taken in the form of silver Spanish dollars and transported in trunks to Missolonghi by the poet The money was then used to fund fighting ships run as a commercial enterprise by profit-minded Greek islanders “The demand came from the legislative body,” wrote Pietro Gamba the Italian count who was with Byron throughout the ill-fated expedition and had witnessed the exchange in Kefalonia in November 1823 View image in fullscreenA statue of Lord Byron in Athens. The poet remains a hero in Greece. Photograph: Melvyn Longhurst/AlamyThe poet soon threw in his lot with the cosmopolitan polyglot Alexandros Mavrokordatos, who became the first leader of independent Greece in 1822. From the outset, Byron used his fame to internationalise the Greeks’ fight for liberty, inspiring a motley crew of foreign philhellenes raised on the classics to rally to the cause – both on and off the battlefield. His role as a moderniser, embracing the values of the Enlightenment, was decisive in determining the course of an uprising otherwise plagued by factional intrigues and outbreaks of civil war. “Byron helped the revolution resolve itself in the way it did, creating what at the time would be a progressive … modern nation state,” said Roderick Beaton, emeritus professor of modern Greek studies at King’s College London. “Greece did not follow the example of other parts of the Ottoman Empire that became nominally independent, but were run by local warlords.” But Byron’s willingness to part with such a large slice of his personal fortune also had an immediate impact – one that Beaton believes helped change the course of events. “His financial contribution was crucial,” said the academic whose book, Byron’s War, is regarded as the definitive account of the poet’s involvement in the revolution. “No historian of the war has really paid attention to this fact but the Ottoman Albanian troops who were besieging Missolonghi suddenly disappeared as soon as word got out that Byron had lent this money and the fleet was sailing out of Hydra and Spetses.” Byron’s loan, combined with a loan later raised in London, had the effect of “tipping the scales crucially in favour of the elected Greek government and against the warlords”. Read moreThe poet’s death so early on in the revolution has linked him inextricably to Greece where in this anniversary year his heroic status is once again being highlighted Byron himself had vowed that if Greece should fall he ended up being eviscerated and embalmed with his remains sent back to England on the brig that had ironically carried the first instalment of the loan raised by private speculators in London and among strangers,” the devastated Gamba recorded in his journal more sincerely wept he could never have been Serbian students repeated a hundred times that this is a marathon Similar to Adam Mihnjik in the eighties in Poland The government in Serbia is on the way to the end - you just need to be patient With the inclusivity created at the plenums students should continue during election engagement including the opposition at some point - whatever it may be Who mentions the extraordinary elections when the rating of the party in power is falling Vučić is not the most important political factor in the country © 2025 Time, Belgrade. Developed by cubes An exhibition of the French painter Eugene Delacroix one of the greatest creative figures of the nineteenth century opened at New York’s Metropolitan Museum on Monday Highlights include ‘Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi’ ‘The Battle of Nancy’ and ‘Women of Algiers in Their Apartment’ ‘Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi’ is an 1826 oil painting inspired by the Third Siege of Missolonghi by the Ottoman forces in 1826 during which many people of the city after the long-time siege decided to attempt a mass breakout to escape famine and epidemics Greece is shown as a kneeling woman who occupies the major part of the painting She is wearing a traditional Greek costume and she spreads her arms as a sign of sadness The hand of a dead victim can be seen protruding from the rubble a dark-complexioned man wearing a yellow turban The painting borrows elements from Christendom As French art critic Alain Daguerre de Hureaux noted: “Greece adopts the attitude of praying in the early centuries of Christianity traditionally attributed to the Immaculate Conception reinforces this analogy to a secular figure of Mary here The strength of the image is the sharp contrast between the traditional allegory which induces an idealization of the model and processing of the scene without any concession to the ideal.” Read more at greekreporter.com Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price” Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025 HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025 Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World's Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award 12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports ATM'25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development easyJet holidays | Fam trips to Santorini, Skiathos and Rhodes Chania: The next actions of the “Tourism Partnership” Navarino Challenge returns on May 9-11, 2025 Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025 Three Greek beaches among the world’s 50 best – Triumph for the Ionian The “Typhoon” that saves the Greek coasts from garbage EOT at the “Arabian Travel Market” | Interest from Gulf countries, India, and Australia CERT to manage Vasilitsa Ski Resort – Investment of over 20 million euros Is American tourism in Europe “slowing down”? What do professionals see for 2025 and 2026 This is Athens & Partners | The 7 partners renew their collaboration - the joint actions FedHATTA: Dynamic presence of Greek travel agencies at the international Dubai exhibition ATM 2025 Ryanair announces new offer for Prime members on June flights Thomas Ellerbeck | “Rhodes can become a model of sustainable tourism internationally” The Times | The perfect time to experience the authentic side of Santorini Chania: The Alternative Tourism Festival returns to the Venetian Port Angela Gerekou: "Tourism is a force for good and Greece can play a leading role" New flights to Greece in 2025 from 4 airlines Crete welcomes Reveil 12 – Festival of Sounds and Ecology Greek tourism - 3rd quarter | 97% of arrivals in Athens and Thessaloniki Modernization aid for the marinas of Symi and Messolonghi HOTREC Assembly: Focus on challenges and reforms in European tourism AEGEAN 2025: Passenger growth and fleet expansion with an eye on the international market FedHATTA Cooperation with Shaanxi Province, China Greek academic in finalists of European Sustainable Energy Awards 2025 Thessaloniki museums join forces to promote the city GNTO introduces “Sustainable Greece” to British Agents Strategic meeting for cruises in Santorini A message of friendship and cooperation at the friendly Greek-Turkish football match in Chios Municipality of Xiromero | Diving tourism: Request for sinking of a decommissioned warship The first La Quinta by Wyndham in Batumi, Georgia Double racing event in Megalopolis on May 11: Festival Enduro and Theater Run 2025 Explora Journeys: Start of the summer season with the luxurious EXPLORA I from Piraeus Strong start in 2025 for Aegean and SKY Express Xanthi Tastes: A Gastronomy Festival with a Cultural Flavor Rhodes: These are the five-star hotels with the highest revenue – Which ones “fill up” first Greek Tourism/Webhotelier: The Winners and Losers in Online Bookings for 2025 GNTO | Promotion of Santorini in target markets Unprecedented blackout in Spain, Portugal, France Greece can play a leading role in the global sports tourism scene Rhodes | Event for the protection of biodiversity Attica, the …Caribbean of the Germans Agios Nikolaos | Cruise season kicks off with arrival of luxury Silver Spirit Operational Plan: “Cretan Food Culture 2026-2030” Destination Management and Promotion Organization in Thessaloniki Kefalonia: The authentic character of the island through the “Travel Reimagined” project Hoteliers vs. Booking.com: The European uprising has begun Tourism | Greece 4th choice for Europeans' holidays in 2025 - what the ETC survey shows New high-standard heated swimming pool in Chania, aimed at sports tourism Greeks Traveled (A Lot!) in 2024 – Where They Went, How Much They Spent Greek-American Dean Spanos brings the NFL to Greece – Opportunities for promotion in the USA Lesvos: The season begins with birdwatching tourists MSC Cruises: Strengthens its presence in Greece with 6 cruise ships New Luxury Arrival in Crete | JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa Opens on June 2 "Peloponnese Trails" inaugurated today: New network of trails for sustainable tourism Knossos: 125 years since the excavations of Arthur Evans The Spanish TV show “Viajeros Cuatro” in Corfu Wyndham - Soliteight | 40 Super 8 hotels in Spain and Portugal Airbnb: Final price now displayed in accommodation searches Investments in the beaches of the Attica Riviera The Municipality of Chania at the “From Crete to Side” Festival in Turkey Region of Central Macedonia: Tourism Promotion Activities in Poland and the Middle East Region of Crete | Connecting Minoan Palatial Centers with Archaeological Sites Biodiversity protection plan is in full swing in Elafonisi Record participation in the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition | Chania 8 - 10 May Communities at the heart of tourism development Booking.com | No to limiting tourists, yes to infrastructure investments Thessaloniki’s dynamic presence at the World Tourism Summit in Hong Kong easyJet | Summer 2026 sales open Cruise | Turkey doubles its share, new opportunities for Greek ports Aid for the upgrade of the tourist shelter of Astakos and the Marina of Alimos Preparing the settlement of Kionia for the tourist season: An example to follow The action of the region of Crete "Let's go for... Greens" concludes this weekend “Art is our Language”: Campaign for the 70th Anniversary of the Athens Epidaurus Festival Tourism | Nostalgia drives Brits’ travel choices ΕΟΤ China | B2B meetings with Chengdu's t.os - Flights to Athens in June State-of-the-art conference center at Theartemis Palace Hotel in Rethymno Zagori: Collaboration with Impact Hub Athens for sustainable tourism and innovation Cooperation Memorandum between Development Athens and Piraeus University on Tourism Kos: New advertising campaigns with Jet2 and National Geographic Traveller UK Five cruise ships in Souda by Saturday Imbros Trail Run & Hike 2025: A sporting tribute to the History of Sfakia Cultural Days and Sea Routes in Piraeus Religious Tourism | The University of Palermo comes to Panagia Nafpaktiotissa Audio Walk in the Sitia Geopark: A Different Exploration Experience in Crete AEGEAN “takes off” Larnaca with a new direct flight to Rome FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025 HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price” Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025 TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World's Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens ATM'25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development 12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia What to expect at this year’s ITB Berlin Exhibition from March 4-6 PM at 1st Greece-Saudi Arabia High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council on Monday What the Israeli Ambassador discussed at the Chania Chamber Greece's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO organizing concert on January 16 North Macedonia: Increase in foreign tourists in 2024 Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025 Athens to host the European Film Awards in 2027 Alonissos tops the list of Greek destinations without mass tourism Athens Municipality Festival 2025 | The city's biggest celebration, with more than 200 events German tourism: Advance bookings are the new "last-minute" The mystery surrounding the fate of the body of Allegra Byron daughter of Lord Byron and Claire Clermont who died in an Italian monastery aged five is back in the news after the discovery of the monastery's archive as presented at the 48th International Byron Conference in Missolonghi The unfortunate Allegrina died on April 20 at the nunnery of Bagnacavallo near Ravenna the result of his troubled relationship with Claire Clairmont to the convent to receive a good upbringing and education as the convent was run for financial reasons as a boarding school as well the poet pointed out that it was his wish to send the girl's remains to England to be buried in the churchyard of Harrow also "where I once hoped to have laid my own" The child's body was "embalmed and in lead" he noted - while in the postscript to his letter presumably to secure easier acceptance of his request he added: "You are aware that protestants are not allowed holy ground in Catholic countries" the coffin with Allegra's body traveled to England but the vicar of the church refused to allow the illegitimate daughter of a scandalous poet to be buried in the Christian cemetery The girl was buried near the church in an unknown place No tombstone indicates where her body was buried Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Theodoros Vryzakis Marshes, decay, closely held secrets, a rural town and a mysterious murder that needs solving: No, this is not a new season of “True Detective” – it’s “The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea,” the latest movie by Syllas Tzoumerkas, ekathimerini.com reports Its title is as enigmatic as the elements that make up the plot; Tzoumerkas reveals that it was inspired by the lifecycle of eels it is actually nothing more than mud and dirt,” Tzoumerkas points out these are my favorite parts and I tried not to make them look self-important but lighthearted and with nature as a dominant element,” explains Tzoumerkas Read the full report here Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Ava Babili Lumiana-Anna Batsevani was cleaning the deadly machine in Missolonghi was working in a butcher’s shop on September 29 alongside her 18-year-old daughter The pair were working together as shop cleaners when Batsevani was tasked with wiping down the meat grinder Batsevani was dragged into the machine by her hair while her daughter was forced to watch on in horror Local media reported that her hair was caught in the revolving mechanics of the grinder causing her to be pulled into it and fatally crushed to death Batsevani’s daughter allegedly ran out into the street as her mum screamed from the shop and called for help A passer-by eventually entered the store and discovered the grisly scene and the fire services rushed to the shop – but there was tragically no way they could pull her free from the jaws of the grinder The operation to remove her from the machine took a grueling nine hours and was completed at around midnight the unfortunate woman had been living with her daughter and her mother in Greece for two years after splitting from her husband Batsevani’s daughter was rushed to hospital in a state of shock before later being discharged She and her 10-year-old brother have remained at a friend’s house since the tragedy Batsevani’s funeral took place this afternoon at the Holy Church of Agios Charalambous Evinochori in Etoloakarnania The owner of the butcher’s shop has reportedly been arrested following the horrific ordeal When Lord Byron died in Missolonghi 197 years ago today (19 April he was the poet superstar of European letters His celebrity not only drew world attention to the Greek cause against their Ottoman overlords but his personal contribution to that cause at the ultimate cost of his life was also huge The British newspaper the Observer recently unearthed a bank note of exchange/cheque in the Greek state archives which reflects on the poet’s commitment to the Greek cause and the generosity for which he was famous In the note of exchange drawn in Kefalonia (one of the Ionian Islands under British rule) on 12 November Lord Byron instructs that £4,000 be paid to the representative of the Greek provisional government The amount which is the equivalent of £332,000 ($594,000 Australian) today was to finance the emergency needs of the Greeks At that time Missolonghi was besieged for the second time by Albanian Ottoman forces and the money was earmarked to pay for a fleet to defend and supply the besieged town both Orlando and Byron agreed the money would be repaid as part of a larger loan that was to be obtained in London by Orlando READ MORE: Dreaming that Greece might still be free Byron academic and the author of a new study of Byron’s work “Dangerous to show Christine Kenyon Jones said that because of his fame Byron’s signature was often forged but the signature on the cheque was genuine open ‘B’ and characteristic flourish on the ‘n’,” Dr Jones was quoted as saying which was witnessed by Italian Count Pietro Gamba was subsequently cashed in Malta and converted as Spanish silver dollars and taken by the poet on his final journey to Missolonghi “The demand came from the legislative body would then immediately put to sea.”” wrote Count Gamba The fact that the people of Missolonghi could be supplied by sea helped to ensure that the second siege of the town would be doomed to fail Emeritus Professor of Modern Greek studies at King’s College in London Roderick Beaton author of the authoritative “Byron’s War” told the Guardian that the loan came at a crucial time in the Greek Revolution Byron’s involvement influenced by the pinciples of the European Englightment The poet openly supported the educated and cosmopolitan Alexandros Mavrokordatos the first leader of the fledgling Greek state His involvement inspired a crew of foreign philhellenes to support the Greeks in battle and in the wider world “Byron helped the revolution resolve itself in the way it did creating what at the time would be a progressive … modern nation state,” said Prof Beaton “Greece did not follow the example of other parts of the Ottoman Empire that became nominally independent He said that Lord Byron’s loan along with a later loan raised in London had the effect of “tipping the scales in favour of the elected Greek government and against the warlords.” Lord Byron was to die of a fever in Missolonghi His remains were sent to England on board the ship that had carried the first segment of the loan raised by private investors in London wherever he had breathed his last,” wrote Count Gamba in his journal On April 10, 1826, the 10,500 Missolonghi inhabitants, after one year of siege, made the heroic “Exodus of Missolonghi”, adding another brilliant page to the Greek War of Independence history, according to greekreporter.com three years following the failed attempt to occupy Missolonghi that the Ottoman armies returned to besiege the city that had become the seat of the Senate of Western Continental Greece later to be joined by another 10,000 men under Ibrahim Pasha The siege of the city can be divided into two periods: a) April 15 to Dec Without significant help from the rest of the Greeks due to the civil war the Missolonghi residents resisted bravely for one year Read the full report here Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: M0tty which centres around the Siege of Missolonghi will screen at the Greek-owned Elizabeth Picture Theatre as part of commemorations for 25 March in Brisbane As part of commemorations by Brisbane’s Greek community for Greece’s National Day of Independence Exodus 1826: A Road of No Return (2017) will make its Australian premiere Screening at the Elizabeth Picture Theatre on Sunday 18 March the film centres around the Siege of Missolonghi a major battle that took place during the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire the plot sees Captain Mihos Floros return to the village of Samarina to gather men to assist in the fight of the resistance at General Makris’ bastion the long journey in March 1826 unfolds through the mountains to Missolonghi The film explores the adversities the men face as Ibrahim Pasha and the Turkish commandant of Arta Servan prepare to launch the final assault on Missolonghi Meanwhile the women of the village who have been kept in the dark about the battle set out doing their own investigations to find out the real reason their husbands left in such a hurry ‘Exodus 1826: A Road of No Return’ will screen at The Elizabeth Picture Theatre (The Tara Room) on Sunday 18 March at 4.30pm. The film is in Greek with English subtitles. To purchase tickets, visit fivestarcinemas.com.au A special land of great cultural and financial importance The unsuspecting driver driving on the old National Road Messolonghi – Etoliko will be surprised. They will see hills, up to 15 metres high, not with grass, not even made of hay, but of salt. This is where the Salterns of Messolonghi are located, the largest salterns in Greece. Part of this story is the centuries old history and the great contribution to the local economy. Another part is the actual image that you see when you visit the area; various colours and parts that resemble the lunar landscape. At the shores of the lagoon there two salterns, one that belongs to the state and the other that belongs to the Municipality of Messolonghi – the only saltern in the country that is not owned by the state. The larger one, belonging to the state, is about 12.000 acres in size, while the municipal one is 2.000 acres. These two salterns regularly produce 50-70% of the Greek salt production. “In the past one was called White – the state one – and the other was called Black. This has to do with the colour of the salt they produced,” Mr Nikos Kordosis, who is trying to promote salt-tourism in the area, tells us. Due to the restrictions of the pandemic, the museum essentially opened to the public in May 2021. “The response was great, in four months we exceeded 4.000 visitors. This shows that people, throughout Greece, are interested in traditional products and it also shows people’s tendency to do more things during their holidays than just go to the beach,” Mr Kordosis says. The exhibition’s success, and also the general rise in the interest for traditional products also had an impact on business. Locals established small businesses processing and selling Messolonghi salt or salt mixtures. “We sell unrefined salt, in various sizes, everything is done by hand,” Lambros Floros, who founded a small salt business with his children in 2012, says. “Unrefined salt is a much better product than the regular salt you find in stores.” In the Messolonghi salterns, the salt is made using a method that exists since antiquity. The production period starts around March/April and lasts until the end of October. The sea water evaporates in the sun and wind, and the salt remains. Artificial sea water basins are created in the salterns. In the spring and summer, the water gets warmer, and it slowly dries, the high temperatures and the winds having done their work. After it passes through various tanks to be “filtered”, at the end of the summer, the sea water that is full of salt is transferred to the pans. There the water dries completely and in September the harvest begins. The salt is then washed with sea water and is transferred to an outdoor warehouse, that is to the salt hills that impress visitors. On the opening day, a ceremony will take place during which the Philhellenism Museum will award the Lord Byron medal and an honorary diploma to 15 descendants of important Philhellenes who supported Greece during the Greek Revolution The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SHP – www.eefshp.org) organizes an opening ceremony of the Philhellenism Museum (www.phmus.org) in Athens. On the opening day, a ceremony will take place during which the SHP and the Philhellenism Museum will award the Lord Byron medal and an honorary diploma to 15 descendants of important Philhellenes who supported Greece during the Greek Revolution. *French General Charles Nicolas Fabvier (1782 –1855), was one of the most beloved Philhellenes who fought in Greece. He wore a Greek costume and took part in many military operations. He organized the regular corps in Greece to deal with Ibrahim’s invasion in the Peloponnese. The National Assembly at Troezena declared him a Greek citizen, and King Otto honored him with the Great Cross of the Order of the Redeemer. *Pasquale Gambini was a Philhellene from Corsica, who served in the Corps of Philhellenes as a flag bearer. He was captured by the Turks during the Battle of Analatos (April 24, 1827). He was taken to the camp of Kioutachis Pasha in Patissia and was killed on the same day. *Officer of the French Navy Olivier Voutier (1796-1877) arrived in Greece in 1821. He participated in the expedition of Peta with the Battalion of Philhellenes. His Mémoires du colonel Voutier sur la guerre actuelle des grecs (1823) are an important source of information on the Greek Struggle. Voutier´s wish was to be remembered as a hero of the Greek Independence. He was honored by the Greek state with the Golden Cross of the Order of the Redeemer. *Wilhelm Bellier de Launoy (1786-1826) was an officer of the Cavalry of the Prussian Army. He arrived in Greece in November 1821 and fought in the first phase of the siege of the Acropolis of Athens, under the orders of Dimitrios Ypsilantis. In Messolonghi he wrote his work Einige Worte über Griechenland to move the Philhellenes. He fought against Omer Vryonis in the Ligovitsa plain. He fell heroically at the Exodus of Missolonghi, on April 10, 1826. *The German Philhellene Heinrich Treiber (1796-1882) participated in the Greek Struggle between 1822-1828 as a military doctor. He contributed decisively to the development of public health in Greece. Treiber helped significantly Greece during a great cholera epidemic which struck Athens in 1854. He taught Medicine at the University of Athens, and introduced anesthesiology in Greece. He died in Athens in 1882. *The Swiss banker and diplomat Jean-Gabriel Eynard (1775-1863) was a pillar of the philhellenic movement in Europe – a true Benefactor of the Greek nation. His philhellenism was inspired by his acquaintance with Ioannis Kapodistrias at the Congress of Vienna. He coordinated the philhellenic committees in Europe, and financed the Greek Struggle. The ceremony will take place on July 7, 2021, at 19.30, at the Museum of Philhellenism. You may follow the vent from the following link: Youtube link: https://youtu.be/1eKTxlJHjQc Casual about a recently discovered pair of Byron's slippers an Australian sergeant was befriended by an elderly Greek who said he possessed a pair of Byron's shoes He wanted the sergeant to inform Lord Byron's heirs in London Some years later the sergeant located the Baroness Wentworth Leigh Fermor to Missolonghi to track down the heirloom and how the footwear (which were slippers) was proved authentic Also conclusive evidence about which of the poet's feet was deformed View Article Racked by fever, prone to fits of delirium, consumed by his last great passion – the liberation of Greece – Lord Byron lay on his sickbed Byron’s death in Missolonghi See Also: The National Interest: Why is Cyprus still divided? – Analysis Greece ranked among top 8 honeymoon destination on Pinterest where his generosity has been so conspicuously displayed” Read more: The Guardian Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr