and a penthouse featuring double-height living areas and a private pool with each space optimizing seamless indoor-outdoor flow Two vertical surfaces subtly protrude from the main structure creating a visual boundary from neighboring buildings and semi-outdoor spaces while orienting the living spaces to the east and west residents can then enjoy glimpses of greenery and the cooling effects of natural cross-ventilation while taking in views of the natural environment to the east and the urban landscape to the west Built on a 516-square-meter plot in the eastern suburb of Papagou, the Papagou Residences combine the tranquility of nature with the convenience of urban living. Greek studio wip architects refers to the project as a ‘transformative oasis’ further infusing a touch of luxury across the program and interiors large openings highlight the horizontal floors room sequences are determined by their relation to adjacent outdoor terraces and the garden as well as their connection to the surrounding landscape The ground floor has access to private gardens on both sides of the plot with the living space directly connected to a private pool with the lounge and kitchen facing the street and extending to spacious outdoor terraces while the bedrooms are placed on the west side The 260-square-meter penthouse spans the third and fourth floors and the rooftop while punctuating the architectural silhouette wip architects paid special attention to the materials and color palette to ensure a sleek yet raw character The external walls are covered with thermal insulation coated in coarse plaster in two shades of grey with the lighter shade applied to the protruding surfaces that serve as backdrops for other elements and exterior fence convey the Papagou Residences’ industrial character balanced by the warm tone of wood cladding on the facade and balcony ceilings wip architects completes Papagou Residences the home exudes a robust character that stands out within its urban fabric its distinct morphology features horizontal and vertical planes and expansive glass surfaces characterize the facade the penthouse features double-height living areas and a private pool each space optimizes seamless indoor-outdoor flow and exterior fence convey an industrial character inside offers views of the natural environment to the east and the urban landscape to the west the lounge and kitchen face the street while the bedrooms are placed on the west side name: Papagou Residences architect: wip architects | @wiparchitects photographer: Giorgos Sfakianakis | @g_sfakianakis designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style TEHRAN - Sotirios Alex Manolopoulos was appointed as new head coach of Iran basketball team on Tuesday The 54-year-old coach most recently worked as head coach of Romanian team Dinamo București The Greek coach started his coaching career in Papagou Athens B.C Manolopoulos replaced Turkish coach Hakan Demir in Team Melli Iran basketball federation had been linked with Marco Ramondino from Italy and Slovenian coach Radovan Trifunović but hired the Greek coach at last The funeral for renowned Greek painter Alekos Fassianos was held in the Papagou cemetery in Athens on Tuesday “The public’s unexpected love for Alekos Fasianos is proof that despite the difficult times we are experiencing we still have good feelings inside us,” said how widow thanking those who have expressed their support for the family Among those attending were Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Culture Minister Lina Mendoni as well as friends and colleagues of the painter Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Turkey (Credit: nejdetduzen/Getty Images)The language of the Pontic Greeks – ethnic Greeks who settled on the coast of the Turkish Black Sea – evolved completely differently to the language in their homeland I was making my way to Alsos Papagou park in the northern Athens suburb of Cholargos The humid air hung heavy with the scent of pine trees and families and groups of laughing teenagers were wandering across the grass or fetching coffee from the lakeside cafe Walking in front of me was a group of women in elaborately patterned floor-length skirts with gold and purple sashes around their waists On their heads sat small hats covered in gold coins I followed them into the Papagou Garden theatre a secluded amphitheatre nestled on the park’s northern edge Other women in similar outfits greeted them along with men wearing black headscarves and swords around their waists music and poetry performed by Pontic Greeks – ethnic Greeks who settled on the coast of the Turkish Black Sea • Greece's disappearing whistled language • Athens' bizarre underground phenomenon • Lesbos: a Greek island big enough for two told me she has been performing the dances since she was eight She also performs plays in the Pontics’ distinct dialect “I grew up with my grandmother in the house Sitaridi’s ancestors began leaving Greece around the 7th Century BC travelling to Turkey’s Black Sea region in search of silver and gold such as Trapezus (now Trabzon) and Smyrna (now Izmir) They were early adopters of Orthodox Christianity during the Byzantine period from 330 to 1453 and remain to this day a deeply religious community We consider ourselves descendants of the Argonauts"Over the centuries the Ancient Greek they spoke evolved completely differently to the language in their homeland – so much so it sounds like an entirely different language which fused Ancient Greek culture with that of the indigenous communities around them The dances I was about to watch were performed on the lyra – a type of harp with its roots in Ancient Greece – and the men’s all-black outfits were adopted from the traditional dress of the Caucasus preserving the language and culture of their ancestors holds particular importance so I need to keep these traditions going to keep their memory alive,” she said Sitaridi and her fellow performers are members of the Argonauti-Komninoi Pontic Greek Association Earlier that week I visited them at their headquarters in the southern Athens suburb of Kallithea The building is distinguished by a yellow-and-black flag hanging outside which bears the symbol of the Argonaut ship and the Byzantine empire eagle “We consider ourselves descendants of the Argonauts who set sail from Greece looking for gold and silver,” said the organisation’s president some members of the group were rehearsing a play in Pontic dialect in the main hall Kastanidis explained that the syntax of Pontic is the same as Ancient Greek but many of the words are completely different It also contains sounds that do not exist in modern Greek it is very important to preserve it,” said Kastanidis who told me that 11 members of his family fled from northern Turkey Only his grandfather and great aunt survived the journey “We still feel like we are refugees in this country,” he said The cultural organisation was founded in 1930 to house and feed the thousands of Pontics seeking refuge around 500,000 Pontics live in Greece – around 5% of the total population – and there are 600 similar organisations around the country Kastanidis tells me their goal now is “to teach and to – one word – remember With a language like this, it is very important to preserve it"Pockets of Pontic Greek culture can be found all over Greece today. In the nearby Nea Smyrni neighbourhood – named after Smyrna, where many Pontic refugees arrived from – sits the Museum of Pontian Hellenism It is filled with artefacts that families managed to bring with them as they fled such as embroidered homewares and wooden musical instruments the Pontics rebuilt a copy of the Panagia Soumela Monastery in Trabzon which was founded by the community in 386AD and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary Every year on 15 August – the Virgin Mary’s day in Orthodox Christianity – Pontics from across the country travel to join in with festivities here The Argonauti- Komninoi Pontic Greek Association hosts lessons in Pontic dialect that are open to anyone They also teach 50 different traditional dances “Different areas of Pontus had different dances,” Kastanidis said “It was their main form of entertainment.” He added that most involve the dancers holding hands “to join our power and our strength together,” and that traditionally they would have been performed at weddings “or any day people wanted to just gather together.” I asked which dance is everyone’s favourite “You can feel the goosebumps when you perform it,” said dancer Panagiotis Kikidis The name comes from the Ancient Greek words ‘pyr’ for fire and ‘hios’ for fighting and it was traditionally performed in preparation for battles it has its roots thousands of years ago,” Kikidis said “The goddess Athena was said to have performed it.” Kikidis tells me he is Pontic from his father’s side and grew up in Athens speaking the dialect at home “Everyone should keep their roots alive – it’s in our blood,” he said He explains that his four-year-old son hasn’t learnt the dialect yet the music – he sees what I do and he even does some moves himself” Everyone should keep their roots alive – it’s in our blood"As the sun began to slip away we took our seats around the amphitheatre circle one playing the lyra and the other a large drum From one side of the stage the women entered They moved their linked arms up and down in time to the heavy beat of the drum Eventually it was time for the famous Pyrihios dance and the women moved back as the men stepped forward and the men did not smile as they performed a sequence of dramatic moves Although everyone I met was passionate about keeping Pontic customs alive they admitted that it becomes harder to pass them down the generations the longer time goes on “My children understand Pontic but they do not speak it at home,” Kastanidis said “Young people are more likely to put their time into learning English or other second languages.” And although she doesn’t have children yet she would want them to learn the language “but it won’t be the same she said that she “will try as much as I can to keep it alive.” Even though those performing may not have lived through the violence and exile their grandparents experienced it’s clear the stories of it still have a profound emotional effect Kastanidis stepped forwards to read a poem about the history of the Pontics and I noticed Sitaridi had tears streaming down her cheeks as he spoke “He was telling the story of our grandparents and how they begged to be allowed to die in their country rather than leave,” she told me afterwards “I really feel it when I hear these stories… it’s part of me.” Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called "The Essential List". A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. {"image":{"pid":""}} which have been blamed for the worst forest fires in decades The public order ministry said Dimitris Papangelopoulos who is responsible for prosecuting terrorism and organised crime ordered the investigation to determine "whether the crimes of arsonists and of arson attacks on forests carried out in the country during the summer of 2007" could come under Greece's anti-terrorism law The investigation would also seek to identify those who were responsible A blaze broke out today on the fringes of Athens burning down a slope of Mount Ymittos and threatening a suburb of the capital a helicopter and 15 trucks with 45 firefighters attended the fire as it burned through shrubs toward the suburb of Papagou and the smell of burning permeated the air Firefighters and planes from across Europe officials and hundreds of thousands of volunteers joined the fight yesterday against forest fires that have caused death and destruction across Greece over 48 hours Norway and Spain despatched aircraft and commandos to a nation that by last night appeared increasingly unable to combat the fires With authorities trying to stop two world heritage sites - Olympia and the fifth century BC theatre of Epidavros - being burned on the Peloponnese officials did not rule out that hundreds of people could also be missing having become victims of disorganisation and bungled evacuation plans the hardest hit area has been the southern peninsula - a popular destination for British holidaymakers - where high temperatures and gale force winds have fanned the flames We are doing everything we possibly can to help people to save lives," said the acting interior minister television channels depicted harrowing scenes of people burned alive in their cars as they belatedly tried to flee the flames police said they found the bodies of a mother and her four children who were incinerated when their home near Zacharo in the Peloponnese was engulfed by flames hotels and resorts - thousands of tourists have been forced to camp on beaches - officials said many of the elderly and infirm were refusing to leave their homes "There are death notices everywhere," one local resident said "Everyone knows someone who has lost a person to the fires." A senior official in Olympia had expressed concerns over whether the ancient monument By last night it appeared that attempts to keep the fire at bay had been successful: the fires scorched the yard of the museum housing a number of famous classical sculptures helicopters and scores of firefighters halted the advance firefighters fought 'trench battles' to rescue these sensitive and important sites," the public order minister The foreign intervention came less than a day after the country's prime minister declared a state of emergency and appealed to the European Union for help With an estimated 170 fires on 42 fronts and new ones erupting every hour he said the situation was simply too much for Greece to cope with alone offered Mr Karamanlis further aid after it emerged that two French tourists were among the casualties said she expected 31 aircraft from 12 countries to arrive today authorities remained pessimistic that the fires which had intensified as they raged through six pine forests "The winds have fallen and that is helpful but this is a situation that cannot be confronted easily," said Nikos Diamantis By last night about 500 conscripts had joined locals often armed only with buckets and hose pipes The tardy intervention of the army added to widespread condemnation of the government's handling of the catastrophe who this month called a snap election for September 16 of failing to do enough to prevent the outbreak of some 3,000 forest fires that have destroyed large parts of Greece this summer The ruling New Democrats have also been denounced for undermining the firefighting force reorganised by the former Socialist government ahead of the 2004 Athens Olympic games by handing top jobs to inexperienced political appointees "This is nothing short of a national tragedy," said Giorgos Papandreou "The government has a lot to answer for." the columnist Rihardos Someritis said: "We had a beautiful country but we are increasingly losing it to fires rubbish and the illegal buildings [built on land cleared by blazes]." as fires continued to smoulder in the Hymettus range around Athens the health ministry appealed to inhabitants to stay indoors and keep their windows shut because of the high density of ash in the air Wild fires across Greece are frequently blamed on arsonists working on behalf of developers intent on building on prime forest land Mr Karamanlis said it was "too much of a coincidence" that so many of the blazes had erupted simultaneously and often in the dead of night The government yesterday announced bounties of up to 1m (£680,000) for information that could lead to the arrest of arsonists 6 of them minors and three in their early 20s for selling drugs to minors in the Athens suburbs of Psychiko The apprehended suspects “had formed a criminal organization active in drug sales in November 2023,” police said in a statement Sunday Body searches and raids in suspects’ hoimes yielded the suspects face charges of weapons and flare possession Police officers said they were alerted by a couple who told them their daughter had obtained drugs from the gang Two 20-year-olds are said to be the gangs leaders who kept tabs on the transactions and earnngs Outings at these charming spots cover all food preferences The weather may have deteriorated slightly most recently but the days ahead are forecast to be sunny we recommend five elegant gardens and yards One of the most impressive retreats in the heart of the city this premium restaurant extends into the lush gardens surrounding the Athens Concert Hall this year seeks to fuse Italian and Japanese cuisines presented through small and large dishes to be shared such as Tuna Tonnato with tuna tataki and ponzu sauce crispy Italian arancini rice balls with smoked trout Ensuing delights include interesting Asian rolls desserts such as churros with homemade praline 1 Kokkali, Ambelokipi, +30 210 7242979, Website, Facebook this all-day place spreads into idyllic Papagou Park Early birds will find numerous interesting brunch proposals the place serves carefully prepared Italian selections pork fillet stuffed with gorgonzola in the oven while the selections are made complete with Greek and Italian wines as well as cocktails Papagou Park, +30 210 6546185, Website, Facebook This particularly stylish place with an extensive history served guests at the lush parkside space it created under the Madritis Park trees The restaurant’s renowned taramosalata (cured fish roe dip) is a standard selection to be seen on all tables It can be accompanied by dishes such as warm octopus salad with string beans as well as grilled sea bass with sautéed greens The restaurant’s extensively stocked cellar includes wines to match your dish selections pay tribute to the pineapple baklava or yoghurt mousse with poached strawberries in Syrah wine 13 Vrasida, Ilisia, +30 210 7210501, Website, Facebook The all-day restaurant within the superb grounds of the Glyfada golf course is a sophisticated getaway worth discovering brunch and full meals curated by the very gifted chef Giannis Baxevanis They include crispy Anatolian pie with mince and pine nuts even fresh sea bass with tomato and herbs in the oven or pork steak served with refreshing almond cream sauce End of Kon/Nou Karamanli, Glyfada, +30 210 3420002, Website, Facebook offers an atmospheric yard space that was also revamped with new tables and chairs of earth tone colours depending on the inspiration in the kitchen The current menu features bao buns with rooster gyro as well as imaginative main dishes such as Greek rib rye with sweet potato croquette and chorizo all paired with signature cocktails prepared at the restaurant bar 100 Galatsiou Ave, Galatsi, +30 210 2924458, Website, Facebook the residence and studio of alekos fassianos, one of greece’s most popular contemporary visual artists, opened to the public for the very first time during the inaugural athens design forum. located on a quiet street in papagou, athens the house resembles a living museum filled with colorful visual traces of its owner’s trademark style fassianos’s extensive creative expression materializes in sculptural lamps and utilitarian items found throughout the three-story building. the first public opening of the artist’s papagos house took place during athens design forum a non-profit initiative introducing an experimental format for experiencing design in athens researcher and writer katerina papanikolopoulos ADF advocates for an interdisciplinary approach and encourages design as a social tool that is interwoven with heritage and migration patterns the inaugural edition took place in the first week of october 2021 offering a series of intimate events and immersive activities throughout the city that aim to showcase the broad range of design prevalent in greece alekos fassianos in his home and studio in athens | all images © paris tavitian unless stated otherwise and personal items fill the artist’s home paintings and work in progress in the artist’s studio ceramics and paintings with fassianos’s distinct visual style artist: alekos fassianos event: athens design forum architect: george antonopoulos | antonopoulos-architects photography: paris tavitian | chris kontos Enduring Greek musicians Giorgos Katsaros and Mimis Plessas band together for a performance at the Papagou Garden Theater will be joined on stage by Lena Alkaiou and Nikos Karagiaouris in a celebration of the two veterans' impressive careers Singers Elli Paspala and Vassilikos perform at the Papagou Garden Theater in northern Athens on Friday The evening’s program features a medley of songs from around the world Joining them on stage will be David Lynch (string instruments) and Takis Farazis (keyboards) and admission costs 15 euros (12 euros with pre-purchased tickets) Tickets are on sale at Danaos (23 Mesogeion tel 210.652.9301) and the Holargos-Papagou Town Hall (90 Anastaseos Acclaimed Greek singer Dimitra Galani joins forces with young songwriter and performer Efstathios Drakos at the Papagou Garden Theater on Monday The pair will be performing some of the many covers that have made Galani famous as well as new songs by Drakos and others and tickets cost 15 euros in advance (www.viva.gr) and 17 euros at the door huge dugouts and water jets await visitors seesaws and slides are three things invariably associated with children’s playgrounds childhood innocence has combined with creativity and imagination offering youngsters escape within city grounds The offering at playgrounds has nowadays changed drastically Slides descend to the ground from far greater heights and dugouts remind of reality TV survival shows The children’s playground at Macedonia Square in Athens’ coastal southern suburb Glyfada is a lively, colourful place immersing children into a completely different dreamlike setting. The playground features innovative games, probably not seen elsewhere, a safety surface protecting young visitors from danger, even in the event of falls and tumbles, numerous swings enabling fun for all visitors without too much time spent waiting in line, as well as amazing gigantic turtle constructions, all at a park of dense greenery that creates a sense of escape far from the city. A large wooden castle stands in the middle of the playground, with slides descending from various heights. It is surrounded by swinging horses and seesaws. Though this children’s playground is not too big, it definitely promises plenty of joy, making it the most exciting playground in the city’s southern suburbs. Its design, also catering to children in wheelchairs, is a major bonus making this playground modern, in the true sense of the word. Analypseos Park, a gem of a children’s playground not far from the city centre, in the Vyronas district, is one of the wider Athens area’s most impressive playgrounds, well worth discovering. One of the advantages repeatedly highlighted by regular visitors to this playground is its combined offering of two sections, for younger and older children, respectively. This separation increases play safety, a key bonus. The ground surfaces are brand new, all games meet EU safety standards, and the colours are bright and joyful, all within dense greenery, a dream package for young visitors of all ages. The playground also caters to longer bicycle rides, while a canteen at the park offers everything needed for a relaxed, fun time out. An incredible place that needs no introduction the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is not only one of Athens’ most impressive spots but also one of the finest throughout Greece There is always something new to discover at this expanse The National Library and new Greek National Opera are just some of the reasons that make it worthwhile to keep returning to this gigantic park is an attraction for a lovely family day out Families from all over Athens are drawn here enjoy the wooden constructions and extensive dugouts as well as climbing nets all feature at an environment offering alternative entertainment at a playground unlike any other Children wearing their bathers are thrusted up into the air by the water jets Designed on the basis of recycling and sustainability principles the large children’s playground at Makedonias street in leafy Filothei offers exciting adventures for children with constructions resembling adventurous battlefields are an exciting enough reason for visiting especially if your children are not afraid of heights and sudden plunges Younger visitors can also have a great time at a specially designed section of the park Don’t forget to bring along spare clothes for your children as they will be covered in dirt and mud from top to bottom get to this Filothei park early as it is an attraction luring numbers sometimes a slight drawback as the turnout can lead to less free space for play This fairytale-like playground at Karaiskaki Square in Ano Glyfada is widely regarded as being the most beautiful playground in the capital’s south and one of the most attractive in Athens Children can bring to life their knights and princess fables at this setting and also spend time playing at the park’s entertaining tunnel an innovative installation with running water as well as the charming little wooden houses also attracts numerous visitors from surrounding districts while dozens of shops are situated close by for coffee or food An enormous children’s playground replaced The reincarnated children’s playground at Papagou Park renowned for hosting the Verde café is one of the wider Athens area’s finest playgrounds a tremendous spot for spending quality time with your children minimising the need for constant monitoring This playground covers the needs of very young children (baby swings swinging games) as well as young teenagers the offering for this age group including an aerial cable car Other playground features include climbing nets and walls as well as towering slides leading straight into a deep dugout the park’s running track enables parents to exercise and relax at one of the most organised spots in the northern suburbs Extra tip: Papagou park also offers a playground for dogs and cats 5 verdant parks in Attica, safe for strolling and playing with children Five lush parks in Athens ideal for strolls, outings, exercise The U-16 Panathinaikos team sealed a spot in the ESKA final and awaits its opponent The youngsters beat Papagou 62-46 and are currently awaiting the winner of the Doukas-Maroussi series the next game amongst opponents scheduled to be held on March 29 The U-18 Panathinaikos team has also qualified onto the final of the respective ESKA championship The first game will be hosted at the Leoforos indoor arena on April 1 (21.45) and the second at the Zografos indoor arena on April 9 (21.45) Gerasimos Papadopoulos posted a response addressing those who confidently claim that the fault causing earthquakes in Cholargos scientists have no knowledge of the size of the fault and that caution is necessary “given that we are dealing with a densely populated area.” He detailed the following in his post:“The sequence began on 12/11/2024 with a magnitude of 2.8 and has continued with smaller magnitudes We are currently learning by observing these small earthquakes The correct scientific phrasing is: ‘We know nothing about the fault; the epicenters of these small earthquakes are not spread across a large area so far no significant section of the fault has been activated.’ who remembers the small earthquakes in the western section of the Fylis fault in November 1997 that preceded the devastating Parnitha (Fylis) earthquake on 9/7/1999 given that we are referring to a densely populated area.” 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 Two shallow-focus seismic tremors were recorded within approximately 1.5 hours at a relatively close distance in the northern suburbs of Attica with a magnitude of 2.6 on the Richter scale occurred in the area of Chalandri shortly before 3:30 AM and was felt in several parts of Attica (reports from Agia Paraskevi According to the revised solution from the Geodynamic Institute the epicenter was two kilometers southwest of Chalandri an area known for frequent tremors in recent times another much weaker tremor of magnitude 0.8 on the Richter scale was recorded near the same location The Euro-Mediterranean Institute reported the tremor at a magnitude of 3 and a focal depth of 6 kilometers with a magnitude of 1.9 on the Richter scale had its epicenter three kilometers south-southwest of Chalandri with the focal depth measured at 7.9 kilometers The Euro-Mediterranean Institute reported this tremor at a magnitude of 2.2 on the Richter scale