Athens’ Benaki Museum
Athens’ Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an
outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a
beautiful mansion.
The Benaki Museum in Athens
Photo by Dimboukas
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
The Benaki Museum in Athens is housed in a neo-classical
mansion built in 1867, but extended and refurbished several times over the
years. It contains a remarkable collection of Greek and Egyptian items. The
exhibits, and the house in which they are displayed, belonged to an Alexandrian
Greek cotton trader, Antonis
Benakis (1873–1954).
Gold Bracelet Showing the Owl of Athens
Over a period of 35 years he amassed a splendid selection of
artefacts, which he eventually gave to the Greek state for display in a museum.
He continued to help curate the collection, and to ensure the museum’s
financial security, until he died.
Our Pick of the Athens Guides
The mansion was thoroughly renovated in the late 1990s to
create a fine backdrop for the collection. Thirty thousand pieces illustrate
the daily life in Greece from ancient times to the 20th century.
El Greco's Adoration of the Magi
On Display in Athens' Benaki Museum
The collection incorporates paintings (including two by El
Greco), jewellery from Mycenae, ceramics, icons, clothing and Greek folk art,
such as bridal cushions, traditional clothing and decorative items.
Lord Byron's writing desk is one of the many items from the
War of Independence, along with other historical objects.
The Death of Markos Botsaris in the Greek War of Independence
The Egyptian collection is also fascinating. Early Coptic
textiles and jewellery give an impression of the wealth of artistic talent
found within this still-thriving community. A major attraction is a highly
unusual piece: a complete Egyptian reception room from a palace of the 17th
century.
Another showcase item from Egypt, where Benakis grew up in Alexandria and made his great fortune, is a wonderfully sensitive portrait of a man, painted on linen in the 3rd century AD.
Don't miss the café-restaurant at the top, with a terrace
that offers fine views and the perfect place to take a break after the time you
will no doubt spend walking round this wonderful collection.
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