The Blue Condominium (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: Μπλε πολυκατοικία, therefore also called Blue Polykatoikia), is an apartment building in the

Exarcheia Exarcheia ( ) is a neighbourhood in central Athens, Greece close to the historical building of the National Technical University of Athens. Exarcheia took its name from a 19th-century businessman named Exarchos () who opened a large general store t ...

neighborhood of

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

, Greece. It lies on the corner of Arachovis and Themistokleous Streets, adjacent to

Exarcheia square Exarcheia Square is located in the Exarcheia neighborhood of Athens and it is considered the center of the neighborhood. The square is a gathering place for people of all ages, but especially young people, and many activities organized by anti-au ...

and was built in 1932–1933 for Kyriakos Panagiotakos, the architect who designed the building. Being a very important example of modern architecture in Athens, it was designed by architect Kyriakoulis Panagiotakos. It took its nickname from the initial dark blue colour of its façade, which was selected by painter Spyros Papaloukas.
Έκλεισε τα 80, η θρυλική Μπλε Πολυκατοικία της Αθήνας (2013). ''I Kathimerini''. Available at:http://www.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_kathremote_1_23/12/2013_533500.

Description

The building actually consists of two independent six-floor buildings that are joined at the top floor. Particular care was given to the design and construction of the common areas such as the two entry halls, concierge desks, corridors, staircases, laundry, and the meeting room on the top floor. The meeting room was later separated into seven new apartments, thus increasing their number from 32 to 39.
Το θρυλικό οικοδόμημα του 20ου αιώνα συνεχίζει να ζει στο κέντρο της Αθήνας...Η μπλε πολυκατοικία των Εξαρχείων (2012). ''Akous.gr''. The original designs included a pool, but its construction was never completed. On the ground floor used to be the café "Floral". It was an innovative and distinctive building of that era. When

Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...

visited it during the fourth congress of CIAM, he said that "it is very beautiful." Through time, notable people have lived in the Blue Condominium such as Leonidas Kyrkos (politician), Renos Apostolidis (writer),

Sofia Vembo Sofia Bembou (; 10 February 1910 – 10 March 1978), known professionally as Sofia Vembo (), was a leading Greek singer and actress active from the interwar period to the early postwar years and the 1950s. She became best known for her perfor ...

(singer), Lili Zografou (writer and descendant of

Dionysios Solomos Dionysios Solomos (; ; 8 April 1798 – 9 February 1857) was a Greeks, Greek poet from Zakynthos, who is considered to be Greece's national poet. He is best known for writing the ''Hymn to Liberty'' (, ''Ýmnos eis tīn Eleutherían''), whic ...

Dimitris Horn Dimitris Horn () (9 March 1921 – 16 January 1998) was a Greek theatrical and film actor. Biography Horn was born in Athens in 1921, the son of playwright Pantelis Horn (himself descended from an Austrian father and Greek mother), and Euterpi, ...

(actor),

Alexis Minotis Alexis Minotis (; born Alexandros Minotakis (); 8 August 1900 – 11 November 1990) was a Greek actor and director. He first appeared on stage in his native Crete as Chorus Leader and later as Messenger in Sophocles' ''Oedipus Tyrannus''. From ...

(actor),

Katina Paxinou Katina Paxinou (; 17 December 1900– 22 February 1973) was a Greek film and stage actress. She started her stage career in Greece in 1928 and was one of the founding members of the National Theatre of Greece in 1932. The outbreak of World War ...

(actress), the owner Kostis Antanopoulos and his family, Fredy Germanos (journalist and author), Dimitris Myrat (orchestra director), Evaggelos Meimarakis (politician and speaker of the Greek Parliament).

Events

During the Metaxas dictatorship and World War II the building housed the counterintelligence organization " Midas 614" and its staff officer

Ioannis Tsigantes Ioannis or Ioannes (), shortened to Giannis or Yannis (Γιάννης) is a Greek given name cognate with Johannes and John and the Arabic name Yahya . Notable people with the name include: * Ioannis I, Tzimiskis, Byzantine Emperor * Ioannis Agoras ...

. During the

Dekemvriana The ''Dekemvriana'' (, "December events") refers to a series of clashes fought during World War II in Athens from 3 December 1944 to 11 January 1945. The conflict was the culmination of months of tension between the left-wing National Liberatio ...

events, fighters of the

Greek People's Liberation Army The Greek People's Liberation Army (, ''Ellinikós Laïkós Apeleftherotikós Stratós''; ELAS) was the military arm of the left-wing National Liberation Front (EAM) during the period of the Greek resistance until February 1945, when, followi ...

had attempted three times to blow up the building. The Blue Condominium can be seen in Greek films like ''The Jealous Cat'' (1956) and ''Stamatis and Gregoris'' (1962).
Η αναρχική "Μπλε" Πολυκατοικία Αντωνόπουλου, στα Εξάρχεια. Papadopoulou M. "Design Home".

Bibliography

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue Condominium Buildings and structures in Athens