Sunday, November 4, 2018
Excursion to Acropolis Museum and
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

The Managing Committee of Longos Cultural Society "LORD BYRON", in cooperation with Mattheos-Tours/Egio, organised an excursion to the    Acropolis Museum and    Stavros Niarchos Foundation    Cultural Center on Sunday, November 4, 2018. Service charge: 13,00 EURO per person The price included the LUXUS BUS ride and the guided tour of the museum. Not included was the museum entrance fee (5,00 EURO).

More information and inscription:    Despina Manolopoulou, phone 6984 14 2411    Dimitra Prinou-Tsamtsouri, phone 6984 14 2411    Eleni Ntourou, phone 6984 14 2411

EXCURSION PROGRAM 7.30 a.m. departure from Longos, arrival in Athens and visit to the Acropolis Museum. Free time for eating and strolling in the city. Then visit the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre with guided tour, afternoon coffee. Departure to Longos.

Departure at 7.30 am by coach and after a coffee break in Megara arrival at our first destination,
the New Acropolis Museum Athens.

The New Acropolis Museum presents findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens and has about 5 million visitors in the Year. The present building at the foot of the sacred rock of the Acropolis was designed by New York–based architect Bernard Tschumi and the Greek architect Michalis Fotiadis. Over an area of 14,000 square meters are exhibited around 300 statues and parts of the the Parthenon Marbles as well as about 4,000 other smaller objects from the archaic era, the classical antiquity and late antiquity, which were exhibited formerly in the old Acropolis Museum or stored in magazines. The new building of the museum, which was founded in 2003, was opened to the public on July 21, 2009. On 20 July 2009, the inauguration of the museum by the President Karolos Papoulias took place in the presence among others of the President of the European Commission. The then Minister of Culture Antonis Samaras placed in a symbolic gesture a piece of marble returned by the Vatican Museums symbolizing the claim for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. Already in 1989, the Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri, identified her policies with the claim for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum.

In the museum, a remarkable guided tour awaited us by the guide Mrs. Lila Petychaki. She accompanied us with her unique nature and inspired us with the archaeological finds and masterpieces of the Acropolis.       Lila Petychaki     Certified tourist guide     French - greek     phone 6945 1509 38     petychakiageliki@gmail.com

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, SNFCC) is a culture, study and recreation center on the bay of Faliro at Athens. It is a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to the Greek State, which includes new facilities for the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, as well as the 210,000 square meters Stavros Niarchos Park. The SNFCC is 4.5 kilometers south of Athens city center in Kallithea on the grounds of old Athenian racecourse. The center was designed by architect Renzo Piano. The 630 million euros project was completed in 2016, and was donated to the Greek state in February 2017.

The complex planned by the star architect Renzo Piano consists in three buildings: the National Library, the National Opera and a parking garage, surrounded of generous open spaces and a park. The buildings and the open spaces offer space for the simultaneous visit of 32,000 people, 1000 parking spaces are available to visitors. The SNFCC is connected to the center of Athens by a shuttle bus. Several cafes, one on the roof of the building, a bistro and refreshments are available to visitors. When planning the building was very important to the compatibility of the monumental structure with its environment. So the biggest part of the required electrical energy becomes self generated through solar cells (10,000 square meters). The complex has been awarded the "LEED Platinum Certification". The center also includes a park and a saltwater basin of 300 meters long and 30 meters wide. The total area of the parks is 210,000 square meters, it shows a comprehensive cross-section of the Mediterranean vegetation and is freely accessible to everyone. There were 1,450 trees and 280,000 Mediterranean bushes planted. The central lawn can be used for concerts and film screenings. There are sports fields, a playground, water features and a labyrinth.