The restoration of the historical former royal estate in Tatoi is progressing rapidly and within the timeframes set, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture. Tatoi estate was once a residence of the former Greek royal family.
The restoration plans include the creation of museum buildings as well as leisure center facilities. The undertaking will likely pose challenges as most of the buildings have fallen into disrepair after decades of abandonment and neglect.
Several government services and directorates will be involved in the efforts to restore Tatoi. In addition to architectural restoration work on the buildings in the estate, there will also be endeavors to preserve objects of historical significance that remained at Tatoi as well as an initiative to digitize records and paper materials recovered at the site.
Restoration work at Tatoi
The total budget for the 14 restoration projects currently planned amounts to €57,930,540. Six of the projects will be performed within the framework of the NSRF 2014-2021, with a budget of €9,230,540. Meanwhile, the remaining eight projects will be financed by the Recovery Fund, with a budget of €48,700,000.
“The work on the former royal estate of Tatoi is progressing very well,” said Lina Mendoni, the Greek Minister of Culture and Sports.
“All the competent services of the Ministry of the Interior work systematically, intensively and effectively, in order to achieve our goal, so that in 2025 the historical core of the estate will offer an important recreation and wellness center in Attica, as well as museum infrastructures that tell a part of the recent history of our country,” Mendoni continued.
The minister continued to speak at length about further plans for the estate, some of which have already been completed. For example, the “Forest Ranger’s House” has already been converted into a public information center, which includes physical and digital exhibits.
There are plans to convert three of the buildings on the Tatoi estate into museums. These are the Palace, Old and New buildings. Sturm House and the Telecommunications Building may also be converted into museums.
Tatoi contains a significant amount of archival material which requires safeguarding and will be gradually digitized. The estate also houses valuable objects of historical importance, some of which may not yet have been discovered. Two years ago, for example, a royal wine cellar filled with rare alcoholic beverages was discovered on the grounds.
The estate
The Tatoi estate covers an enormous total area of 4,500 hectares, which is approximately 45 million square meters.
It was first owned by the Greek royal family in the 1870s. Since then, it has endured numerous changes of ownership and usage, following the turbulent political life of the country during the late 19th and the 20th century.
Located on a slope of Mount Parnitha, the estate lies 27 kilometers (16 miles) from downtown Athens, in an area covered by woods, with rivers and abundant wildlife.
The Palace complex also includes a large number of buildings which all served different purposes for the royal family while they lived there.
Originally designed as a summer retreat for the family, it later became the permanent residence of the Greek royals, who found its premises more private compared to the official Royal Palace in downtown Athens.
It was Greece’s King George I who originally had the idea of establishing a summer retreat for his family.
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