Symposium: “Tribute to the Work of Architect Ernst Ziller

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the death of Ernst Ziller, the Observatory of Regional Policies (ORP) organised a Symposium titled “Tribute to the Work of Architect Ernst Ziller”, which took place on March 29, 2024, at the Academy of Athens, with the organizational support of the companies “Synedra Events” and “Draseis Ekfrasis”.

The communication sponsors of the Symposium were the newspapers “PELOPONNISOS”, “Griechenland Zeitung”, the Athens News Agency (ANA-MPA), and the portal www.pelop.gr. The Symposium was held under the auspices of the Region of Attica and the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, with institutional support from the Goethe-Institut Griechenland | Athens.

The Symposium was honored by the presence and welcoming addresses of Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Athens, Andreas Kindl, and the President of the Academy of Athens, Dr. Stamatios Krimizis. On behalf of the organizers, the Symposium was introduced by Mr. Theodoros Louloudis, Founder of the Observatory of Regional Policies (ORP) and Publisher of the newspaper “Peloponnisos”.

Distinguished speakers explored the personality and work of Ernst Ziller, both in Athens and in other cities where he left behind unique buildings and helped shape the urban landscape with European influences and innovative approaches. In addition to the members of the Scientific Committee — Maro Kardamitsi-Adami, Eleni Fessa-Emmanouil, and Panagiotis Tournikiotis — who also spoke during the sessions of the Symposium, presentations were delivered by the following:

Efthymios Bakogiannis, Secretary General for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment at the Ministry of Energy & Environment, Dr. Olympia Vikatou, General Director of the Department of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture, spoke on the presence of the pioneering architect Ernst Ziller in the region of Ilia, and Dr. Eleni Rapti, presented the cultural route of Ziller’s architectural masterpieces in the center of Athens.

Dr. Anna-Vasiliki Karapanagioti, General Director of the National Archaeological Museum, refered in her speech to unpublished archival material, including correspondence, negotiations, and calculations between Ernst Ziller and the Greek Government, related to the official commissioning of the construction of the National Archaeological Museum in 1889.

Also participating in the Symposium, Professor Manolis Korres, who presented Ziller’s philhellenic approach to architecture, exploring his work between the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders. Professor Christos Zerefos, Secretary General of the Academy of Athens and National Representative for Climate Change, spoke on the preservation, protection, and adaptive reuse of Ziller’s architectural works. Mr. Nikos Triantafyllopoulos, Assistant Professor in the Department of Planning and Regional Development at the University of Thessaly,discussed the restoration and utilization of listed buildings in Greece

Dr. Themistocles Bilis, representing the German Archaeological Institute, presented Ziller’s artistic work in the building currently housing the Institute. Dr. Dimitris Filippidis, in his lecture,explored three key moments in Ziller’s career, both before and after his death, during the 20th century (the expansion of the Arsakeion building block, the sale of his house to banker Loverdos, and the exhibition of his drawings at the Stratigopoulou Hall) In these intersections, as Dr. Filippidis highlighted, Ziller’s legacy meets that of other architects, namely Lysandros Kaftantzoglou, Aristotelis Zachos, and Vassilios Kassandras.

Finally, architect Chara Papadatou–Giannopoulou spoke about Ziller’s impact in the city of Patras and his connection to Spyridon Tzezos, while Mr. Vasilis Dorovinis, a legal expert and recipient of an award from the Academy of Athens for his contribution to the preservation of Greece’s historical environment—especially that of his native Argolida—presented Ziller’s work in the broader region of the Peloponnese and his collaboration with Panos Karathanasopoulos.

For more information: info@synedra.gr