Saroglio Mansion

Saroglio Mansion

The Saroglion Mansion (Officers' Club) is located on Vasilissis Sofias and Rigillis streets in Athens, a two-storey neo-barock building designed by architect Alexandros Nikoloudis, named after the national benefactor, Officer Petros Saroglou.

The building on the east has the Byzantine and Christian Museum, to the north the Museum of Cycladic Art and to the south it borders on the famous Lyceum of Aristotle.

Petros Saroglos, in his handwritten will, which he had written in 1909, except for the collections of paintings, jewelery, coins and weapons, left cash in order to make the Officers' Club of the Land and Sea. In 1928, the Air Defense Department bought a plot of 8,270 m² for the construction of the building. The study of the project was commissioned by the architect Alexandros Nikoloudis, who was a graduate of the French School of Fine Arts. Nikoloudis, along with engineer Achilles Carras and architect engineer Caston Zillier, began construction on August 2, 1929. On November 11, 1929, the foundation stone was laid and the construction was completed in 1933. The building was named "Saroglio Mansion" in honor of national benefactor. In 1971 the building was expropriated by the Greek state to function as a spiritual center, but in 1979 it returned to the ownership of the Officers' Club.

 

The building over time has undergone several changes in its external appearance. In 1992, it was externally renovated by the General Staff of the Navy, and in 1999 was suffered many damage by the earthquake of September 7 in Athens and it takes five years for its complete restoration. Finally, in 2004 he reopened his doors and continued to function as a Chief of Officers.

The Saroglio Megaron has a museum that was bequeathed by Saroglos as a lover of art and contains works by great Greek and foreign painters such as Lytra, Gyzis and Prosalentis, 86 pieces in total. Also in the museum is a valuable collection of weapons. Besides the museum, the Club includes conference rooms, events rooms, a library, a reading room, a restaurant, a café, a patisserie, a barber shop and internet and entertainment venues. Do not forget to mention the Ceremony Hall located on the 1st floor of the Megaron, which has a capacity of 171 - 260 people and is available for each type of event. Also important is the Terpsichori hall, located on the ground floor, with a capacity of up to 170 people. And this is available for all kinds of events.

At this point, do not forget to mention that the Officers Club area is not accessible to the public and is reserved for members of the Officers' Club only, as well as the fact that it is forbidden to take any photograph. If you want to capture the beauty of this building, it is a good idea to try to make it from the opposite side of the street and that only with great care.