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Megaro Gyzi, one of the few old mansions of the 17th century that were saved from the earthquakes of 1956, was granted by the Catholic Diocese of Thira for the activities of the Spiritual Center.
Megaro Gyzi is a building of special architectural interest and beauty, of which, after the earthquakes of 1956, only the basement remained, where the auxiliary rooms of the old mansion were. It is the unique building of that time in Santorini, where the ground floor spaces are developed around a patio and this lends a special architecture thanks to the internal atrium space that is created, which is partly roofed with a magnificent tetratholi (cross) and partly uncovered . The coat of arms of the Gyzi family dominates the entrance of the imposing Mansion.
With the care and expenses of the Catholic Diocese of Thera, it was restored in such a way as to keep the spaces intact and to highlight all the special elements of the local traditional architecture (old canvas, wine press, linen, old kitchen, other auxiliary spaces facing the inner courtyard, arched windows, proportions of frames), on the one hand, to serve the operation and needs of the Spiritual Center in exhibition spaces and places of cultural events.
Today, the Museum of the Gyzi Palace operates in the premises of the Spiritual Center, where six Permanent Collections are housed.
Specifically:
1. Collection of authentic engravings
2. Collection of old historical Theraean documents
3. Collection of Santorini-themed paintings
4. Collection of paintings, donated by the Pintos couple
5. Collection of old photos of Santorini
6. Collection of rocks of Santorini
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou