Preservation and conservation of the synagogues
in Greece - General
It was only in the recent years that synagogues, just like other urban entities
became objects for protection, since many of them were destroyed during
the continuous reconstruction of urban centers to which they belonged. The
peculiar development of the region led to the deterioration and destruction
of the traditional urban space, the dense construction, the tearing down
of existing houses, the intensive exploitation of urban land. This combined
with the fact that a large part of the population tolerated the destruction
in progress either due to particular interests, or due to the weakness to
realize the importance to protect cultural heritage. These people therefore
used hard pressure on state officials who could have taken urgent measures
of protection (…) Today it is considered that there are certain conditions
not only to preserve monuments, but also to protect and reform the traditional
urban center.
Recently, a detailed article was published on the occasion of the recent
destruction of certain significant synagogues in the cities of Didimoticho,
Komotini and Xanthi279, in Northern Greece. The article aimed at a more
general concern on this issue, and the evasion of similar phenomena in the
future. It mentioned the following regarding the synagogue of Xanthi: "According
to a Ministerial resolution (ΔΙΛΑΠ/Γ/3497/52480/5-11-91), that was published
in the Governmental Paper (978/B/27-11-91) the building was declassified
as a work of art. In 1992 it was sold to be demolished, after an authorized
permission (…). Religious Jewish Law 151 of Shulhan Arouch, the essence
of the interpretation of the teachings of Mosaic Law includes a chapter
on "Laws" concerning the synagogue. It states as follows: "Even after the
destruction of a synagogue the area remains in a state of holiness and we
have to respect it and honor it like before, with all possible care" (…).
The area where the synagogue used to be was so densely reconstructed with
apartment buildings, that it is on a spot that has been downgraded both
from the point of view of aesthetics and urban planning.
VEROIA - Conservation plan by the team led by Elias Messinas
Before 1995, when the Identification phase (Getty Grant Program)
took place, there was no other organized conservation program in effect
for the synagogue of Veroia. All previous attempts were local repairs (e.g.
local repair and replacement of borken roof tiles). Some of the repairs,
although necessary, have not been sensitive and responsive enough to the
original fabric, and have altered its original character (e.g. the entrance
portico). The work conducted during the Identification and the Preparation
phases (Getty Grant Program) included the identification of the present
condition of the building, a complete architectural, structural and photographic
survey of the building, preparation of architectural, structural, and electro-mechanical
construction documents, investigation sections in the fabric of the building,
material testing, and specifications for the work (a copy of the Identification
Phase report is located in the Getty Conservation Institute Library, available
on a non-circulating basis to the staff of the J. Paul Getty Trust and to
outside professionals in related fields). The last phase also included limited
Emergency Work, in order to maintain the building safely until the
complete conservation work is implemented.
VEROIA - Unauthorized interventions
Letter by Ellias Messinas to the Central Board of Jewish Communities
and to the Mayor of Veroia, regarding the 'restoration' of the 19th-century
synagogue of Veroia, without the permission of the Authorities and without
a proper conservation and restoration plan (June 15, 2005). In brief:
A letter sent to Moisis Kostantinis, President of the Central Board
of Jewish Communities (KIS) and Christos Skoubopoulos, Mayor of Veroia,
from architect Dr. Elias Messinas, an expert on Jewish heritage and synagogue
architecture. The letter deals with the handling of the Jewish heritage
of Veroia, which is being destroyed without the least intervention of the
country officials. For example, the Jewish cemetery of Veroia has been turned
into an open-air basketball court. The "restoration-destruction" of the
synagogue of Veroia (a declared historic protected monument), undertaken
by the Municipality of Veroia, took place without a conservation study,
without a building permit, and with the tolerance and cooperation of KIS.
This letter was cc'ed to the Ministry of Culture, organizations in Greece
and abroad that protect the monuments of Greece. According to this letter,
the Municipality of Veroia, the Municipality undertook extensive work in
the exterior and interior of the synagogue, which in effect destroyed the
building. It was based on no approved conservation study and not on the
existing historic condition of the building. The destructive intervention,
erased forever traces of earlier phases of the building of 200 and more
years earlier. The letter requests the immediate restoration of the building
to its previous historic condition, based on a detailed survey in drawings
and photographs by a team of experts - funded by the Getty Grant Program.
Read the full letter
(Greek) and letter
published in Kathimerini newspaper / Also refer to the articles
list and interview
list for relevant publications
Επιστολή προς τους κκ. Μωυσή Κωσταντίνη, Πρόεδρο του Κεντρικού Ισραηλιτικού
Συμβουλίου Ελλάδας και Χρήστο Σκουμπόπουλο, Δήμαρχο Βέροιας, από τον αρχιτέκτονα
Δρ. Ηλία Μεσσίνα, ειδικό στον εβραϊκό πολιτισμό και συναγωγές. Η επιστολή
αφορά στον χειρισμό της εβραϊκής κληρονομιάς Βέροιας, η οποία αφανίζεται
χωρίς την παραμικρή παρέμβαση της Πολιτείας. Παραδείγματος χάριν, το εβραϊκό
νεκροταφείο της Βέροιας έγινε ανοιχτό γήπεδο μπάσκετ. Η επέμβαση του Δήμου
για την "αναπαλαίωση-καταστροφή" της συναγωγής (ιστορικού διατηρητέου μνημείου)
έγινε χωρίς άδεια, χωρίς μελέτη και με την ανοχή και συνεργασία του ΚΙΣ.
Η επιστολή αυτή εστάλη με κοινοποίηση προς το ΥΠΠΟ, συλλόγους και οργανώσεις
στην Ελλάδα και στο εξωτερικό που προστατεύουν τα ιστορικά διατηρητέα μνημεία
της Ελλάδας. Σύμφωνα με την επιστολή, ο Δήμος Βέροιας προχώρησε σε επεμβάσεις
εξωτερικά και εσωτερικά της συναγωγής που - στην κυριολεξία - κατέστρεψαν
το κτήριο. Καθώς δεν βασίστηκαν σε ΚΑΜΜΙΑ εγκεκριμένη μελέτη, ούτε μελέτη
ειδικών, ούτε βάσει ΤΗΣ ΥΠΑΡΧΟΥΣΑΣ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΤΗΡΙΟΥ. Η καταστροφή
του κτηρίου, έσβησε για πάντα ιστορία 200 και πλέον ετών. Η επιστολή ζητάει
την άμεση αποκατάσταση του κτηρίου στην αρχική του κατάσταση, η οποία είχε
αποτυπωθεί στο παρελθόν από ειδική ομάδα αρχιτεκτόνων και συντηρητών σε
σχέδια, φωτογραφίες και σκαριφήματα και η οποία χρηματοδοτήθηκε από το ίδρυμα
Γκετύ.
Διαβάστε την επιστολή
(Ελληνικά) και επιστολή
που δημοσιεύθηκε στην Καθημερινή / Επίσης τον πίνακα
δημοσιεύσεων και συνεντεύξεων
για σχετικές δημοσιεύσεις
ATHENS (IANNIOTIKI) - Unauthorized interventions
Letters by Ellias Messinas to the Jewish Community of Athens, regarding
the 'restoration' and demolition of the interior of the 1905 Ianniotiki
synagogue in Athens, without proper permits and the permission of the Archaeology
Authorities (29/8/06
and 9/9/06)
(Greek). Also refer to the articles
list and interview
list for relevant publications.
Επιστολή του Ηλία Μεσσίνα προς την Ισραηλιτική Κοινότητα Αθηνών, σχετικά
με την αυθαίρετη 'ανακαίνιση' και κατεδάφιση του εσωτερικού της Γιαννιώτικης
Συναγωγής Αθηνών (1905), χωρίς τις απαιτούμενες άδειες και εγκρίσεις των
αρμόδιων φορέων (29/8/06
και 9/9/06).
Επίσης τον πίνακα
δημοσιεύσεων και συνεντεύξεων
για σχετικές δημοσιεύσεις.
