{"id":10403,"date":"2026-06-12T15:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/?p=10403"},"modified":"2026-06-12T15:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:20:00","slug":"lina-mendoni-the-state-restores-monuments-from-all-historical-periods-with-the-same-respect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/?p=10403","title":{"rendered":"Lina Mendoni: The state restores monuments from all historical periods with the same respect"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of her visit<\/b> to the Dodecanese, the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni<\/b>, presented the citizens of Rhodes three monuments<\/b> within the Medieval City. <\/p>\n

These are the Rezep Pasha Mosque<\/b>, one of the most significant examples of Ottoman architecture in the Dodecanese, the Ottoman Mansion of Hasan Bey, which will serve as an exhibition space highlighting the history of Rhodes across the ages, as well as the restoration of the coastal fortifications of the City of Rhodes from the Naillac Pier to the Mills Pier. <\/p>\n

The projects were funded with national resources from the Ministry of Culture and resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund<\/b>. The protection, enhancement, and restoration projects were completed by the relevant departments of the Ministry of Culture, the Ephorate of Antiquities, and the Service of Modern Monuments and Technical Works of the Dodecanese, as stated in today\u2019s announcement by the Ministry of Culture.<\/p>\n

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Lina Mendoni<\/b> stated: \u201cAfter four years of systematic and hard work, the Ministry of Culture is delighted to present to the local community of Rhodes and the island\u2019s thousands of visitors a series of exceptionally important monuments. The Greek state restores monuments from all historical periods with the same respect<\/b>. Archaeological sites, Christian, Byzantine, and Ottoman monuments are treated equally, as together they form the precious mosaic of our historical identity. Specifically for the city of Rhodes, the total funds we have allocated amount to 45 million euros. We are endowing the Medieval City with landmark projects<\/b>, which did not arise by chance but are the result of a well-structured strategic plan. <\/p>\n

The Hasan Bey Mansion at the entrance to the Medieval City, the Recep Pasha Mosque, and the Coastal Fortifications are not merely significant architectural complexes. They are living cultural hubs that will serve as new sources of education, historical knowledge, and sustainable development. In an era of global challenges, the restoration of the artifacts of our collective memory<\/b> \u2014through the rebirth of our monuments\u2014 is a powerful link in the chain of our country\u2019s defense.<\/b> A people proud of its heritage knows how to defend its homeland in the best possible way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Recep Pasha Mosque is located in Dorieos Square in the Old City. It was built around 1587 in honor of the admiral of the same name and is one of the most important examples of Ottoman architecture in the Dodecanese. The monument was in serious disrepair. The restoration project\u2014with a total budget of 900,000 euros\u2014was deemed necessary<\/b> for its preservation. Through the Dodecanese Ephorate of Antiquities, extensive stabilization and conservation work was carried out\u2014both in the mosque and in the mausoleum of Recep Pasha\u2014 preservation of its valuable painted decoration, reconstruction of the plaster, marble, and wooden elements, as well as structural restoration of the minaret. The monument is being returned to the community of Rhodes fully restored, serving as a modern, exemplary cultural space.<\/p>\n

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The project \u201cRestoration and Enhancement of the Coastal Fortifications from the Naillac Breakwater to the Mills Breakwater\u201d ensured, with a budget of nearly 1,200,000 euros, the long-term protection<\/b> of the defensive complex in the port area. At the same time, the goal of functionally integrating the monuments with daily life and the urban fabric of the Medieval City was achieved. Meticulous masonry repairs were carried out, as well as the reinforcement of medieval and ancient foundations. <\/p>\n

The interventions focused on the stabilization and restoration of the fortifications on the tower and the bastion of St. Paul, as well as on the Naillac Pier<\/b>, including the tower\u2019s battlements, the inner gate, and the embrasures of the outer bailey within the fortification complex of the Byzantine sea gate. <\/p>\n

At the same time, the spiral staircase was secured within the complex of the newer sea gate, while at the tower-like gate of Saint Catherine, the upper level, the battlements, and the old staircase were restored. To enhance the aesthetics and functionality of the complex, modern electrical and mechanical systems and special accent lighting were installed, while organized access points and circulation routes were created<\/b>.<\/p>\n

The restoration of the Ottoman Mansion of Hasan Bey was also completed, with a budget of approximately 2,000,000 euros. The mansion is being transformed into a new cultural hub<\/b> of the Medieval City, ideal for hosting a variety of cultural events. This is a unique historic building, whose restoration highlights the aesthetic and historical value of that specific period in Rhodes<\/b>. The work included stabilizing the structure, fully securing and reconstructing the stonework, restoring the wooden staircase, the mezzanine, and the roof, as well as the installation of modern electrical and mechanical networks and safety systems.<\/p>\n

The Ministry of Culture, through the structural reinforcement, maintenance, and functional integration of the monuments with the urban fabric, is enhancing both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the Medieval City<\/b> of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The completion of the projects tangibly highlights the island\u2019s multicultural historical stratification, returning valuable public spaces to the community and creating new, contemporary resources for education, historical knowledge, and sustainable tourism development, the Ministry of Culture and Sports\u2019 announcement adds.<\/p>\n

In Halki, Lina Mendoni inaugurated the newly established Archaeological Museum<\/b> and attended the reopening ceremony of the fully restored post-Byzantine church of Panagia Choriatissa, in the island\u2019s castle. The two projects, with a total budget of over 1,000,000 euros, were carried out by the Dodecanese Ephorate of Antiquities, with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund and national resources.<\/p>\n

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni<\/b>, stated: \u201cThe Aegean is the timeless cradle of Greek civilization. For the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Ministry of Culture, our presence on our islands and the restoration of their cultural heritage is our enduring duty to our islanders. Our goal remains for every island to have its own ark<\/b> of memory. The newly established Archaeological Museum of Halki is the 31st museum we have opened to the public since 2019. Every museum, regardless of its size, preserves the identity and history of the place, serving as a living hub of education for future generations<\/b>. At the same time, it was with great emotion that we returned the Holy Church of Panagia Chori\u00e1nis, fully restored to its original religious use. The completion and handover to the local community of remote Chalki of these two significant projects is proof of the State\u2019s commitment to the equitable cultural development of all regions of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Chalki Archaeological Museum<\/b>, which was established as part of the Ministry of Culture\u2019s policy to strengthen museum infrastructure on the islands, is housed in a traditional building in Emporio, donated by Savvas Theodoridis to the Municipality of Halki, which was renovated in accordance with modern museum standards. The museum has been equipped with modern electrical and mechanical systems, air conditioning, security, and fire detection infrastructure, as well as specialized exhibition lighting. <\/p>\n

The building is fully accessible to people with disabilities<\/b> and features audiovisual aids and informational materials, including publications in Braille. The permanent exhibition presents the geography and history of Halki, highlighting the island\u2019s location and role in antiquity through archaeological finds uncovered by research over the past decades.<\/p>\n

The Church of Panagia Chori\u00e1nis<\/b> is located in the medieval settlement of Chorio, on the northern side of Paleokastro Hill, below the medieval castle of Halki. Probably built in the 17th century, it is a characteristic example of post-Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture in the Dodecanese. Work on the monument included structural reinforcement and architectural restoration of the building envelope and its vaulted ceiling, reconstruction of the enclosure, and improvement of access. At the same time, work was carried out to clean and secure the painted decoration, conservation of the wood-carved iconostasis and the icon stand<\/b>, as well as the restoration of five portable icons of particular historical and artistic value.<\/p>\n

Lina Mendoni<\/b> held a working meeting at the Chalki Town Hall with Mayor Evangelos Fragakis, in the presence of the Regional Governor of the South Aegean, George Hatzimarkos. The discussion focused on the critical issue of demographics<\/b>, as well as the search for effective ways and incentives to strengthen and increase the permanent population of Halki. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to implement targeted projects that provide a definitive solution to the housing problem faced by public servants, such as teachers and law enforcement officers, who serve on the island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During her visit to the Dodecanese, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni handed over three monuments within the Medieval … to the citizens of Rhodes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10404,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10403\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}