The Ministry of Culture is proceeding with the restoration of two more buildings-memorials, in the former royal estate of Tatoi. These are the building of the Adjutant’s Office, in order to accommodate the basic support functions of the estate, and the complex of the Piggery, which will serve as a shop. The restoration studies of the two buildings for their reuse and functional integration into the new era of the estate received the unanimous positive opinion of the Central Council of Modern Monuments.

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, said: “The Ministry of Culture is systematically advancing the work of restoration and promotion of the Tatoio estate. The restoration of the monuments of the Adjutant’s Office – which remained in use until 1967 – and the Piggery are part of the second phase of the restoration of the monumental stock of the former royal estate. These are representative examples of the palatial and productive unit, which are being put to new uses, serving the modern needs of visitors. The building of the Adjutant’s Office, despite all the modifications it has undergone from time to time, is one of the most remarkable architectural examples of the Romantic period. The piggery corresponds to the increase in agricultural and livestock production, along with the bustation and the dairy. It is a post-war building – built in 1948 – evidence of the recovery process after the extensive destruction of the estate in 1944 and 1945. The interventions on the monuments serve the new functions of the buildings with absolute respect to the preservation of all historical and original documents, but also to the removal of later interventions in order to remove aesthetic issues. The morphology of the buildings is preserved and their surroundings are enhanced, so that they are organically linked to the other buildings, whose restoration is underway and will be completed by the end of this year. Furthermore, all the specifications have been taken into account in order to make them universally accessible. The restoration of the Adjutant’s Office building and the piggery complex will become a priority after the completion of the works being carried out at Stables and Cowshed.

The Adjutant’s Office

The basic principle of the study is the preservation and maintenance of the historicity of the building of the Adjutant’s Office and its reuse. The morphology and typology of the building and its immediate surroundings are restored. New functions are introduced to meet modern needs and to ensure universal accessibility on both levels of the monument. The building consists of ground and first floor, with a total surface area of 296 m² and is located near the Sturm House. The building is mainly damaged and deteriorated due to age and decades of neglect. It housed two clearly distinct functions. The Poolroom, for the recreation of the royal guard, and the Adjutant’s Office, in which the adjutants on duty lived. Immediately after its construction, in 1890-1891, George I and Olga lived in the Adjutant’s House. It was also used as a residence for the palace gardeners. Occasionally, school examinations for the royal children took place in the Poolroom. It also housed the telephone exchange of Tatoi. In a later phase it was used as a holiday home for the family’s guests. During the period of occupation it was used by the German authorities as officers’ quarters. It was also the site of historic political events. The meeting of George Papandreou and Panagiotis Kanellopoulos with Ambassador Dimitris Bitsios, director of the King’s political office, took place in this building at the end of November 1966. It was the first of two secret meetings that resulted in the Tatoi Agreement, aimed at preparing the country’s course towards the national elections.

Piggery

The building of the Piggery is located in the core of the Estate – belonging to the “Village” unit or the agro-industrial/residential unit, in the productive part – on the periphery of the Cowsheds and barns. It is a ground floor building, 195 square meters in area, of special use with a corresponding typology, i.e. distinct “apartments” for day-care and accommodation of animals. Inside the main building, on either side of the main corridor, there are 16 stalls for pigs – 8 on each side. As far as the current state of conservation is concerned, the building is in a typical state of disrepair due to disuse and lack of systematic maintenance.

With respect to the industrial architecture of the building, the necessary modifications are made to accommodate the new use. For example, the feeders and railings in the stall areas are retained and used as sales points. The open pitchers – troughs are used for sanitary facilities. The multiple courtyards along the east and west elevations are highlighted and combined with the new use. Emphasis is placed on respecting the existing morphology and typology of the building, highlighting its notable features, restoring the setting of the monument and properly reintegrating it into the wider estate.

The placement of new functions in the existing areas of the building is done in a way that meets modern needs and specifications for the disabled. Exterior landscaping around the perimeter of the building is provided to ensure safe access to the building entrances for people with disabilities.