EXPERIENCES

The mansion that now belongs to the Kois family dates back to 1860 and is located in the heart of Hermoupolis, the capital of Syros. Expressing the classicism prevailing in the architecture of Europe at the time, the mansion is adorned with an imposing pediment, which occupies the entire facade. Decorated with an elaborate marble staircase in the interior, and completed with beautiful frescoes, the mansion is famous for its impressive orophography: The ceiling of the ballroom, depicting eight of the gods of ancient Greeks - Zeus, Hermes, Themis, Apollo, Dimitra, Athena and four leading features of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottomans back in 1821; Rigas Feraios ,Georgios Karaiskakis, Theodoros Kolokotronis and Constantine Kanaris.The fresco is completed by a frieze panting, and crowned with a brim which leads to an ornamentation typical of the Ionic order.Today, Stavros Kois opens the doors to the public, offering the opportunity for a tour of the mansion’s interior and its history. Schools, architects, historians and visitors to the island of Syros are welcome to experience a part of the glorious history of Hermoupolis. The tour can be accompanied by music (piano or harp), while the events that take place in the mansion host a buffet created with the traditional recipes found in the notebook kept by Stavros Koi's mother. Today, on the mansion grounds, you will also get a chance to discover an impressive array of works created by university students inspired by the orophography adorning the mansion’s ballroom, for the design competition. Οrganized by the Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering of the island, together with Kois Optics, the competition’s purpose was to embody the core values of the company's identity. Furthermore, the ceiling fresco itself is brought to life through a digital project of the University: Using tablets, one can experience interactive conversations between the past and the present, between the people who built today's Hermoupolis, and the gods and heroes of the Kois mansion.

Mansion History