"... The Villa Galini, that Victorian house, coloured Pompeian red, gave me for the first time, after many years, the feeling of a solid house, and not one of a temporary camp: this merchandise I got accustomed to think that is not manufactured anymore. It had a musical box with five or six tunes, reminding me of the era where our grandparents were mature men"
G. Seferis. A production for Kichli, 27 December 1949.
Villa Galini, the romantic and elegant neoclassical villa that hosted writers and artists at Poros, is an old family home of the 19th century, built by the architect Anastasios Metaxas atop a piney hill with breathtaking view over the tranquil lagoon between Poros and Galata. The "Red House", as the locals named the Villa.
Seferis was one of the Villa's most regular visitors. In the tranquility of "Villa Galini" he clarifies his papers for Kavafi. There he notes his thoughts on the wreck of "Kichli" (Kichli was a small utility boat of the fleet which usually was moored in front of the house).
From the romantic villa many visitors have passed by. From George Horton, Marc Chagall, Henry Miller, Greta Garbo, James Merrill, Peter Gray enjoying "the solitude and stillness of the site."
Note: "Villa Galini is a private residence and is not open to the public." |