Karipion Melathron - Institute for National and Religious Studies, Ottoman period research institute at Olympiados and Stefaniou Dragoumi streets, Thessaloniki, Greece
Karipion Melathron is a four-story building at the corner of Olympiados and Stefaniou Dragoumi streets in Ano Poli, Thessaloniki, dated to 1890. It was built as the mansion of the son of Abdurrahman Yazı Pasha, the last Ottoman political governor of the city, and its architect is given in some sources as the Italian Vitaliano Poselli. It now houses the architectural office Urban Soul Project.
Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli designed the building as the official residence for the Selanik Prefect during Ottoman rule in Macedonia. Following the end of Ottoman administration, the structure was repurposed and eventually became home to a research institute.
The building takes its name from Alexandros Karipis, a Thessaloniki-born psychiatrist who bought the protected property and restored it to its original form with the help of the Ministry of Culture's 4th Ephorate of Modern Monuments. He installed the Institute for National and Religious Studies there as a symbolic use of the house. Today it also houses the architectural office Urban Soul Project.
The building is easily recognizable from the street and sits in a central location in Thessaloniki. Since it functions as a research institute, access may be limited to certain hours, so checking ahead is recommended before visiting.
The building is named after Alexandros Karipis, a Thessaloniki-born psychiatrist whose mother came from Krushevo and whose father came from Ayvali in Asia Minor. He bought the protected property and restored it to its original form with help from the Ministry of Culture's 4th Ephorate of Modern Monuments. Today it houses the Urban Soul Project architecture office.
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