Museum of El Greco, Biographical museum in Fodele, Greece.
The Museum of El Greco stands about 1 km from the centre of Fodele, opposite a chapel, on the edge of the village west of Heraklion. Its restored building holds copies of El Greco's paintings and documents linked to the painter, who grew up in Fodele. The museum presents itself as the house where he was born.
The original building stood in a ruinous state before restoration began in 1982, funded by a grant from the Greek Ministry of Culture. It opened to the public as the Museum of El Greco in 1998, honouring the mannerist painter Domenikos Theotokopoulos (1541–1614), who grew up in Fodele.
The museum holds copies of El Greco's paintings and documents linked to him, not original works; the only originals by the artist in Crete are two panels at the Historical Museum of Crete in Heraklion. The village of Fodele is claimed as his birthplace, a claim that is disputed, and the museum itself asserts it stands where he was born.
The museum is located about one kilometer from central Fodele and is easily reached on foot. The best time to visit is during cooler months when you can explore the exhibits at a relaxed pace.
The museum presents copies of El Greco's works and related documents; the only original works by the artist in Crete are two paintings kept at the Historical Museum of Crete in Heraklion. The museum itself asserts that it stands where El Greco was born, a claim the village's birthplace status does not settle.
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