Karpathos Hatzivasilis Museum

Location: Olympos
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

Established in 2008 by the artist’s children, the Hatzivasilis Museum is located in the picturesque mountainous village of Olympos and exhibits many of the portable works and personal items of the local folk artist Vasilis Hatzivasilis.

Vasilis Hatzivasilis was born in Olympos in 1918 and was the son of a plasterer and painter who had worked not only in Karpathos but also in Kasos, Smyrna and Alexandria, adopting a kind of folk classicism. Carrying on the family tradition, Vasilis Hatzivasilis has decorated several buildings around Karpathos with works inspired by Greek history, mythology and Christianity, as well as by the everyday life and folk traditions of the people of Karpathos. Among others, he has adorned several churches in the villages of Olympos, Volada and Aperi.

The museum is housed in the artist’s family residence and provides an immersive experience of the island’s history and culture, under the guidance of Hatzivasilis’ son, who is also an artist himself.