Thessaloniki Palataki

Location: Kalamaria

Palataki, or Kiverneio as locals call it, is a now-abandoned neoclassical building in Kalamaria, Thessaloniki. It boasts a fantastic seaside location, standing at an elevated point offering a panoramic view of the city and Thermaic Gulf.

The building was designed by architect P. Sakellarios and finalized by I. Christopoulos in the 1950s. It has an area of 1.200 sq.m. on its ground floor, first floor, and basement. Outside, it had about 15 acres of beautiful gardens, while one could also find a small church and a helipad.

It was constructed by the Ministry of Public Works in the early 1960s on land granted by the Ministry of National Defence, to be used as a house for government members. And, indeed, the building has served as the residence of eminent political personalities. For example, the former royal family stayed there for a night during a visit to Thessaloniki, while the mansion also hosted Konstantinos Karamanlis, a former Prime Minister and later President of the Hellenic Republic, when he visited the city.

Nowadays, Palataki is not utilized, except when it is used as a venue for concerts, exhibitions and other events.