Skiathos Papadiamantis House

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

The house of Alexandros Papadiamantis (1851-1911), one of the most prominent Greek writers of the 19th century, is situated in Skiathos Town, on a blind alley branching off Papadiamantis Street. Built around 1860 by the author's father, who was a priest, it is a prime example of the local folk architecture, one of the few still remaining in the town. Many years after Papadiamantis’ death, his house was declared a preserved monument by the Greek Ministry of Culture and it has now been restored, functioning as a museum.

Papadiamantis’ house is a two-story building, whose upper floor was used as living quarters, while the ground floor served as a storeroom. Entrance to the museum is possible through an external wooden staircase, which leads directly to the upper floor.

On the inside, it is rather austerely decorated, with just a few furniture and family objects reflecting the family’s piety. Around an oblong corridor, there are three rooms, the first of which is where Papadiamantis used to sleep. The middle room is a hall decorated with family photographs, handwoven textiles, a sofa and the desk where the author used to work. Here, it is also possible to see a display case exhibiting various of his personal items, including his inkstand and the pen with which he wrote his 180 short stories.

The third room is a small living room with a fireplace, where the family used to spend the winter evenings. Adorned with an old chest, a cupboard and various decorative items, it provides a unique insight into everyday life at the time. It was in this room that the influential author eventually expired, after being prostrate with pneumonia for over a month.

The ground floor, on the other hand, used to be a storeroom and has now been converted into an exhibition area displaying a wide array of old and new editions of Papadiamantis’ works, photographic material and some of the most famous translations of his works in other languages. In this area, visitors can also watch documentary videos on the author’s life or listen to recitals of some of his poems and stories.