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Achilleion (Corfu)

For other uses, seeAchilleion (disambiguation).

TheAchilleion(Greek:Αχίλλειο,Katharevousa:Αχίλλειον) is apalacebuilt onCorfufor Empress (German:Kaiserin)Elisabeth of Austria,also known as Sisi, after a suggestion by the AustrianconsulAlexander von Warsberg.[1][2]Elisabeth was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of her only son,Crown Prince Rudolf of Austriafollowing theMayerling incidentin 1889, and a year later she had this summer palace built as a refuge.

Achilleion
Αχίλλειο/Αχίλλειον
The entrance of the museum, with Doric columns
Map
LocationΑχιλλειοι 49084, Greece

Achilleion is located atGastouri,a village about ten kilometres south of thecity of Corfu,and provides a panoramic view of the city to the north, and the southern part of the island, framed by theIonian Seato the east.[3]

The architectural style was designed to suggest an ancient palace of mythicalPhaeacia.[4]The motif centers on the heroAchillesofGreek mythology,from which the name is derived. Corfu was Elisabeth's favourite vacation destination and she wanted a palace to gratify her admiration for Greece, its language and its culture.[5]

The property currently operates as a museum under the management of Hellenic Tourism Development Company,[6]within theGreek National Tourism Organization.

History

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Creation by Empress Elizabeth

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Dying Achilles(Achilleus thneskon) in the gardens. Achilles gazes skywards as if to seek help from thegods;his motherThetiswas a goddess

The Achilleion property was originally owned by Corfiote philosopher and diplomatPetros Brailas-Armenis,and was known as "Villa Vraila". In 1888, the Empress of Austria after visiting the place decided that it was the ideal location for her own palace on Corfu.[7]

"I want a palace with pillared colonnades and hanging gardens, protected from prying glances - a palace worthy of Achilles, who despised all mortals and did not fear even the gods."
Elisabeth of Austria[4]

The palace was designed by Italian architect Raffaele Caritto and built on an area of 200,000 m2.Elisabeth's husband, EmperorFranz Josef of Austria,had owned some nearby land as well.[1][8][9][10]The German sculptorErnst Herterwas commissioned to create works inspired fromGreek mythology.His sculptureDying Achilles(Ancient Greek: Αχιλλεύς θνήσκων), created inBerlinin 1884 as inscribed in the statue, forms the centrepiece of the Achilleion Gardens.

The architectural design was intended to represent an ancientPhaeacianpalace.[4]The building, with the classical Greek statues that surround it, is a monument toplatonicromanticismas well asescapismand was named after Achilles:Achilleion.

The Triumph of AchillesbyFranz von Matsch;panoramicfresco(main hall, upper level). Achilles drags Hector's lifeless body at the Gates ofTroy.[11]

Paintings and statues of Achilles are abundant, both in the main hall and in the gardens, depicting contrasting heroic and tragic scenes of theTrojan war.The building is ofPompeianstyle and was decorated by Elizabeth with representations and statues.[1]Elisabeth wrote that "I want a palace with pillared colonnades and hanging gardens, protected from prying glances — a palace worthy of Achilles, who despised all mortals and did not fear even the gods."[4][12][13]Sisi only used the Achilleion as a private palace, as a refuge from the world and her past. She only received her daughtersArchduchess Marie ValerieandArchduchess Giselawith their husbands there. Elisabeth's husband, Emperor Franz Joseph, did not like sea voyages and never saw the palace.[14]

The gardens on top of the hill provide a scenic view of the surrounding green hills and valleys, with theIonian Seain the background.

Elisabeth frequently visited Achilleion until spring 1896. She lost interest in her palace though and even considered selling it. Much of the interior was moved back to Vienna.[14]In September 1898 Elisabeth was assassinated by Italian anarchistLuigi LucheniinGeneva.

The Kaiser

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Achilleion was inherited by Elisabeth's daughter,Archduchess Gisela,but was not used often.[4]GermanKaiser Wilhelm IIpurchased Achilleion in 1907 and used it as a summer residence.[15][16]During Kaiser Wilhelm's visits substantial diplomatic activity occurred in Achilleion and it became a hub ofEuropean diplomacy.[1]TheGreek royal family,and particularly Wilhelm's sisterSophia of Prussia,the crown princess and later queen consort of Greece, often came to visit Corfu. The Kaiser also invited intellectuals like the German archaeologistWilhelm Dörpfeldto his retreat. The Emperor had a great interest in the plants of the park and hiredCarl Ludwig Sprenger,a renowned botanist, who would live in the palace for about three months every year. Wilhelm mainly came to Achilleion during the Easter season as he enjoyed the local festivities and cultural events. The German imperial family were staying on Corfu for about one month every year until the outbreak ofWorld War I,except in 1910 and 1913 when they did not go there due to political conflicts on the Balkans.[17]

Achilles as guardian of the palace in the gardens, gazing northward toward the city. The inscription in Greek reads: ΑΧΙΛΛΕΥΣ ( "Achilles" ); commissioned by Kaiser Wilhelm II

Wilhelm, expanding on the main theme of the grounds, commissioned his own Achilles statue from the sculptorJohannes Götzwho created an imposing bronze sculpture that stands as guardian of the gardens, facing north toward the city.

ArchaeologistReinhard Kekulé von Stradonitz,who was also the Kaiser's advisor, was invited by the Kaiser to come to Corfu for advice as to where to position the huge statue. This tribute to Achilles from the Kaiser was inscribed at the statue's base, also by Kekulé:[4][18][19][20][21]

To the Greatest Greek from the Greatest German

The inscription was subsequently removed after World War II.[22]

The Kaiser's statue represents Achilles in fullhopliteuniform with intricate detailing such as a relief of agorgon's head at the shield, apparently topetrifyany enemies. This tall statue is surrounded by palm trees that complement its graceful outline. Kaiser Wilhelm visited the palace until 1914 whenWorld War Iwas declared.[1]The Kaiser also attended performances at theMunicipal Theatre of Corfuwhile vacationing at the Achilleion.[23]

The Kaiser, while vacationing at Achilleion and while Europe was preparing for war, had been involved in excavations at the site of the ancienttemple of Artemis in Corfu.[24]He also removed the statue ofGermanpoetHeinrich Heinewhich Empress Elisabeth had installed at Achilleion.[24]Kaiser's actions became the subject of thefilm-poemThe Gaze of the Gorgon,written by British poetTony Harrison.

The World Wars

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DuringWorld War I,the Achilleion was used as amilitary hospitalbyFrenchandSerbiantroops. After World War I, it became the property of the Greek state according to thetreaty of Versaillesand thewar reparationsthat followed in 1919.[1]

From about 1921 to 1924, the palace housed anorphanage,which accommodated Armenian orphans fromConstantinople.[25]In the remaining years between the two world wars, the Achilleion property was used for various government functions and a number of artifacts wereauctionedoff.[1]

DuringWorld War II,theAxis powersused the Achilleion as military headquarters. After the war, the Achilleion came under the management umbrella of theHellenic Tourist Organisation(HTO).[1]

Later

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In 1962, the Achilleion was leased to a private company that converted the upper level to acasinoand the lower grounds to amuseum.In 1983 the lease was terminated and the palace management was returned to the HTO.[1]

Conference

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In September 1979, twelve historians from theUnited States,the United Kingdom, and Germany, assembled to discuss Kaiser Wilhelm's character and the historical role he played in German politics and society. The conference was held in what had once been the Kaiser's bed-chamber and the proceedings were published in the bookKaiser Wilhelm II New Interpretations: The Corfu Papers.[16]

European role

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Briefly reclaiming the status of centre for European diplomacy that it possessed during the Kaiser years, the Achilleion has been used in recent times for theEuropean summitin 1994,[26]and in 2003 it hosted the meeting of theEuropeanministersforAgriculture.[1]Lately it has been used as a museum while the casino function has been relocated to the CorfuHilton.

Achilleion in film

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The casino scene of theJames BondfilmFor Your Eyes Only(1981) was filmed at the Achilleion.[27]

Achilleion is also featuredTony Harrison'sfilm-poemThe Gaze of the Gorgonwhen achorusof tourists says in rhyming verse:[28]

Soon, in 1994,
in this palace Greece starts to restore,
in this the Kaiser's old retreat
Europe's heads of state will meet...

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  • Statues in the terrace
  • Ceiling painting by Vincenzo Galloppi at the main entrance
  • The chapel
  • The main staircase
  • Kaiser's Bridge ca. 1918, before its destruction by theWehrmacht,at the foot of the Achilleion
Panoramic view from Achilleion balcony towards Corfu-city

References

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  1. ^abcdefghijGreek National Tourist Organisationinformation noticeat the Achilleion Grounds
  2. ^George Kritikos; Nikos Poulis; Carolyn Simpson; T. (M. Toubis) Spiropoulos, John Palogiannidis (1996).Achilleion Corfu: A Guided Tour in the Majestic Palace of "Sissi".Seven Islands Pub.Retrieved4 May2013.
  3. ^Mima Nixon (1916).Royal palaces & gardens.A. & C. Black, ltd. pp. 158–166.Retrieved4 May2013.Sunset, The Achilleion, Corfu The sunsets are wonderful in Corfu, and from the Achilleion one looks at the sinking sun across the whole width of the island, which is about six or eight miles at this, its southern end. I think it was on the...
  4. ^abcdefFreely, John (30 April 2008).The Ionian Islands: Corfu, Cephalonia and Beyond.I.B.Tauris. p. 84.ISBN978-0-85771-828-0.
  5. ^Murad, Anatol (1968).Franz Joseph I of Austria and His Empire.Ardent Media. pp. 116–. GGKEY:DQ4K12079NF.g.... to gratify her admiration for Greece, Greek culture, and the Greek language, which she cultivated assiduously.
  6. ^"The History of Achilleion Palace".www.achillion-corfu.gr.Archived fromthe originalon 15 December 2018.Retrieved23 December2018.
  7. ^Frank Giles; Spiro Flamburiari; Fritz Von der Schulenburg (1 September 1994).Corfu: the garden isle.J. Murray in association with the Hellenic Group of Companies Ltd. p. 105.ISBN978-1-55859-845-4.Retrieved10 May2013.The property was owned by a Corfiot philosopher, politician and diplomat named Petros Vrailas Armenis and went by the name of "Villa Vraila". As soon as Elisabeth inspected the place in the autumn of 1888 she decided it was the perfect site...
  8. ^Dierichs, Angelika (2004).Korfu-Kerkyra: Grüne Insel im Ionischen Meer von Nausikaa bis Kaiser Wilhelm II(in German). Philipp von Zabern Verlag, GmbH. p. 82.ISBN978-3-8053-3324-5.Auf der Insel beim Dorf Gastoüri wird Elisabeth später, nach Abriss der Villa des Petras Vrailas-Armenis, die neue Residenz auf einem 200 000 Quadratmeter großen Gelände - Franz Josef I. von Österreich hatte umliegende Grundstücke...
  9. ^Henneberg, Jörg Michael (2004).Das Sanssouci Kaiser Wilhelm II: Der letzte Deutsche Kaiser, das Achilleion und Korfu.Isensee-Verlag. p. 23.ISBN978-3-89995-040-3.Kaiserin Elisabeth, Sisi genannt, hatte Korfu bereits 1861 kennen und recht bald diese schöne Insel des Mittelmeeres lieben... Bereits im Dezember 1888 hatte sie die Villa Vrailas Armenis sowie die umliegenden Grundstücke erworben und...
  10. ^Biblos.Vol. 55–56. Gesellschaft der Freunde der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek. 2006. p. 623.Retrieved11 May2013.Den „touristischen "Weg nach Korfu hatte viel früher Kaiserin Elisabeth von Österreich geöffnet, als sie 1861 zum ersten Mal dorthin reiste. 1889 kaufte Kaiser Franz Josef Grund und Villa des griechischen Diplomaten Petros Vrailas-Armenis in...
  11. ^Achilleion websiteArchived2010-07-25 at theWayback Machine
  12. ^Haslip, Joan (2000).The Lonely Empress: A Biography of Elizabeth of Austria.Phoenix. p. 419.ISBN978-1-84212-098-9.
  13. ^Davies, Derek A. C. (1 December 1971).The Greek Islands.Kodansha International. p. 13.ISBN978-0-87011-154-9.
  14. ^abHaderer, Stefan (15 December 2018)."A Fairytale Palace on Corfu: I: The Achilleion and Empress Elisabeth of Austria".Royalty Digest Quarterly.Ted Rosvall: 56–62.ISSN1653-5219.
  15. ^Giles, Frank; Spiro Flamburiari; Fritz Von der Schulenburg (1 September 1994).Corfu: the garden isle.J. Murray in association with the Hellenic Group of Companies Ltd. pp. 108–116.ISBN978-1-55859-845-4.Retrieved4 May2013.Back in Corfu town the King suggested that I purchase the Achilleion as a retreat where the Empress and I could relax after the rigours of the harsh Berlin winter. He added that he personally, together with his country and government, would be...
  16. ^abRöhl, John C. G.; Sombart, Nicolaus; Rohl, John C. G. (2005).Kaiser Wilhelm II: New Interpretations: the Corfu Papers.Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–3.ISBN978-0-521-01990-3.Retrieved4 May2013.On the fragrant wooded hills of Corfu, overlooking the sea to Albania and mainland Greece, stands the Achilleion.
  17. ^Haderer, Stefan (15 March 2019)."A Fairytale Palace on Corfu: II: The Achilleion and German Emperor Wilhelm II".Royalty Digest Quarterly.Ted Rosvall: 48–54.ISSN1653-5219.
  18. ^Peter Sheldon (1968).Peloponnese & Greek Islands.Collins. p. 39.Retrieved4 May2013.
  19. ^Hans Koning (1 July 1995).The Almost World.Longriver Hk Books. p. 183.ISBN978-0-942986-54-9.Retrieved4 May2013.The Kaiser summered on Corfu where he put up a statue of Achilles with the inscription, To the Greatest Greek from the Greatest German. The marble bathroom in his villa had provisions for warm mud baths and warm seawater baths.
  20. ^Peter Sheldon (1966).Greece.Batsford. p. 60.Retrieved4 May2013.another colossal statue of Achilles was put up with the modest dedication ' to the greatest Greek from the greatest German'.
  21. ^John C. G. Röhl (1998).Young Wilhelm: The Kaiser's Early Life, 1859-1888.Cambridge University Press. p. 297.ISBN978-0-521-49752-7.Retrieved4 May2013.After the purchase of the 'Achilleion', Kekule was invited by the Kaiser to go to Corfu to provide advice on the positioning of the... 94 Without a doubt, Wilhelm's lifelong obsession with the statue of the Gorgon unearthed in Corfu stems from the...
  22. ^Sherry Marker; John S. Bowman; Peter Kerasiotis (1 March 2010).Frommer's Greek Islands.John Wiley & Sons. p. 476.ISBN978-0-470-52664-4.Retrieved4 May2013.Achilles that the Kaiser had inscribed, to the Greatest Greek from the Greatest German, a sentiment removed after World War II.
  23. ^Municipality of Corfu Official Website. (2008)History of the municipal theatreArchivedJune 23, 2007, at theWayback MachineAccessed July 8, 2008.
  24. ^abShanks, Michael (1996).The Classical Archaeology of Greece: Experiences of the Discipline.Routledge, Chapman & Hall, Incorporated. p. 169.ISBN978-0-415-08521-2.Retrieved4 May2013.
  25. ^"Narrator's Name: Mr. Zaven Avedis Kish"(PDF).Armenian Oral History Project. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-03-05.
  26. ^JISC."The Ionian Conference II 1999 Integrating the New Europe".JISC.The upper floors of the Achilleion Palace, refurbished for the EU Corfu Summit of June 1994, have been designated as the seat of the Academy.
  27. ^For Your Eyes Onlywebsite
  28. ^Tony Harrison (1992).The gaze of the Gorgon.Bloodaxe Books. p. 75.ISBN978-1-85224-238-1.Retrieved29 May2013.

Bibliography

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  • Kardamitsi-Adami, Maro (2009).Palaces in Greece.Melissa Books.ISBN978-960-204-289-2.
  • Haderer, Stefan (2022).Under the Spell of a Myth: Empress Sisi in Greece.KDP Publishing.ISBN979-884-421-950-4.
  • Haderer, Stefan (2018). "A Fairytale Palace on Corfu. I: The Achilleion and Empress Elisabeth of Austria".Royalty Digest Quarterly.ISSN1653-5219.
  • Haderer, Stefan (2019). "A Fairytale Palace on Corfu. II: The Achilleion and German Emperor Wilhelm II".Royalty Digest Quarterly.ISSN1653-5219.
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