The Museum of Folk Art and History of Pelion is housed in Topali, which was built in 1844 according to the date that is etched in stone reliefs above the entrance.
It is a three-story mansion, representative sample of classical architecture from, as it stood at the end of the first half of the last century. It is a stone for the most part except for the southern portion of the roof, constructed of tsatma.
Housed with a wooden hipped roof with slates area, which protrudes circumferentially thereby protecting thereby sensitive laspoktistous walls.
Has been strongly fortified character with many battlements and defense turret on the roof, the armored entrance with heavy protective crossbars of, the secret crypts and minimum siderofrakta and small windows on the ground floor which gradually multiply the above floors.
The mansion was, it 1932 family Topali, donated to Community Makrinitsas, to house the Museum of Folk Art and History of Pelion. The first repair was made in 1957 and attempts were made in the 10 years of operation of 60.
It 1985 designated by the Ministry of Culture, as a historical monument. Followed by the preparation of the study repair and restoration, it 1994, from 5th Conservancy Modern Monuments.
The folklore collection includes a number of exhibits currently exceed 1500 objects, by 311 originally, including a series of murals folk painting of 18th and 19th century from the area of Pelion, a rich collection of old photographs of early twentieth century, bronze, wooden and ceramic household utensils, equipment for distilling raki, pictures, etchings and small objects of ecclesiastical art, traditional costumes of Pelion, historical relics Makrinitsas, as the banner of Revolution 1878, equipment of spinning and weaving, woolen woven, “rugs”. It 1998 included in its collection of a series of tables folk painting seascapes Volioti N. Christopoulos offer EOT to the museum. The main objective of the report was folklore and, the mansion to avoid losing the warm character of the house, while a contemporary museum idea to expose collections in a way that promotes and viewed the folk culture of the region.
DIMITRIS PALIOURAS
Architect – Head of Services of historical monuments 5th Ministry of Culture.
