The Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation’s dedication to Culture and Shipping has led for years to treating our cultural and maritime heritage as a living organism, whose preservation contributes to our modern development and is an important purpose of the Foundation.
For this reason, in April 2008, the Board of Directors of the Foundation decided to completely renovate and restore the Cape Tainaro Lighthouse. It was the first step in a wider plan to highlight Greece’s stone lighthouses. The restoration and restoration of an important monument of our broader cultural tradition is a milestone in the Foundation’s contribution to Culture and Shipping.
This effort is combined with the designation of these lighthouses, which are already listed buildings and as monuments of particular cultural importance, with the help of the Ministry of Culture, the Lighthouse Service of the Hellenic Navy and the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation.
Renovation-Restoration of Cape Tainaro Lighthouse
In 2008 the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation decided to fund the new restoration of the Cape Tainaro Lighthouse. After consultations with the Ministries of Merchant Marine and National Defence, the Hellenic Navy and the Lighthouse Service, the details, the method of repair and financing, the choice of architect and crews were discussed and the program of next actions was determined.
After the visit of architect Dimitris Eftaxiopoulos to the Lighthouse of Tainaro, the first location in the restoration plan, they surveyed the existing situation and, in collaboration with the Lighthouse Service, created a complete series of execution plans. The final design was approved by the Foundation as well as by the Lighthouse Service, while approval was also given by the Modern Monuments Service of Patras with the technical support of the Polytechnic School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Renovation-Restoration of Cape Malea lighthouse
The historic stone-built Lighthouse of Maleas dominates the southernmost tip of the Peloponnese, at the homonymous cape, since 1883. Its name is closely associated with danger, as crossing the Malea has always been a nightmare for sailors.
Work on the Malea Lighthouse began on May 23, 2009, after two unsuccessful attempts by crews to reach the Lighthouse due to rough seas. Over the next 6 months the crews worked under the architect’s instructions and the full support and help of the local community.
Conditions were particularly difficult and unfavourable, with continuous interruptions of work due to rough seas, which prevented the supply of materials and food. The crews faced additional difficulties when, a month before the completion of the project, a new storm destroyed the platform.
The complete restoration of the Malea Lighthouse was completed in November 2009 and the Lighthouse was handed over to the competent service of the Hellenic Navy.
Renovation-Restoration of Dana Poros Lighthouse
During the second half of 2010, the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation completed the complete and thorough restoration of the historic stone-built Dana lighthouse in Poros.
The stone-built lighthouse of Dana, which dominates the entrance of the bay of Poros, was in a very bad condition, with great damage, previous interventions and vandalism and so its complete restoration required great effort, passion and expenses.
The result, however, is impressive and the renovated lighthouse is today an ornament for the area of Poros and a reminder of the value of these great cultural monuments of our maritime heritage.
The lighthouse building and its habitats have been fully restored and will thus serve both the lighthouse keepers who will be placed there, as well as its numerous visitors.
The building was equipped with photovoltaic systems for its full energy sufficiency (which, however, do not affect at all the aesthetics of the area or the building).
All works were carried out by specialized crews who have restored the lighthouses of Tainaros and Maleas, under the supervision of architect Dimitris Eftaxiopoulos, with the valuable contribution of the local community of Poros and the Lighthouse Service of the Hellenic Navy.
As in the previous two cases, this important work is dedicated to the memory of Aikaterini and Konstantinos Laskaridis.
