- The Heraklion Municipal Committee unanimously voted on Wednesday, August 26, to accept the donation of a 4,300-square-meter plot of land valued at over €1 million.
- The property was gifted by well-known local notary Nelli Varveraki as an act of gratitude to her community after decades of professional service.
- In accordance with the donor’s wishes, the land will be used to build a kindergarten, educational facilities, cultural spaces, or palliative care centers.
Heraklion has accepted a remarkable gift from one of its longtime residents: 4,300 square meters of land valued at more than €1 million, donated to the city with the hope that it will eventually serve the community.
The Municipal Committee of Heraklion unanimously approved the donation from notary Nelli Varveraki during its meeting on Wednesday, August 26.
The property, located on Pavlou Bakogianni Street, is intended primarily for educational use, potentially as a kindergarten or another school facility. The municipality could also use it for cultural structures or services providing support and care to residents, depending on future needs.
For Mayor Alexis Kalokairinos, the donation represents an important addition to the city’s public property.
“The Municipal Committee expresses its warm thanks and gratitude to notary Nelli Varveraki,” he said, noting that the 4,300-square-meter property is intended for the creation of an educational facility. Following the committee’s approval, the municipality can now proceed with the formal notarial transfer.
Deputy Mayor for Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Municipal Property Nikos Gialitakis also highlighted Varveraki’s continued cooperation in helping complete the necessary legal and notarial procedures.
But perhaps the most meaningful part of the story is why she decided to give the property away.
When Varveraki announced the donation during a meeting with the mayor earlier this year, she said it came from her love for her hometown and from a desire to give something back to the people who had placed their trust in her throughout her professional life.
That makes the 4,300 square meters more than a valuable piece of real estate.
It is a piece of Heraklion being returned to Heraklion, with the hope that it can become something useful for the generations who live there.
And honestly, that’s the kind of municipal news we don’t get nearly enough of.
