On April 22, 2025, the study to revive and reuse the illustrious Villa Pologiorgis in Amperia officially got a handshake—or, more accurately, a signature—from Chania’s mayor, Panagiotis Simandirakis. No sooner had the mayor’s pen touched paper than a room of deputies, civil servants, and, possibly, someone’s cousin, confirmed the deal. The contract—routinely titled “Study for the Restoration and Reuse of Villa Pologiorgis in Amperia, Chania”—now locks the city into a year of plans, measurements, and polite discussion over who remembers the villa best.
Why bother? Mayor Simandirakis delivered his trademark optimism for the cameras, explaining, “We continue the significant effort to take advantage of Chania’s important cultural spaces by initiating the restoration of another large project, Villa Pologiorgis. What matters for Chania is that the cost of the studies is secured through funding from Crete’s ESPA program.” In a move that would make any accountant proud, the city confirmed the villa’s makeover would not bleed the local coffers dry. The funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund and national sources, helpfully wrapped in the bureaucratic bow of ESPA 2021-2027.
Key milestones so far:
- April 22, 2025: Official contract signed at Chania Town Hall
- Eyes in the room: Deputy Mayors of Culture and Technical Services, Yiannis Giannakakis and Michalis Kalogridakis, plus municipal staff
- Twelve months allotted for this study phase
- Budget of €281,962 (VAT included), freshly imported from European and national funds
Why Does Villa Pologiorgis Get the Red Carpet?
Let’s be honest. In a city filled with history, old buildings need more buzzwords than bricks to get noticed. The Ministry of Culture calls Villa Pologiorgis a “work of art in need of special state protection”—which sounds grand until someone asks about the leaky roof. Still, there’s good reason for the fuss.
The villa stands as one of Chania’s neoclassical darlings. Between Krokida and Prevelaki streets, in the Amperia district, the structure was once the home of Member of Parliament Charalambos Pologiorgis. The story begins decades earlier, around 1870 when the Pothetos family put up two buildings (one with ambitions, the other more ground-level). The whole ensemble sprawls across 827.2 square meters, which is just enough for two full floors at 336.67 square meters each. For those not fluent in developer-speak, that’s about the size of a minor sporting arena—or a villa that takes its time getting anything done.
To summarize:
- Contract for Villa Pologiorgis restoration and reuse officially signed;
- Mayor Simandirakis guarantees European and national funding;
- Twelve-month deadline to study and plan, or at least pretend to;
- Villa is recognized as a protected work of art thanks to the Ministry of Culture;
- Once belonged to politician Charalambos Pologiorgis, built by the Pothetos family;
- Covers two floors, total area about 673.34 square meters, plot size 827.20 square meters;
- Public funds (probably more paperwork than paint) will cover the project via ESPA 2021-2027.
For those with a taste for neoclassical ruins—and the patience for municipal timelines—this could be the start of a new chapter for Chania’s architectural heirlooms. Or, if history holds any lesson, the villa’s grand restoration might take just slightly less time than it did to build it in 1870. Either way, the ghosts of Chania’s past—politicians, aristocrats, architects, and the odd cousin—are watching.
More information and possible plot twists can be found in the official press release.
