Zakynthos | Akrotiri Mansion

Description

Welcome to Akrotiri Mansion, a stunning property available for sale through Etiquette Real Estate in the captivating island of Zakynthos.

This historical house and property is located at Acrotiri, two kilometres from the town of Zakynthos and
in the best residential area. This area is mainly composed of large properties held by their owners for
many years, and consequently has not been overdeveloped.
It is situated on a hill and has a panoramic view of the sea and is surrounded by olive groves. It has
excellent road access, bordering on all sides with public and municipal roads.
The land has an area of approximately 27 acres and is composed of olive groves, citrus
grove, fruit trees, wood, vineyard and extensive gardens.

The property is positioned within the tourist building zone and due to its size and location can be
developed. It would be particularly suitable for an upmarket hotel/bungalows or similar project, where
the house and the older decorative elements could harmoniously combine with newer buildings.
The house and property are of historical interest. The original house was built in the 18 th century. In the
early 1820s, it was leased, on a long lease, to the British government. The Ionian Islands were at that
time a British Protectorate.

The house and gardens were developed by Sir Frederick Adam (1781-1853), a Scot, who was the British
Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands between 1824 -1832.
Sir Frederick, in addition to being the youngest general in the British army at the battle of Waterloo (18 th
of June 1815), was the great nephew of the renowned British architect, Robert Adam, and had inherited
his great uncle’s interest in beautiful buildings. He is famous for commissioning the construction of
public buildings in the Ionian Islands.

At Acrotiri, he built a large villa on the foundations of an earlier 18th house and developed the land and
gardens around it, adding a magnificent terraced stone staircase going down to the lower levels of the
estate, a great deal of decorative stonework and setting out the beautiful gardens.
Sir Frederick spent a great deal of public money developing the house and gardens, which did not
please the British government. There is a series of acerbic and very amusing letters between him and
the military resident, Sir Charles Napier, who disapproved of his extravagance.
The house was partially destroyed in the big earthquake of 1953 and was rebuilt in the same position,
preserving the original 18 th century ground floor, while the new upper floor retains the style and layout
of the pre-earthquake house. The house is earthquake proof and is approximately 400 square meters in
size.

It is composed of a large drawing room (80 square meters) which has a teak floor, dining room, study,
breakfast room, kitchen, 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms, storerooms and wine cellar. The walls on
the ground floor are over 40 cm thick, and the spacious kitchen still retains the 1922 cooker and oven.
In addition, there are several smaller buildings on the estate including the old stables, wine press and
caretaker’s house.

Apart from its excellent position, beautiful views and natural beauty, special features of the house and
property include:

•  The impressive, terraced stone staircase linking the upper and lower levels of the estate.
•  The extensive use of stone and decorative wrought iron in the house itself and also in the
  grounds (gates, parapets, columns, wells, large urns etc.)
• The cobbled forecourt at the top of the stone steps.
•  The old spring housed within a stone chamber which is on the lower level of the property.
•  The pretty formal garden and adjoining wood.
• The old stone stables with nearby winepress.

The house has been featured in several books including Britain’s Greek Empire by Lord Michael Pratt and
Zante by Duke Salvator.
It has also been used as a location for the films ‘O Kokkinos Brachos‘  and
‘Epanastatis Popolaros’ .
In 1994 the British magazine Country Living did a feature on Greek cooking which was filmed at Acrotiri.