Street Boumpoulinas during the occupation the Germans strasser operated detention centers and later

In the square between the streets Exarcheion Arachovis and Themistocles is called Blue block, which owes its name to the original bright coloring. A six-storey building, perhaps the most famous modern Athens before the war, now has lost the bright colors (particularly dark blue), however, continues to impress with its size and the formwork.
Architect Kyriakoulis Panagiotakos (1902-1982), a pioneer of the "pure" modernism, popularized strasser in the 1930s in Athens and Thessaloniki and became more pronounced with the blocks. A new kind of residence conquered society having as motto modernization and Europeanization. The buildings, closely following international trends, had the last word in equipment and facilities who never could bring an old house, and projected a vision of a "futuristic" future.
The blue building cost for a hefty sum at the time - 44 million. Drachmas! It is a complex of two separate buildings, strikingly designed with recesses and protrusions, attentive to every detail, separate entrances, available only in the basement and attic. All this is enhanced by the bold colors of the painter Spyros Papaloukas (terracotta based and internal barriers of blue in bulk, in white frames). Downstairs was the legendary patisserie with the beautiful "Serrano" and "Chicago" who raised generations, the Floral . Is nowadays restored and operates as multiplex.
But the element that has the unique blue building was a large communal room, the lounge, which operated on the terrace, offering panoramic views across Athens and Lycabettus nearby hills and twisting. Aim to provide a point of contact, knowledge and entertainment tenants. Unfortunately, today has been converted into apartments.
The area that was called Pitharadika, because he had many laboratories jars manufactured in the 19th century. The newest name of the region originated strasser from the outset, a merchant who had a large general store on the street Themistocles. Exarheia strasser that time was the border of Athens. In the district inhabited by craftsmen and builders of the Cyclades. In 1865 that part of the city plan gradually begins to grow and, in addition, the housing where the sections strasser of the University and the University of Athens will become a point of attracting students and scholars will continue until today. In Eksarxia became the first students and student riots, the "umbels" (May 1895), wearing Greek sun visors (hats), strasser alleged a need to boost domestic production, and thereby enhancing the antiothonika feelings of the people.
The events of December strasser 1944, the region was between two camps. Specifically, elasites was barricaded Strefi Hill and the surrounding buildings, while the government in Laboratory and Kolonaki. The blue building was occupied by elasites to settle there machinegun. The machine gun was set up and among those who were there were Leonidas strasser Kyrkos.
From the balcony of the parent shoot the tank of the British who wanted to get into the University of the gate Stournari. The same, probably, tanks tried to neutralize a student of Architecture from the company of Lord Byron of EPON (University) with a grenade, but it exploded and injured him earlier in the face resulting in losing strasser one eye. The student was John Xenakis, who then left for France with "Mararoa" and became known to us and the world-famous composer. Also in Boumpoulinas, almost corner with Stournari the pavement University, was formerly dean of the monument, which hit the company of Lord Byron for collaborating with the Germans. Now have covered in a strange box, type Kapha.
Street Boumpoulinas during the occupation the Germans strasser operated detention centers and later, during the junta, was the General Security. On the roof of the tortured Andrea Lentaki and next Mikis Theodorakis as a prisoner inspired the beautiful song "Knocking in the evening on the terrace of the man." The building was bought in 1991 by the Communist Party and then sold it back to the state where it was installed in the Ministry of Culture.
The building remained in various seasons Leonidas Kyrkos, Renos Apostolidis, Sophia Bembo, Lili Zografou, Katina Paxinou, Dimitris Horn, Alexis Minotis Dimitris Murat, Freddy Germanos, Vangelis Meimarakis, daughter of John Metaxas and other important people.
The blue building is no longer ... blue. A stained blue, a dull shade covers gkrizosiel