A journey to the era of the Greek Revolution of 1821

We will begin with a thematic tour in chosen prerevolutionary geography and cosmology evidence stored in the Onassis Library, and we will proceed by presenting an interactive program about the contribution of geography and cartography to the rise of the Greeks’ national consciousness shortly before the outbreak of the Revolution of 1821.

Thematic tour in the prerevolutionary holdings of the Onassis Library

The Onassis Library holds a wide collection of printed holdings, published shortly before the Revolution, from a number of scholars and teachers who engaged with writing geography books and rendering maps into Greek.

The titles “Introduction to Geography and Sphericals” (Chrysanthus Notaras), “Modern Geography” (Daniel Philippides and Gregorios Konstantas), “Anthology of Physics” (Rigas Velestinlis), “Political map of Greece” (Rigas Velestinlis), “Atlas” (Anthimos Gazis) are only a few of the numerous historical exhibits of the period that you will find in the Onassis Library. Come to discover them with us.

Maps and depictions of the World, from antiquity to the Century of Lights

Why did a number of scholars and teachers engage with writing geography books and rendering maps into Greek shortly before the Revolution? How old is the human need to discover and describe the world that surrounds us and what is the role of geography in the exploration of our national self-consciousness?

In 1700, the scholar, theologist and writer Chrysanthus Notaras published the first global map in modern history in Greek. Departing from his geographical work, which is in the Onassis Library, and with the assistance of modern digital technologies and digital cartography games, this workshop attempts a short retrospect to the depictions and maps that expressed and shaped the human perception of the world and our relationship with the space we experience, discover and dream.