Visit Korgialeneios Library: A journey back in time
Visiting Kefalonia this summer and thinking about what places to see in Argostoli. If you decide to come to Argostoli for some local shopping and morning coffee don’t forget to pay a visit to the Korgialeneios Library. Yes, you heard right, the library is a must especially if you want to get a better feel and understanding of the local history and culture.
The famous Korgialeneios Library in Argostoli
The Korgialeneios Library is located in the centre of Argostoli on Ilias Zervos Street. It’s open daily, Monday to Friday, from 9 am until 12 noon, while on weekends and afternoons, it is closed. The library also hosts various events throughout the year such as book presentations and poetry collections.
Historical Review
The Korgialeneios Library was founded in 1924 after the expressed wishes of Marinos Korgialeneios, one of the island’s leading benefactors, in his will. Marinos Korgialenenios began his life’s adventure from Odessa, Russia, to Marseille, France where he ended up in London, UK. There he excelled as a stockbroker. With his homeland of Kefalonia always in his mind and heart, he strongly supported the creation of the Library in Argostoli. His vision was that pupils of the town could have a place to read and study. The Library was destroyed by the terrible earthquake of 1953 but was rebuilt in 1964 with the same architecture. To this day, seniors of the island return to the library space and reminisce about their school days as pupils.
The Library today
The main hall of the library comprises a reading room where visitors can study the material available. There is also the ability to borrow books from the library and to host events. Apart from the main room, there are three other rooms, two containing rare collections – donations from the families of the benefactors of Kefalonia, Harokopos, and Vallianos, and a second room for further events.
Hall of Harokopou Family
The room that houses the collection of the Harokopous family, contains antique furniture, church icons, and books dedicated to art. The piano in the room was donated to the library before the devastating earthquake of 1953 by the musician Rautopoulos. Panagis Harokopos, one of the family’s benefactors, was the first husband of the late Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri, who is known in history for her political career, her anti-dictatorship activities, her struggle for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece and her acting career.
The piano donated by the musician Raftopoulos
Hall of Vallianos Family
The Vallianos family collection consists of family member portraits and ecclesiastical exhibits that survived the earthquake of 1953. In this collection, visitors can also admire a manuscript from the famous Panagia Soumela and archaeological finds from the Bronze Age in Kefalonia.
Event Hall - Gallery
This hall is available for organising events and piano lessons for students and musicians who wish to do so. In the room, one can observe paintings by local artists, who took part in a joint exhibition that was a tribute for the 100th anniversary of the death of the satirical poet and prose writer, Andreas Laskaratos. Visitors can also see paintings by the late painter Kostas Kounadis, which he donated to the library before his death, capturing beautiful landscapes of the Aegean Sea. There is also a Byzantine church iconostasis from the private church of the Srdrin family, as well as a cochineal that was rescued from a demolished church in Errisos.
Undoubtedly, the Korgialeneio Library of Argostoli is a centre of cultural wealth that is worth a visit, filled with great manuscripts and artefacts that take you back in time and are waiting to be discovered.
OPENING HOURS: 09:00 – 12:00, MONDAY to FRIDAY
Visit the library’s Facebook page to learn about upcoming events and news.
