History of the Mansion

Pieces of history in high aesthetics places

The building that houses the Argyros Mansion was built in 1888 by well- known local craftsmen, who had taken part in building important neoclassical mansions in the young capital of Greece, Athens, and carried all the expertise and the aesthetics of the time back to their island, Santorini.

It was the main residence of the family of George Argyros, who was working in growing vines, winemaking and wine marketing of the already famous around the world wine of Santorini, the sweet Vinsanto and other varieties. After his death the mansion passed successively to his son Emmanuel and his family and then to his only son George, who undertook the restoration works of the Mansion.

The current owner, Manolis Argyros is the fourth generation of the family, which now has changed the management of the building, continuing the work of his father and opening the doors of the mansion to the public. The devastating earthquake of 1956 left its mark in Argyros Mansion demolishing part of a building.

The Mansion remained uninhabited for 35 years when in 1985 declared “restored” by the Culture Minister Melina Mercouri as a “remarkable example of architecture of its time” and gets its present name “Argyros Mansion”.

The restoration work started in 1987 initially in the ground floor and the yards and then on the first floor, and completed in 1994, where with the right interventions takes its present form and opens to the visitors who want to see and enjoy from firsthand the magic and beauty of Santorini in the 19th century.