VAROUSSI

The name “Varoussi” or “Varossi” was used throughout the Balcan

Peninsula to specify all the settlements that were developed inside and/or

around a castle. It was also used in a few areas in Greece to give a name to the

Christian quarters of the towns under Turkish occupation.

All financial and social changes in the modern history of Trikala have sealed

Varoussi first of all. So, one of the main results of both financial and cultural

heyday is the building of stately houses in Varoussi in the beginning of the 18 th

century due to the development of commerce and artisanship in the area and,

later on, in the 19th century when a new social class emerged, the class of the

major landowners.

These two-floored houses replaced the former ones that were a little better than

the old mud huts in the neighboring villages. Greek people had got them built

and were constantly bought by rich Greeks since the Turks were gradually

leaving the Greek territory. Thus, in the 19th century Varoussi had already

become the aristocratic quarter of Trikala where nearly all major traders and,

almost exclusively, landowners lived -until the annexation of Thessaly to Greece

at least.

In the end of the 19th century and later on, after the liberation from the Turkish

yoke, the town expanded and new stately houses of neoclassical order were

built outside the limits of Varoussi which, consequently, started to lose its glory.

THE YARDSThe yard is a basic functional element in every house in Varoussi. It is a large

yard and a “lung” of green, sun and air in a settlement full of crooked roads and

few free spaces. It is surrounded by a tall wall and offers safety and seclusion

for the sake of everybody’s private life.

It shapes up in a few layers which are either full of plants and flower-pots or

used as utility spaces. There you can see chicken coops, pigeon-lofts, the

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domestic well, a fireside for waming their water, a washhouse, a toilet, etc. The

entrance part is paved with flagstones.

THE GATESThe gates of these houses are in contrast to the monotonous

surface of the ground floor. They are double, pinned down with big

nails and have distinctive rosettes and knockers.

THE WINDOWSThe windows on the ground floor are small, at a big height,

and always protected by ironwork.Unlike the ground floor, the

first floor is dotted with a series of large windows that are

also protected by ironwork, rectilinear or curved at the lower

part. Except for the external windows, there are also internal

ones that are used to lighten utility spaces that do not have

other openings.

THE ROOFSThe slope of the roof is about 30% and suffice to ensure the flow of rain and

snow water, which are usual and constant phenomena of the cold mainland,

continental climate in Trikala. The protrusion of the roof protects the walls from

the rain and snow water and makes the house look beautiful because of the

intense shadow it casts.

THE “SACHNISIA”

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An element of decisive, morphologic importance. These

roofed protrusions of the floors can be either parallel to the

constructive line of the ground floor so that enough space

can be scraped together or triangular for making the room

right-angled or for ensuring a better orientation or

trapezium-shaped so that the space can be scraped

together and get right-angled as well. In some houses,

there is a protrusion at the one angle and an alcove at the

other one.

The coexistence of many types of protrusions can be seen in the same house in

accordance with the needs to arise.

THE MASONRYThe lower floor is made of stone with small windows and openings which,

sometimes, may be absent. The walls are usually coated with mud and straw

which is covered with lime mortar of several colors. Upstairs, the walls are built

with light wood paneling and so are the internal separating walls both on the

ground floor and upstairs. The external walls are painted with four colors: indigo

blue, the color of ochre, light green (the shade of pea-green) and all shades of

pink.

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Field work

You must write the name of the house and identify the differences between the

old and the new one.

Name ………………………………

Differences

Name ………………………

Differences

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Name ………………………

Differences

Name ………………………

Differences

Name ………………………

Differences

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