Athens Daily Photo: Swimming pool for Kings

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Swimming pool for Kings

I wonder how many royals had dived in this swimming pool in the former royal palace in Tatoi. Now it's full of leaves and some graffiti.

13 comments:

Dsole said...: oh, this is so sad... I mean, it would be better to have this building and its feautures really OPEN to public. I mean, well-conserved so you can use this swimming pool. it would be great uh?; 12:42 PM
~tanty~ said...: Too bad that they abandon this swimming pool. It could be a nice swimming pool if only they take care of it.; 12:45 PM
Ovelikios said...: dsole, I see that you are Spanish.
The Queen of Spain was definitely on of the users of this pool. She was born here as Princess Sofia of Greece, the sister of the (now deposed) King Constantine.; 1:12 PM
Dsole said...: oh yes, I know that! So maybe when she was a little girl she use this pool?
I have to tell her! :); 1:19 PM
Anonymous said...: That is an interesting series of photographs. I wonder sometimes about history and how royalty comes and goes.
720 pixels; 1:37 PM
Mandi said...: Wow that's really interesting. I didn't know Greece had a Royal family. What happened to them? Where did they go? The gov. should have turned the palace into a museum and the pool should be looked after. It's a real shame.; 2:10 PM
Ovelikios said...: Mandy, yes we had. But they ´d rather govern than reign so they messed up with politics. They were deposed more that once but they always managed to return (thanks to military and politics support). When the King backed the dictatorship in 1967, it was his final act. Immediately after the restoration of democracy in 1974, a plebiscite ruled against monarchy.; 2:15 PM
Ovelikios said...: As for the other question, they live in London with greek taxpayers´money. Long story. Search Wikipedia for info.

The palace will be renovated soon and will open to the public (hopefully) this year.; 2:17 PM
Kate said...: It's too bad that it isn't maintained well. What does the palace look like now?; 3:07 PM
Ovelikios said...: Kate
It´s fenced and locked. The main palace is absolutely not looked after for 40 years. Inside (reports say) is looted and sacked. Some photos are circulating which show the inside a total mess.

All the valuables, though, were taken by the former King, the last big load was in 1991 with the government´s permission.; 3:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Ovelikios βαλε και μερικες φωτογραφιες απο τις παραλιες της Αθηνας, να δουν οτι Αθηνα δεν ειναι μονο η Ακροπολη,το Σουνιο και η Πλακα; 5:15 PM
Irredento Urbanita said...: what a great story must have that swimming pool. I would like what beautiful ladies refreshed there.; 2:48 PM
Anonymous said...: oh my god! They live on Greek taxpayers money? some people should be really ashamed when they lie so bluntly! what has any goverment done for the restoration of tatoi or any other property? what karamanlis did or any other politician while in exile, against the junta? did any politician organise a counter coup against the junta? the king did, twice! did any politician lost a child because of the junta? the queen did! why did karamanlis went on "exile"? - because he lost the elections to papandreou and we all know where that lead... Aspis scandals of papandreou junior, that created all that instability within the country that lead to junta. and instead of a king we have a president, always bound to shut up in the scandals of every goverment, and mishandling of national issues because is the goverment that appoints him. But of course you all live in athens where everything is fine. go and talk to the cypriots, to the borioipirotes tou the macedonias and to al the people living in the aegian while the turkish planes are buzzing above them. what are our president's and prime minister reactions? NONE! NO Greek king would of allowed that, under ANY circumstances! XYPNATE RE, MAS PIRAN KE TO AIGEO!!; 7:21 AM