The Athens University History Museum (Kleanthis House) in Athens, Greece
Stamatios Kleanthis was born in Kozani in 1802 and became involved in the Greek War of Independence as a teenager. After fighting and escaping captivity, he studied architecture in Europe. Returning to Greece, Kleanthis and Eduard Schaubert were tasked with the urban planning of Athens, proposing a grand design that was ultimately rejected. They then renovated a house on the Acropolis, creating the impressive Kleanthis House. This building later served as the first Othonios University, now the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Kleanthis sold the property in 1856, passing away six years later. The Kleanthis House was used to shelter refugees during the Cretan Revolt and subsequently housed various institutions. Declared a National Heritage site in 1945, it was acquired by the University of Athens and transformed into the Athens University History Museum. Today, visitors can explore the museum within Kleanthis House, admiring its historical collections.
