Longos mansion
The Longos mansion (Greek: Μέγαρο Λόγγου), also known as the Red house (Κόκκινο Σπίτι) due to its red brick exterior, is a three-storey house in Agias Sofias Square in the center of Thessaloniki. It was designed in 1926 by architect Leonardo Gennari for the family of Grigorios Longos, a wealthy textile industrialist from Naousa, in the Neobyzantine style.
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He later gave it to his brother, Ioannis, which is why it is known as "Ioannis Longos mansion". In 1983, it was listed by the Greek Ministry of Culture for preservation.[1]
Until 1992, there was a cafe called "Ermis" on the ground floor, frequented by retired teachers and professors. Today, in its place, there is a restaurant called "Kourdisto Gourouni" (meaning Clockwork Pig). In early 2014, Ivan Savvidis, the wealthy businessman and owner of football team PAOK FC, bought the house for four million euros.[2] A store selling official PAOK merchandise operates there now.
The company that undertook its construction went bankrupt a few months later and Longos' factory in Naousa was destroyed by a fire. As a result, rumors were created about suicides and ghosts in the abandoned mansion.[3]
References
- Καζαντζίδου, Νένα (July 26, 2016). "Ο Χάρτης της πόλης: Το Κόκκινο σπίτι" (in Greek). Parallaxi. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- "Ο Ιβάν Σαββίδης αγόρασε και το «κόκκινο σπίτι» της Θεσσαλονίκης για 4 εκατ. ευρώ [εικόνες]" (in Greek). iefimerida. January 27, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ""Κόκκινο Σπίτι" ή "μέγαρο Λόγγου" στη Θεσσαλονίκη". thessalonikiartsandculture.gr (in Greek). Retrieved July 31, 2017.