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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