On the 12th Km of the main road linking the capital city of Naxos (Chora), with the inland (Halki, Filoti), the Bazeos Castle dominates the land leading to the seacoast of Agiassos.
The tower dates back to the 17th century and belongs to the most typical group of monuments in
At first, this castle functioned as a monastery and was called monastery of the True Cross (“Timios Stavros”). In the first decades of the 19th century however, the last remaining monks abandoned it and in 1834 it became the property of the newly founded Greek state.
For many years the castle offered hospitality to families of potters who lived there and practiced their tradecraft. Later on, by the end of the 19th century, the castle was sold by the Greek government and was bought by the Bazeos (Bassegio - http://www.baseggio.net) family, whose descendants are the current owners. In the Venetian tradition of the island, the family maintained its primary residence in Chora, while also using the tower as a summer residence and agricultural provisions storage area. Its last descendent, appreciating the importance and historical value of the building, continues its upkeep with particular care and aesthetic awareness.
PHILOSOPHY
The Naxos Festival at
After extensive restoration work, accomplished through the exclusive use of private funds, the task of displaying the monument was assumed by the Cultural Not-for-Profit Organization AEON, in association with the Benaki Museum, as well as various institutes, universities and museums, both in Greece and abroad.
The ensuing years justified our ideas, which are finding fertile ground not only in the entire country, but primarily on Naxos, where we have been warmly received, and experience the community’s interest and expectations. And this constitutes our truest reward. Our proposals have been accepted.
Our philosophy may be summarised in three parts:
Our watchword: Contemporary, innovative and exemplary creations for contemporary, discerning and active citizens.
PURPOSE-AIM
Our purpose is not to create yet another Festival but to organise a restless, flexible institution, open to the cultural issues and demands of our time. An institution whose identity is located in the creative interaction of the arts and their representatives, within the specific thematic axis selected for each occasion. Within this framework we are developing partnerships with various Greek and foreign cultural vehicles, forging solid ties of communication, all of which are necessary to inscribe Naxos onto the contemporary cultural map.
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