I have told you many motorised stories so far, I think it's time for some cycling isn't it? Though it still requires a car to take me to my next destination as this is around 75km away from my starting point. Today I am taking you North of Athens up to Tatoi, where the ex Royal family used to own an impressive estate which also hosted their summer palace.
I'll do an anti commercial spoiler at this point in order to be frank as always: Don't expect the royal ruins to impress you. The state just started to renovate these buildings which were left totally deserted and neglected for half a century. Besides, Greece never had an impressive royal heritage anyway (we are royal free for half a century as well). That said, you definitely have reasons to keep reading if spending time in a forest sounds attractive to you. And of course if ruins attract you anyway. You like both? Jackpot!
Let's go:
Obviously I'll spare you the morning traffic of the city as the only interesting thing about it is that it definitely put to test the modifications I made with my own hands on my car's cooling system (works perfect!). However, as soon as I leave the airport of Tatoi behind and take Tatoiou avenue heading North, the scenery makes me forget it all and instantly puts a smile on my face. Only a few kms later I am already outside the ex royal estate where it takes no time to be sure I couldn't have a better parking spot than this at the shady woods generously provided by her majesty nature:
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(You can also watch this spot during the 1st minute of the video I will embed at the end of this post.
I get my bicycle out of the car and... boy the road ahead attracts me:
And it's not just the main road but also those countless intriguingly scenic paths/openings on the side:
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However, I decide to keep going till I reach the North end of the estate and then start exploring it. Besides, look at the road ahead - it screams "follow me":
It's still early and I am not warmed up yet hence the uphill challenges my breath so I take a break which I would anyway to adore those amazing trees providing me precious shade from the sun:
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It's also a chance of capturing the less lucky ones:
The higher I go the denser the vegetation gets:
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Around the North end of the estate I make a stop at the local spring. I can't recall when it was the last time I tried pure water like this one there:
| "Christians" vandalised this with their sprays. Hard to comment... | |
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(You can also watch the spring at 01:00 of the video)
I could stay there all day drinking but I have even better things to do. The beauty of this forest puts me in a tough dilemma: Where should I aim first?
| -----------------Down at those lovely trails-------------------- | --------------------Or up at the blueish sky--------------------- |
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Finally time to enter the estate - when the whole renovation project finishes this ugly bar will be useless memory:
Before I start rolling my wheels in it some more info might help you get a better background idea and understanding of what we'll see later:
In 1871 King George I bought 20 square kms inside the forest of the South East end of Parnitha mountain (you can check the location here ). His initial intentions were relatively modest but the growing needs of the royal family doubled the size of this estate by the end of the same century making it 42 square kms big. Still was far from being called the largest in Greece though it was the first recreational estate of the country. This estate was a ping pong between the royal family and the Greek state ever since as a consequence of the change of regimes. In 1924 it was confiscated by the Greek state but in 1936 it was returned to King George II. The dictatorship in 1973 reconfiscated it deciding a small payback for the royal family and 21 years later it was again confiscated by the Greek government this time with no payback at all which led the royal family to the European Court of Human Rights. The latter ruled in favour of the Royal family in 2003 but the case ended with a payback of around 1% it's real value: 12million euros. The Greek state paid the money but did nothing about this exceptional estate until now - the current government started a renovation project to convert this place to a real attraction for visitors.
Tired of this ping pong? So am I.
Let's ride 🙂
From the first meters I know I'm in heaven scenic enough to bring moments of indecisiveness on which path to take like this:
I take the left one (straight) which brings me to a meeting with this turtle:
(Watch the meeting @ 01:30 here)
The turtle is hanging out were the royal garages used to be and I leave her and the bike to picture and walk around a bit. Almost everything looks in pathetic condition:
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As you can see (click to enlarge) the shutters are shielded to prevent further looting till the renovation is done. I like how nature takes care decorating one of them:
I step closer to it and find out some royal dog houses:
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Time to move on. I can't stop staring on this mountain bike heaven wishing that I'll soon be back preferably with an electric mountain bike this time:
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A few meters East of the previous buildings is the oldest one of the whole complex, built in 1874, also known as "Sturm house":
Chances are that it was not initially a two floor building and the second floor was probably added around 1888 when similar add ons where made to the Palace as well. It took its nickname after Sturm, a Berliner winemaker who stayed there with his wife for many years. There's an interesting story, a tragedy actual involving Sturm and the young King Alexander who died only 27 years old in 1920 after a bite from Sturm's monkey. Alexander received first aid in this building you see above but what was considered a not so serious bite initially it caused severe blood infection later with lethal results. To prevent lethal results to the house itself today it is supported and surrounded by this metal frame:
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As you can see in the next picture there's not even a floor to make it possible to walk inside:
As I move South I find the house of the Chief of the male Royal personnel:
It was probably built in the beginning of the previous century. Here's a few more:
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A few meters away from that building I find a narrow stone tunnel in the ground that I couldn't identify, that's all I can see:
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I couldn't find any substantial info about this next one, surprisingly enough considering it's size, but it's too beautiful to skip:
Just like the rest all shutters are blocked except one:
I'm happy to find my way in but sad to find nothing but... nothing inside:
Not that I expected that much after decades of looting. I picture what is left from the rest of its beauty:
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Cycling on lovely trails like this...
...leads me to the Palace's cook house. In the next two pictures you'll see it in the background as I am more attracted by a huge plane tree stomb where I put my bike for size comparison:
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Through all this time you might have wondered were is the effin Palace? Well, prepare to stretch your imagination on how it looked back in the day cause now it's all fenced and that's all I could picture:
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Such a good life there in summer. You stay in the heart of this forest and whenever you felt like swimming you could take these stairs down:
And enjoy your time at the pool:
In the condition it is today it takes a bit of imagination to see it as a pool. I've heard though that they didn't used it that much cause it had a construction flaw. Haven't confirmed this yet.
How many times have I mentioned "looting"? Well, have a look at the columns missing by the pool:
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Here's view to the Palace from the pool:
Some nice details by the pool:
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And now see the pool with the palace on your back and imagine how it would be like swimming under those trees:
Sublime isn't it? At least as long as no tree falls on your head:
I get on my bike again to continue cycling (check the video I will embed at the end). That brings me to this relic of an outer check point of the estate, coloured in faded shades of Greece:
A little more cycling and I arrive at the main checkpoint inside the estate (watch video @ 03:56). Signs of dereliction are beyond obvious:
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A few meters East is the Directorate, among the newest buildings as it was finished in 1939 influenced by the looks of British cottages:
I love it's back side too:
And also those trees cuddling:
Speaking of trees I feel like I am picturing one of the last moments of this one:
On the other side of this road I find what probably used to be a greenhouse:
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All conquered by nature today. I spot a heater they had in it:
Sorry guys but at this point I have to stop due to post length issues - I'd love to apologise but it's not my fault at all.
See you on part 2!
P.S. Of course Wiki and Google can help you retrieve info in case you want to but if you want to dig deeper the most detailed source of info about this Royal estate is tatoi.org. It helped me a lot in me research as well.
Thank you so much!
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This post should be in the Urban Exploration community hehe
It's out of the urban web though 🙂 Thanks for giving it a look.
It may be, but I have seen many locations like this in that community, take a look ;)
I will thanks - see you on part 2 🙂
Hiya, @ybanezkim26 here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #1226.
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Fascinating old houses but it always makes me sad. It's like being time travelers
Absolutely a time machine and yes, heartbreaking too.