Opening of the Exhibition of Nautical Charts from the collection of Paraskevas Savvaidis at the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia.

With a large turnout of visitors, the long-awaited exhibition of nautical charts titled “Between the Waves and the Maps of the Aegean,” by Emeritus Professor of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and collector Mr. Paraskevas Savvaidis, was inaugurated on Friday, November 22, 2024, at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle.

The exhibition, which consists of nearly 30 nautical charts of the coasts and islands of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea from the late 19th century, and is being presented to the public for the first time, was opened by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, responsible for Macedonia and Thrace, Mr. Konstantinos P. Gioulekas. In his speech, Mr. Gioulekas highlighted the importance of organizing this cartographic exhibition, which carries significant geopolitical implications and expands the thematic field of showcasing European history in an emblematic space of Macedonian history, such as the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. He also congratulated Professor P. Savvaidis for the rare exhibition material, recognizing, as a collector himself, the challenges involved in such an endeavor.

At the opening of the event, the Director of the Museum, Ms. Athina Pavlidou, delivered a greeting and thanked the curator of the exhibition, Mr. Savvaidis, for his efforts in realizing the exhibition. She also referred to the multifaceted work of British hydrographers in exploring and mapping the coasts, islands, and ports on behalf of Great Britain in the mid-19th century. In her greeting, the President of the Friends of the Museum Association, Ms. Maria Sarigiannidou, emphasized the enormous contribution of cartographic heritage to the study of history, noting that such exhibitions extend the historical and cultural contribution of the Foundation.

The President of the Board of Directors of the Museum, Mr. Nikolaos K. Margaro-poulos, in his message, praised the years of collecting activity and research by Mr. Savvaidis and emphasized that the exhibition reflects the multifaceted research and museological work of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle.

In his speech, Professor Mr. Savvaidis spoke about the thorough research he conducted on the work of British hydrographers in measuring and preparing reliable nautical charts for the specific regions. The impetus for this research project came from an old map of Thessaloniki, which today adorns and completes the exhibition of nautical charts, most of which were created by British hydrographers (there are also Greek, French, U.S., and one Ottoman map). By creating reliable maps, hydrographers ensured safe navigation while contributing to the advancement of trade, archaeological studies, and the natural sciences.

The guests were then given a guided tour by the curator, who shared unknown aspects of the life of hydrographers and the unique stories behind their work. A notable reference was made to the Hydrographic Office of the British Admiralty, under the direction of Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, whose name was given to the wind measurement scale, which organized a massive campaign to map the coasts. The exhibition is organized thematically into five sections: 1) British Hydrographers in the Aegean Sea, 2) Hydrographic Maps of the British Admiralty, 3) Coastal Facade Design on Maps, 4) Hydrographers, Archaeology, and Greek History, and 5) Hydrographers, the Environment, and the Natural Sciences.

The exhibition opening was honored by the presence of, in addition to the Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Mr. Konstantinos Gioulekas, the MP for A’ Thessaloniki, Mr. Dimitris Kouvelas, the Coordinator of the Prime Minister’s Office in Thessaloniki, Mr. Giannis Papageorgiou, the Deputy Regional Governor for Culture and Sports, Mr. Christos Mittas, representing the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the Deputy Mayor for Childcare, Family, and Civil Society, Ms. Theodora Leipsistinu, as the representative of the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Stelios Angeloudis, the Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Father Methodios, as the representative of the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Mr. Philotheos, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Sarkis Dagkazian, the Honorary Consul of Malta, Mr. Andronikos Sinioris, the Commander of the Northern Greece Naval Station, Captain Dimitrios Patsikas, the President of the Development Organization of Central Macedonia, Mr. Thanos Begkas, the CEO of the Cultural Center of Central Macedonia, Mr. Athanasios Michaelidis, the Vice President of the Hellenic Association of Museums, Mr. George S. Pournaris, the President of the Central Macedonia Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Ilias Pertzinidis, distinguished representatives of organizations, associations, and societies of the city, university professors, journalists, and friends and collaborators of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle.

Exhibition Curator: Paraskevas Savvaidis, Emeritus Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Exhibition Organized by: The Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia Foundation.

Exhibition Duration: November 22, 2024 – March 31, 2025

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