Palataki (Thessaloniki)

Government House, Thessaloniki
General information
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Town or city	Kalamaria (Thessaloniki)
Country	Greece
Construction started	1955
Completed	1960
Design and construction
Architect	I. Christopoulos

The Palataki (Παλατάκι, "little palace") is the popular name for a large neoclassical mansion in the Karabournaki area of the municipality of Kalamaria. Officially it is known as the Government House (Κυβερνείο).

The mansion was built during the 1950s as part of the post-war reconstruction of Northern Greece. The project was carried out by the Ministry of Public Works on land donated by the Ministry of National Defence. Upon completion, it was given to the Ministry for Northern Greece to serve as the official residence of the Minister.

In 1963, it was transferred to the Greek Royal Family for use as an official royal residence during visits to Macedonia. However, the Royal Family spent only one night in the palace. The family preferred instead to stay at the old Méditerranée Hotel (located directly on the city center's seafront) during their stays in the city.

In 1968, following the exile of the Royal Family to Italy due to the military junta, it was returned to the Ministry for Northern Greece. It housed various (but not all) Ministers for Northern Greece (later Ministers for Macedonia-Thrace) from 1968 until 2006. It was here that the incumbent Minister hosted the annual reception for the opening of the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair. In 1997, as part of the events celebrating Thessaloniki as the European Capital of Culture, the mansion hosted a major exhibition of works by Caravaggio. The mansion's most notable visitor was Konstantinos Karamanlis who loyally stayed at the residence during his visits to the area while serving as Prime Minister and later President of Greece.

...
Wikipedia