|
Aegean Stars
Apartments for rent Rhodos
OUR APARTMENTS
Apartment 302 “Georgios Papanikolaou”
Greek doctor and researcher with worldwide recognition. He is best known for his method of early diagnosis of cervical cancer, which bears his name (“Papanikolaou test” or “Pap test”) and has saved the lives of thousands of women.
In 1898, at the age of 15, he was enrolled at the Medical School of the University of Athens, from which he graduated in 1904 with honors. Restless in spirit, he studied philosophy (Nietzsche, Schopenhauer), was initiated into music and poetry, he learned French and German, and generally acquired a multifaceted education and inner cultivation. In 1907 he went to Germany for further training, despite the wish of his father, who wanted to practice medicine with him in Greece. Three years later he became a Doctor of Natural Sciences at the University of Munich with the thesis “On the conditions of sex differentiation of daphnids”. Soon after, he returned to Greece, where he married the Mykonian Maria-Andromachi Mavrogenous, descendant of the heroine of '21 Manto Mavrogenous and participated as a doctor in the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913. |
|
In 1913 he immigrated to the United States and initially engaged in non medical works together with his wife for a living. There he is discovered by the famous geneticist at that time T. Morgan, who had used in his work the findings of the doctoral thesis of the young Papanikolaou and mediated for his recruitment to the pathoanatomical laboratory of New York Hospital. From there he found himself in the anatomical laboratory of the famous Cornell University and devoted himself relentlessly to his research work. In 1917 he studied the vaginal smear of lower mammals and correlated its morphology with the hormonal cycle and the corresponding changes in the uterus and ovaries of animals. He then carried out clinical and laboratory studies on the diagnostic value of examining vaginal smear cells in humans, with his wife as his first “experimental volunteer”. His research was later extended to women at New York's “Women's Hospital” and formed the basis for the foundation of his method for the early diagnosis of cancer.
In 1928 he made his first announcement titled “New Diagnosis of Cancer”, which initially met with distrust by the US medical world. However, he was absolutely sure of the value of his method for the cytological diagnosis of uterine cancer and pursued his research with greater zeal. In his long scientific career he ascended all the ranks of the hierarchy at Cornell University, culminating in the title of Professor of Clinical Anatomy (1947-1957). In 1961 he settled in Miami, where he took over the organization of the Cancer Institute, which after his death on February 19, 1962, was renamed “Georgios Papanikolaou” Cancer Institute.
Although he was not awarded with the Nobel Prize, for which he had been nominated twice, he was awarded several American medical awards and posthumously the UN Prize. In 1932 he became the first honorary member of the Academy of Athens, and in 1949 the Medical School of the University of Athens named him an honorary doctorate. In 1954 he published “The Atlas of Exfoliative Cytology”, which constitutes the completion and sealing of his work. Today “Pap test” is used worldwide for the diagnosis of cervical cancer, precancerous dysplasia and other cytological diseases of the female reproductive system.
|
|
Apartment 303 “Melina Merkouri”
Melina Merkouri was the ultimate Greek film star with international radiance. A charismatic artist with a strong personality, she gained great fame not only as an actress but also as a politician with her fight against the dictatorship of the colonels, but also with her interventions at global level as Minister of Culture. To honor the “last Greek goddess”, as the international press called her, the Greek Ministry of Culture declared 2020 as the Year of Melina Merkouri on the occasion of the centenary of her birth.
|
In 1943 he decided to pursue an acting career and was accepted to the Drama School of the National Theater from which she graduated in 1946. In 1944 she made her debut on the stage with the play by Alexis Solomos “The Path of due to the “December Events”. In the following years she collaborated with the National Theatre and the casts of Katerina and Marika Kotopouli.
She established herself as a leading actress in 1949 with Tennessee Williams' play “A Streetcar named Desire”, which was staged at the Karolos Koun Art Theater and had the privilege of becoming the first Greek actress to perform the demanding role of Blanche Dubois. She remained at the Art Theater until 1950, and the following year she settled in Paris, where she distinguished herself as a boulevarte actress, launching her international career at the same time. In 1955 she returned to Greece and starred in repertory works such as Shakespeare's “Macbeth”, “Korydalus” by Jean Anouilh and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” by Tennessee Williams.
She first appeared in cinema in 1955 with Michalis Kakoyannis's legendary film “Stella”. Her presence in Cannes fascinated the American director Jules Dassin, and it was from the shores of the French Riviera that their artistic and personal relationship began, which ended with marriage in 1966. With Dassin she directed the films “Christ Recrucified (1957), from the novel of the same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, “The Law” (1958), “Never on Sunday” (1960), “Phaedra” (1962) and “Topkapi” (1964). The film that catapulted her fame was of course “Never on Sunday”, which earned her an acting award at the Cannes Film Festival and an Oscar nomination the following year.
After the Colonels' Dictatorship was imposed, Melina Merkouri was self-exiled and with her talent and reputation she fought the regime throughout the world, informing the international public about the political situation in Greece. Her statement remained historic: “I was born Greek and I will die Greek, Mr. Pattakos was born a fascist and he will die a fascist.”
After the Transition (1974), she settled permanently in Greece and was mainly engaged in politics through the ranks of PASOK. She was continuously elected Member of the Parliament from 1977 until her death in 1994, from 1977 to 1985 in Piraeus II and in the following years on the State ballot. From 1981 to 1989 and from 1993 to 1994 she served as Minister of Culture and brightened that ministry with her presence and her policies. Her vision was the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum. She created the Municipal Regional Theatres in order to bring the inhabitants of the province into contact with the theatre, and her inspiration was the creation of the institution of the “European Capital of Culture”. Melina Merkouri died on March 6, 1994. |
Apartment 304 “Ioannis Kapodistrias”
Greek politician and diplomat. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and first Governor of the independent Greek State, which he founded from the foundation and with his personal fortune.
He was born in Corfu on February 11, 1776. He studied medicine, philosophy and law at the University of Patavia (Padova), Italy. In 1797 he settled in Corfu and practiced the profession of doctor - surgeon. Two years later, when Russia and Turkey briefly occupied the Ionian Islands, he was entrusted with the command of the military hospital. In 1801 the Ionian Islands became autonomous and Ioannis Kapodistrias became one of the two governors of the Ionian State, at the age of 25. Thanks to his political acumen and persuasion, he prevented the uprising of Kefalonia, which would have unforeseen consequences for the cohesion of the newly created state |
|
The result of Kapodistrias' efforts was the adoption of a more liberal and democratic constitution in 1803. The great powers were alarmed and sent Georgios Motsenigos to rebuke him. When, however, their representative met with him, he was impressed by the man's political and moral views. Kapodistrias was unanimously appointed by the Senate of the Ionian State, Secretary of State. During his tenure he reorganized the public administration, placing particular emphasis on education. In March 1807 he was sent to Lefkada, which was threatened with occupation by Ali Pasha. He reorganized the defense of the island, averting the threat. There he met the chieftains Kolokotronis, Nikitaras, Androutsos and Botsaris, who would later lead the Revolution of '21.
In January 1809 Kapodistrias entered the diplomatic service of Russia at the invitation of Tsar Alexander I. In 1813, he was appointed representative of Russia to Switzerland, on his first major mission, with the purpose of contributing to its liberation from Napoleon's influence. He played an important role in the unity, independence and neutrality of Switzerland and contributed greatly to the Swiss constitution, which provided for 19 autonomous states (cantons) as constituent members of the Swiss federation.
After his great diplomatic successes, the Tsar anointed him Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire from 1816 to 1822. With the onset of the Greek Revolution, he was forced to leave office. On March 30, 1827, the National Assembly of Trizina elected him Governor of the newly formed Greek State and arrived in Nafplio on January 7, 1828, being received with cheers and enthusiastic events by the people. It was he who created the judicial system of the country, founded school and universities and organized local self-government into municipalities, while great was his contribution to the evolution of the agricultural sector.
The rivalry of Kapodistrias with Mavromichalides, the strongest family of Mani, was fatal. Kapodistrias over time became more and more irritable and skeptical towards everyone. He lacked the necessary restraint and composure, resulting in the unjustified aggravation of personal passions. To this situation should also be attributed his harsh attitude towards the old man Petrombeis Mavromichalis. Kapodistrias ordered his arrest and imprisonment. His brother Konstantinos and his son George were held in Nafplio, where the capital of the modern Greek state had been transferred. This fact incited hatred and the need for revenge on the part of the Mavromichalis family.
At 5:35 in the morning of September 27, 1831, Ioannis Kapodistrias was attacked by Konstantinos and Georgios Mavromichalis outside the church of Agios Spiridonas, where he was going to church and fell dead. The Greek state honored the Governor, giving his name to public places and institutions, such as the University of Athens, whose official title is National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
|
|
