What if a neighborhood could signify hope? That’s Neos Kosmos, or New World. It’s a neighborhood in Athens. It has always signified hope. This was true for those escaping the Asia Minor Catastrophe. It was also true for Greeks coming to the capital. And it remains true for today’s Middle Eastern refugees.
Neos Kosmos is historically quiet. It is a heavily populated blue-collar area. It lies just below Mets and across from Koukaki. The neighborhood is experiencing a renaissance. Contemporary art spaces and shops are opening here. New bars and quirky restaurants are popping up. Theaters and live music spaces are appearing throughout its narrow streets. Youngsters sit at sidewalk cafes. Mechanics work on cars. Locals walk their dogs up Lambrakis Hill. The tram silently rocks on the tracks. It carries passengers towards Piraeus or the Athens Riviera. In Neos Kosmos, the old coexists with the new.
The history of Neos Kosmos begins in the slums. Dourgouti is an area of Neos Kosmos. Today, it’s lined with public housing buildings. These buildings sit next to the tram tracks. Initially, this was sparse farmland. It was on the outskirts of central Athens. Dourgouti was first settled by Armenians a little before 1920. A few years later, the Asia Minor Catastrophe happened. There was a large influx of refugees from Turkey. Later, there was a wave of internal migrants. The area grew from a few farms to makeshift shacks. It became a full-blown labyrinth of slums.
In the late 1930s, the first government-subsidized building was erected. More followed until 1971. Today, third and fourth generations of those refugees still live here. Others are homes to refugees from the Middle East upheaval.
At the end of 2010, the Athenian contemporary arts and culture scene changed. The Onassis Cultural Centre, Stegi, arrived. It loves to cross lines. It set the standards with cutting-edge performances. These included theater, dance, and visual arts exhibitions. One of their first prestigious shows was a photography exhibition. It featured the stunning Robert Mapplethorpe in 2011.
John Malkovich performed in sold-out plays. Bernadine Evaristo spoke about feminism and art. Flamenco superstars Akram Khan and Israel Galvan performed here. The annual Block Party lures locals and visitors. They dance to electronic music. Stegi is a strong LGBTQ+ advocate. It organizes events during Athens’ annual Pride Month. It also runs an international cross-cultural radio station called Stegi Radio.
In 1998, a warehouse of the Fix brewery began to be restored. It quickly turned into a Neos Kosmos staple. Don’t expect a grand building or a red carpet. You may not even notice it when walking by. Architecture is not where the magic lies in this neighborhood. It lies in art. The Neos Kosmos Theatre has three halls. It stages classic and new productions. The theatre also stages productions in homes for the disabled and even a women’s prison. The Neos Kosmos Theatre’s premises are fully accessible.
Lambrakis Hill is a small green oasis. It contrasts with the stark cement. Locals call it vounalaki. This loosely translates into “small mountain”. There’s a brand new dog park. It has agility training equipment, hurdles, and a wooden ramp. There is also a children’s playground and a basketball court. When it snows in Athens, locals come here. They have snowball fights and build snowmen. The City of Athens gave the area a facelift. They repaired benches and cleared foliage. They installed lights.
The National Museum of Contemporary Art opened all its doors in 2020. It was worth the wait. It is housed in a post-war building. Architect Takis Zenetos designed it. The museum sits between Syngrou and Kallirois avenues. It is on the site of a former beer brewery.
EMST is home to a permanent collection. It has 172 works by 78 Greek and international artists. These range across all forms. They include painting and installation art. The lower floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions.
Neos Kosmos has spent its history in the shadow of Athens. Its name means “New World.” It held out the promise of a new beginning for refugees from Asia Minor. Next year marks the centenary of Turkey’s expulsion of more than a million ethnic Greeks. They subsequently found haven in Greece. A simple walk around underlines how the area has been transformed. Quaint footpaths and two-story houses are tucked between modern structures. Residential buildings are interspersed with car repair shops.
Neos Kosmos is changing. It is becoming a fascinating mosaic of symbiotic energy. I hope you enjoyed learning about Neos Kosmos’s rich culture.