A Literary Landmark

Literary Landmark

Text Rachel Chrysostom

WHAT WAS ONCE A MAJESTIC FAMILY HOME IS NOW A CENTRE FORLEARNING, GIVING BACK TO THE CITY IN MULTIPLES AS THE FIRST OFITS KIND MUNICIPAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.

Ask any Limassolian what the city’s most impressive historical landmark is, and they will point you in the direction of the former Pilavakis Mansion, a majestic residence reminiscent of the bygone eras of Napoleonic excess and glamour. What lies within those walls today, however, is a point of pride for both the Limassol Municipality and the Cyprus University of Technology. The joint library they have created has provided the general public and the students of the university with a fully outfitted, modern and innovative hub for learning. With a new team of eager staff, a remarkable repository of books and equipment, and an ever-growing programme of cultural events, the Municipal University Library has become the beating heart of Limassol, setting new standards for the island’s public libraries. And after a grueling twelve years of renovations, Limassol’s most recognisable building has regained its prestige, reawakening a unique history that is worth unraveling.

THE LITTLE PALACE OF LIMASSOL

THE BUILDING THAT NOW HOUSES THE LIMASSOL MUNICIPAL UNIVERISTY LIBRARY WAS BUILT BY ANTONIS PILAVAKIS WITH A VISION TO RECREATE THE GRANDIOSE CASINO HE OFTEN FREQUENTED IN MONTE CARLO.

When eccentric local businessman Antonis Pilavakis set out to build his home in 1914, he knew it would be a residence like no other. His vision was to recreate the casino he often frequented in Monte Carlo; a grandiose building that would bring an aura of cosmopolitan grandeur to what was, at the time, the humble residential town of Limassol. As a project, it was practically unthinkable, but Antonis Pilavakis was nothing if not a determined idealist. He enlisted the help of a Greek architect who worked under the great Parisian architect of the Belle Époque, Edouard Niermans, and together they began bringing his dream to life.

The magnificent building took 15 years to construct. The best craftsmen and stonemasons on the island were summoned to carve out elaborate columns adorned with ornate capitals, while cupids and garlands were fashioned out of stone and carefully transferred to embellish every entrance. Upon its completion in 1934, the Pilavakis Mansion drew crowds of onlookers, all of whom vied for a glimpse of the sumptuous décor within: a large gallery, flanked by four columns resembling true Corinthian marble, colorful and vibrant tiles, and the owner’s prized possession – two glass display cases featuring his treasured collection of ancient figurines.

Renowned Limassolian architect, photographer and historian, Tasos Andreou, recalls the awe the little palace inspired: “It was a building like no-one on the island had ever seen.”

THE GRANDEST OF SETTINGS

This sentiment is echoed by Elizabeth Pilavachi – the daughter of Antonis Pilavakis and his outgoing Irish wife Eileen Conway – who was born shortly after the grand property was completed. In this mansion she enjoyed a life of splendour that was rare in such times.

Elizabeth recalls a colourful and privileged childhood with a large number of household staff at the family’s beck and call. Her mother loved to host elaborate parties, and some of Elizabeth’s most vivid memories are of the grand entrance hall being used as a ballroom that often welcomed up to 150 guests at a time. It would be filled with much music and merriment, as the island’s debonair gentlemen and glamorous ladies of the time bent over backwards for an invitation to those lavish soirees.

AN EVOCATIVE HISTORY

Stately and imposing, the Pilavakis Mansion was certainly an unconventional home for an unconventional man, who liked to surround himself with the best, in every aspect of his life. Elizabeth recalls her father being an avid stamp collector with the largest and most valuable collection on the island. He also dabbled in amateur filmmaking and photography, though – as his grand masterpiece proves – architecture was his passion project.

As spectacularly beautiful as this building was, however, its glory days were short-lived. It was sold a mere 30 years later to another fascinating figure of Cypriot history, Zena Kanther, a Paphos-born philanthropist and one-time cabaret dancer who had married American millionaire, Christian Kanther. She donated the building to the municipality in 1972, and renovations began for the first iteration of the municipal library. Tasos Andreou recalls with a hint of sadness how the once-grand building was mercilessly gutted: “The renovations were unacceptable, and completely altered the building’s original form. Walls were whitewashed or torn down, and the building became a mere shell of what it once was.”

A SPACE FOR ALL

Today, the beautiful mansion has been lovingly restored to its original form, with minimal additions that fully modernise it to the standards of a contemporary, stateof-the-art library. Marios Zervas, the Library Director at the Cyprus University of Technology, participated in the renovation process right from the start, when he took on his role in 2006, just as the university was welcoming its first students. “Sadly, municipal libraries in Cyprus are dwindling,” says Zervas. “This is why the agreement between our university and the municipality was such a significant, pioneering move. We have combined forces and created something that is truly unique, serving the needs of both students and the public.” One of the key ways the university has contributed to the modernisation of the library was by creating an electronic data processing system for the entire library collection, something which the municipal library had neither the funds nor the technological foundation to do. “We also trained the municipal staff members ourselves, and today the library boasts a team of ten people – the largest team of any municipal library on the island,” adds Zervas.

A SEPARATE CHILDREN’S SECTION WITH A MORE CHEERFUL DÉCOR ENCOURAGES A LOVE FOR READING.

The library houses a collection of more than 80,000 tomes, the most notable of which is the collection generously donated by Cypriot writer and researcher, Christakis Michaelides. A literature aficionado with an affinity to European culture and fine arts, he amassed a personal library of 7,000 books – including rare and priceless editions – all of which now make up the library’s fine arts collection.

CREATING A FUTURE

The Municipal University Library currently has 800 registered users and welcomes more than 150 visitors a day. A peek into its various rooms reveals a bustle of activity. The children’s section, a separate bright, cheery, and colourful room equipped with art supplies, games and age-appropriate books, welcomes schoolchildren daily, and its shelves are practically empty. “All borrowed!” a staff member says proudly, a sign that the new Municipal University Library is well on its way to creating a new generation of readers.

That is, after all, the goal. As Zervas notes, “We have created a space where people can cultivate knowledge and feed their soul. My wish is to have as many people as possible visiting the library every day. From the very young to the very old, from people who need to research a particular topic, to others who just want a quiet space to read their newspaper. This library belongs to the people; it belongs to us.” Indeed, it converts one man’s vision of grandeur into enlightenment for the whole community.