Olympias
Work on the hull has now been completed and the timbers have been treated.
She is being exhibited in her cradle beside the heavy armoured cruiser
Averoff at Palio Faliron, and may be visited during normal working hours.
It is also possible to visit the Averoff where an extensive restoration
programme is under way. The Admiral's quarters, Captain's quarters, and Ward
Room are now complete.
Along the same quay there is another museum ship, Thalis O Milissios,
a cable-laying ship of 1909, which belongs to the Dracopoulos family, whose
Empros Line so generously helped to bring Olympias over for the 1993
Democracy celebrations.
It is also hoped that Kyrenia II, managed by Mr. Harry Tzalas, which is
an important replica of the small merchant vessel of c.300 BC that was
excavated off Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus in 1968, might also be displayed in
the same area. Like Olympias she is of mortise and tenon construction.
Her performance, in a maiden voyage from Piraeus to Cyprus in 1986, was
outstanding. It would be very interesting if a merchant vessel and warship of
similar construction could be displayed together.
Plans have been drawn up for a Park of Hellenic Maritime Heritage, which will
incorporate the Hellenic Maritime Museum. It will occupy a well-positioned
square site of 35 stremmata (approx. 8.75 acres) behind Averoff, with
quay access on two sides. The ship shed for Olympias will have a
slipway. There is space to build a double ship shed, which would
be ideal in that the other half could be used to provide Olympias with
her own museum space.
Admiral Bezerianos who, when he was Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy in 1994,
was a good friend to the Trust, is Chairman of the Project.
Admiral Paizis-Paradelis, the President of the Maritime Museum, is also well
known to us. It is also fortunate that David Blackman, with his expertise in
ancient ship sheds, should be the Director at the British School at Athens.
This is a large and exciting project, which will necessarily take several
years to complete. It deserves our full support.
Trireme Trust Home Page