architecture
Volos hasn't been lucky to preserve the large number of neoclassical buildings that could be spotted almost everywhere, as a sign of its industrial boom in the early twentieth century. Unfortunately, a devastating series of earthquakes in 1955 destroyed many parts of the old town. The architectural and urban-planning character of Volos is achieved by the layouts of streets and squares. The current urban plan of Volos was fundamentally formed in 1882, shortly after the liberation of the city and was much influenced by concepts of neoclassical town planning. Modern city isn't really interesting architecturally, apart from "Achilleion" cinema on the promenade, Volos railway station officially described as one of the most beautiful in Greece from Hellenic Railways, once a departure point for the nowadays touristic "Pelion train" and the churches of Aghios Nikolaos cathedral and Aghios Konstantinos basilica, on the promenade. Former brick factory "Tsalapatas" renovated in a museum and leisure area with taverns, bars etc. The University of Thessaly, has preserved a series of old industrial warehouses and other buildings in various places in the city, to use them as academic faculties today, "Papastratos building" on the promenade, originally a greek tobacco company warehouse is the administration building of the university and could be thought as the trademark of Volos. Some typical examples of Neoclassical buildings are:The 3-storeyed Hotel de France, with its impressive decorative murals 1894, Iasonos and K. Kartali streets,The National Bank, formerly the Epirothessalian Bank1895,The Athens Bank 1903, today the library of University of Thessaly,The Achilllopouleion Hospital 1901,The Archaeological Museum of Volos, Athanasakeio 1909,The Agricultural Bank 1909, formerly the Kosmadopoulos Bank,The Cinetheater Achillion, 1925,The Aegli Hotel, 1927, designed by Kassiopoulos,The Building of the Air-force High officials Club near Agios Konstantinos Park, believed that it was designed by Le Corbusier,The Bank of Greece 1935,The Averofeian courts of Justice,The well preserved Regas house and its singular decorative murals, today the Lyceum of Greek women.
