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92-489: The toponym Plaka is first attested in the second half of the 17th century. Up until the era of Otto , it pertained only to the area around the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates (locals knew it as " Kandili 'lantern' of Demosthenes" at least since 1460, or just as kandili ); it was only after 1834 that the toponym's application gradually expanded to eventually include the entire area between today's Makrygianni Street and

184-626: A British subject. The Great Idea (Μεγάλη Ιδέα), the irredentist concept that expresses the goal of reviving the Byzantine Empire , led him to contemplate entering the Crimean War on the side of Russia against Turkey and its British and French allies in 1853; the enterprise was unsuccessful and resulted in renewed intervention by the two Great Powers and a second blockade of the Piraeus port, forcing Greece to neutrality. The continued inability of

276-517: A Constitution. Initially Otto refused to grant a Constitution, but as soon as Bavarian troops were withdrawn from the kingdom, a popular revolt was launched. On 3 September 1843, the infantry, led by both Colonel Dimitris Kallergis and the respected Revolutionary captain and former President of the Athens City Council, General Yiannis Makriyiannis , assembled in Palace Square in front of

368-509: A beautiful and talented 17-year-old, Duchess Amalia (Amelie) of Oldenburg (21 December 1818 to 20 May 1875). The wedding took place not in Greece but in Oldenburg , on 22 November 1836; the marriage did not produce an heir, and the new queen made herself unpopular by interfering in the government and maintaining her Lutheran faith. Otto was unfaithful to his wife, and had an affair with Jane Digby ,

460-434: A constitution proved overwhelming, and in the face of an armed (but bloodless) insurrection, Otto granted a constitution in 1843. Throughout his reign, Otto was unable to resolve Greece's poverty and prevent economic meddling from outside. Greek politics in this era were based on affiliations with the three Great Powers that had guaranteed Greece's independence, Britain , France and Russia , and Otto's ability to maintain

552-644: A film producer who was active in the Greek Resistance , founded Finos Films (1942), which would later become one of the most commercially successful Greek studios. One of Finos's earliest productions, Voice of the Heart ( Η φωνή της καρδιάς ) (1943, directed by Dimitris Ioannopoulos), drew large audiences, to the consternation of the Germans. Another important film during this period, Applause ( Χειροκροτήματα ) (1944, directed by George Tzavellas ), which presented

644-477: A fire burned down a large part of the neighborhood which gave the opportunity for the archaeologists to conduct excavations in the Roman Market and Hadrian’s library. Excavations have been taking place continuously since the 19th century. Growth continued until World War 2. From the 1950s until the 1970s, Plaka experienced some degradation, as a result of the post-war construction boom, the increase in motor cars, and

736-689: A fully independent state, with Otto as its king. The Great Powers extracted a pledge from Otto's father to restrain him from hostile actions against the Ottoman Empire . They also insisted that Otto's title would be "King of Greece", rather than "King of the Hellenes", because the latter would imply a claim over the millions of Greeks then still under Turkish rule. Not quite 18, the young prince arrived in Greece with 3,500 Bavarian troops (the Bavarian Auxiliary Corps ) and three Bavarian advisors aboard

828-644: A large city. At the time, it was a town consisting of only 400 houses at the foot of the Acropolis . A modern city plan was laid out, and public buildings erected. The finest legacy of this period are the buildings of the University of Athens (1837, under the name Othonian University), the Athens Polytechnic University (1837, under the name Royal School of Arts), the National Gardens of Athens (1840),

920-556: A notorious woman his father had previously taken as a lover. Due to his having overtly undermined the king, Armansperg was dismissed from his duties by King Otto immediately upon his return from Germany. However, despite high hopes on the part of the Greeks, the Bavarian Rudhart was appointed chief minister, and the granting of a constitution was again postponed. Otto's attempts to conciliate Greek sentiment through efforts to enlarge

1012-401: A predominance of slow-moving, cerebral art-house films, which lacked mass appeal. Beginning in the 1990s, younger directors turned to more contemporary-paced films and social satires, which brought moderate commercial success. In 1999, TV series writers Michalis Reppas and Thanasis Papathanasiou , collaborating with contemporary famous actors made the sex taboo comedy Safe Sex , which

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1104-643: A result, there was an assassination attempt on Queen Amalia , and finally, in October 1862, Otto was deposed while in the countryside. He died in exile in Bavaria in 1867. Otto was born as Prince Otto Friedrich Ludwig of Bavaria at Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg (when it briefly belonged to the Kingdom of Bavaria ), as the second son of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen . His father served there as

1196-614: A series of critically acclaimed movies, among them The Travelling Players (1975), The Hunters (1977), and Voyage to Cythera (1984). His film Eternity and a Day won the Palme d'Or and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival . Costa-Gavras's film Missing won the Palme d'Or at 1982 Cannes Film Festival . Director Costas Ferris 's 1983 film, Rembetiko , won

1288-917: A thinly-disguised biography of one of Greece's most important popular songwriters of the era, Attik , was produced by Finos's rival, Novak Films. In 1944, Katina Paxinou was honoured with the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as "Pilar" in the Sam Wood film, For Whom the Bell Tolls . The 1950s and 1960s are considered by many to be the "Golden Age" of Greek cinema. Directors and actors of this era were recognized as important historical figures in Greece and some gained international acclaim: Michael Cacoyannis , Alekos Sakellarios , Melina Mercouri , Nikos Tsiforos , Iakovos Kambanelis , Katina Paxinou , Nikos Koundouros , Ellie Lambeti , and Irene Papas . More than sixty films per year were made, with

1380-427: A year later and other special 'projection rooms' begun their activity. In 1910-11 the first short comic movies were produced by director Spiros Dimitrakopoulos (Spyridion), who also starred in most of his movies. In 1911 Kostas Bachatoris presented Golfo ( Γκόλφω ) , a well known traditional love story, considered the first Greek feature film . In 1912 was founded the first film company ( Athina Film ) and in 1916

1472-459: Is a common Medieval and Modern Greek toponym that can be found throughout Greece, and is attested as early as 1089; in the case of Athens, it denoted a place with ancient plaques or marbles. Plaka is on the northeast slope of Acropolis , between Syntagma and Monastiraki square . Adrianou Street (running north and south) is the largest and most central street in Plaka and divides it into two areas:

1564-487: The Academy Award for Best Song for composer Manos Hatzidakis ' title track. The couple also collaborated on the 1967 musical stage adaptation, Illya Darling , for which Mercouri received a Tony Award nomination. She went on to star in such films as Topkapi and Phaedra , both directed by Dassin, and the 1969 American comedy, Gaily, Gaily . Cacoyannis' 1964 film, Zorba the Greek , which starred Anthony Quinn ,

1656-515: The Ancient Agora . Prior of that, the local Athenians referred to the area by various other names, such as Alikokkou , Kontito , Kandili , or by the names of the local churches. In particular, Alikokkou was the name of the broader area of what is now Plaka, until the early 20th century, and was one of the divisions into which Athens was divided during the Ottoman era; the toponym Alikokkou derived from

1748-684: The Asty Film . During the First World War , production was limited to documentaries and newscasts only. Directors like George Prokopiou and Dimitris Gaziadis are distinguished for filming scenes from the battlefield and later, during the Greco-Turkish War, of the efforts of the Hellenic Army and finally the Great Fire of Smyrna (1922). The first commercially successful Greek film was Villar in

1840-641: The Church of Greece . This was a recognition of the de facto political situation, as the Patriarch of Constantinople was partially under the political control of the Ottoman Empire . However, faithful people, concerned that having a Catholic as the head of the Church of Greece would weaken the Orthodox Church, criticised the unilateral declaration of Autocephaly as non-canonical . For the same reason, they likewise resisted

1932-506: The Convention of London , until he was deposed in October 1862 . The second son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria , Otto ascended the newly created throne of Greece at age 17. His government was initially run by a three-man regency council made up of Bavarian court officials. Upon reaching his majority, Otto removed the regents when they proved unpopular with the people, and he ruled as an absolute monarch . Eventually, his subjects' demands for

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2024-452: The Greek cinema were filmed in the area. Some of them include: [REDACTED] Media related to Plaka at Wikimedia Commons Otto of Greece#Early reign Otto ( Greek : Όθων , romanized :  Óthon ; German : Otto Friedrich Ludwig von Wittelsbach ; 1 June 1815 – 26 July 1867) was King of Greece from the establishment of the Kingdom of Greece on 27 May 1832, under

2116-669: The National Library of Greece (1842), the Old Royal Palace (now the Greek Parliament Building, 1843), and the Old Parliament Building (1858). Schools and hospitals were established all over the (still small) Greek dominion. Due to the negative feelings of the Greek people toward non-Greek rule, historical attention to this aspect of his reign has been neglected. During 1836–37, Otto visited Germany, marrying

2208-469: The Rothschild bank, who were underwriting the Greek loans, insisted on financial stringency from Armansperg. The Greeks were soon more heavily taxed than under Ottoman rule; as the people saw it, they had exchanged a hated Ottoman rule for government by a foreign bureaucracy , the "Bavarocracy" (Βαυαροκρατία). In addition, the regency showed little respect for local customs. As a Catholic , Otto himself

2300-536: The Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival . When the left-leaning Panhellenic Socialist Movement was elected to power in 1981, actress Melina Mercouri, a member of the party, was appointed Minister for Culture . In this role, she obtained government support for the Greek film industry, and set up networks to promote Greek cinema abroad. The increase in government funding led to

2392-572: The Venetian loss of its Morean strongholds in 1540, and in another wave after a revolt in the Morea in 1570, when the Ottoman administration decreed the mandatory settlement of Albanians in Attica, in order to offer them improving living conditions. The such created north-eastern district of Athens later became known as Plaka . During that period, Plaka was also the home of the Greek aristocratic Benizelos family ,

2484-572: The " Greek Weird Wave ". In the spring of 1897, the Greeks of Athens watched the first cinematic ventures (short movies in "journal"). In 1906 Greek cinema was born when the Manakis brothers started recording in Macedonia , and the French filmmaker "Leons" produced the first "Newscast" from the midi- Olympic games of Athens (the unofficial Olympic games of 1906). The first cine-theater of Athens opened about

2576-505: The "Greek Brigitte Bardot," Aliki Vougiouklaki . The Thessaloniki International Film Festival was first held in 1960, and would subsequently evolve into the primary showcase for emerging filmmakers from Greece and the Balkans region. The festival showcases both international and Greek films, and awards the "Golden Alexander" for the best feature film. In 1969, the Costa-Gavras film Z

2668-555: The 1950s and 1960s, Greek cinema experienced a golden age, starting with Michael Cacoyannis 's Stella (1955), which was screened at Cannes . The 1960 film Never on Sunday was nominated for five Academy Awards, and its lead actress, Melina Mercouri , won the Best Actress Award at Cannes. Cacoyannis's Zorba the Greek (1964) won three Academy Awards. Other films released in this era, such as The Counterfeit Coin and The Ogre of Athens are nowadays considered some of

2760-573: The 46th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival presented a tribute to Young Greek Cinema with seven feature films: Attenberg , Dogtooth , Homeland , Strella , Tale 52 (directed by Alexis Alexiou) and Wasted Youth (directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel). The "wave" of Greek cinema continued its course through the decade, producing several titles that were festival and critical sensations and were distributed in many countries. Many tributes to this generation of Greek filmmakers were held by festivals worldwide, most notably by

2852-613: The Bavarian governor-general. Through his ancestor, the Bavarian Duke John II , Otto was a descendant of the Byzantine imperial dynasties of Komnenos and Laskaris . His father was a prominent Philhellene , and provided significant financial aid to the Greek cause during the War of Independence . Otto was a child of delicate health and temperament, with a slight stutter and a passion for

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2944-510: The Bavarian-dominated regency, were charged with treason, put in jail and sentenced to death. They were later pardoned under popular pressure, while Greek judges who resisted Bavarian pressure and refused to sign the death warrants ( Anastasios Polyzoidis and Georgios Tertsetis , for instance), were praised as heroes. Otto's early reign was also notable for his moving the capital of Greece from Nafplio to Athens . His first task as king

3036-807: The Best Film Award at the BFI - London International Film Festival, and Interruption by Yorgos Zois premiered at the Orizzonti competition section of the Venice International Film Festival. In 2016, Suntan by Argyris Papadimitropoulos premiered at the Rotterdam and SXSW International Film Festivals and won the Best Film Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. In 2017, Son of Sofia , directed by Elina Psykou won

3128-510: The British frigate HMS Madagascar . Although he did not speak Greek, he immediately endeared himself to his adopted country by adopting the Greek national costume and Hellenizing his name to "Othon" (some English sources, such as Encyclopædia Britannica , call him "Otho"). Thousands lined the docks of Nafplio to witness his arrival, including many heroes of the revolution such as Theodoros Kolokotronis and Alexandros Mavrokordatos . His arrival

3220-408: The Church and 4) toleration of other churches. His regents, Armansperg and Rundhart, established a controversial policy of suppressing the monasteries . This was very upsetting to the Church hierarchy. Russia considered itself a stalwart defender of Orthodoxy , but Orthodox believers were found in all three parties. Once he rid himself of his Bavarian advisers, Otto allowed the statutory dissolution of

3312-525: The Greek film industry dominates the domestic market and has experienced international success. Characteristics of Greek cinema include a dynamic plot, strong character development and erotic themes. Two Greek films, Missing (1982) and Eternity and a Day (1998), have won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival . Five Greek films have received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film . Though Greek cinema took root in

3404-635: The Greek regalia which they had brought from Bavaria in 1832. In 1863 the Greek National Assembly elected Prince William of Denmark, aged only 17, King of the Hellenes under the regnal name of George I . It has been suggested that had Otto and Amalia borne an heir, the king would not have been overthrown, as succession was also a major unresolved question at the time. However, the Constitution of 1844 made provision for his succession by his two younger brothers and their descendants. Otto died in

3496-683: The Hessian State Archive (Hessisches Staatsarchiv Darmstadt) in Darmstadt, Germany. Otto's letters to his father-in-law, Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg , written between 1836 and 1853, are preserved in the Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv in Oldenburg, Germany. He received the following honours: Greek cinema The cinema of Greece has a long and rich history. Though hampered at times by war or political instability,

3588-800: The New Horizons Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland, and the Jeonju International Film Festival in Korea. Recent studies called the Greek Weird Wave, a cinema "that reflects on how systems of power manage groups of people (from a family to a population) and the bodies of individuals", and "a cinema equally sensitive to forms of response, to noise, unease, and subversion". In 2011, just twenty feature-films were produced. Wasted Youth , directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel

3680-569: The Osella Award for Best Screenplay ( Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimiοs Filippou) at the 68th Venice Film Festival. Dogtooth , Attenberg and Alps are part of what some film critics, including Steve Rose of The Guardian , have termed the " Greek Weird Wave ," which involves movies with haunting cinematography, alienated protagonists and absurdist dialogue. Other films mentioned as part of this "wave" include Panos H. Koutras 's Strella (2009) and Yannis Economides's Knifer (2010). In 2011,

3772-563: The Palace in Athens. Eventually joined by much of the population of the small capital, the crowd refused to disperse until the king agreed to grant a constitution, which would require that there be Greeks in the Council, that he convene a permanent National Assembly and that Otto personally thank the leaders of the uprising. Left with little recourse now that his German troops were gone, King Otto gave in to

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3864-646: The Rotterdam International Film Festival, and Boy Eating the Bird's Food , directed by Ektoras Lygizos, premiered in competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, winning a Special Mention for actor Yannis Papadopoulos. In 2013, Miss Violence , directed by Alexandros Avranas won Silver Lion for best director at the 70th Venice International Film Festival . Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian , compared

3956-693: The Russian Party (according to which of the Great Powers' culture they most esteemed) vied for rank and power. The king's prestige, which was based in large part on his support by the combined Great Powers, but mostly the support of the British, suffered in the Pacifico incident of 1850, when Lord Palmerston , the British Foreign Secretary , sent the British fleet to blockade the port of Piraeus with warships to exact reparation for injustice done to

4048-674: The Un Certain Régard section of the Cannes Film Festival, and A Blast , directed by Syllas Tzoumerkas , premiered in competition at the Locarno International Film Festival. In 2015, Wednesday 04:45 by Alexis Alexiou premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival, Chevalier , directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari premiered in competition at the Locarno International Film Festival and won

4140-453: The Venice Film Festival. Also, at the same festival that year, Homeland , directed by Syllas Tzoumerkas screened at the International Critics' Week, Plato's Academy by Filippos Tsitos screened at a special event in Venice Days , and Casus Belli , a short film by director Yorgos Zois, screened at the Orizzonti section, prompting Nick Vivarelli of Variety to write about "the country's biggest showing in decades". In 2011 Alps won

4232-489: The Women's Baths of Faliro ( Ο Βιλλάρ στα γυναικεία λουτρά του Φαλήρου ), written, directed by and starring comedian Villar (Nikolaos Sfakianakis) and Nitsa Philosofou. In 1924, Michael Michael (1895–1944), a Greek comedian, presented some short film comedies. In 1922, Gaziadis founded Dag Films and tried to produce the first speaking movies . This company presented its first movie, Love and Waves ( Έρως και κύματα ), in 1927, and experienced moderate success in

4324-453: The activities of the Greeks, while serving as advisers to their respective allied parties within Greece. King Otto pursued policies such as balancing power among all the parties and sharing offices among the parties, ostensibly to reduce the power of the parties while trying to bring a pro-Othon party into being. The parties, however, became the entree into government power and financial stability. The effect of his (and his advisors') policies

4416-435: The box office. In 2007 the most successful film was El Greco , directed by Yannis Smaragdis . In 2009, Dogtooth , directed by Yorgos Lanthimos , won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 2011 was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards . The 2010 film Attenberg , directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari , won the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress ( Ariane Labed ) at

4508-545: The director of the landmark film Evdokia . However, this drift toward art-house cinema in the 1980s led to a decline in audiences. In the 1990s, younger Greek filmmakers began experimenting with iconographic motifs. In spite of, or because of, funding issues created by the financial crisis in the late 2000s, unique Greek films such as Yorgos Lanthimos 's Dogtooth (2009), Panos H. Koutras ' Strella (2009) and Athina Rachel Tsangari 's Attenberg (2010) received international acclaim, constituting what has been called

4600-434: The discourse surrounding Greek independence, both within Greece and abroad. At the end of Greek War of Independence, the three Great Powers formulated the London Protocol of 1829 , which recognized an autonomous Greek state. Article 3 of the protocol stated that Greece would be a monarchy, under the rule of a prince who was not from the ruling families of one of the three Great Powers. Numerous candidates were considered for

4692-431: The early 1900s, the first mature films weren't produced until the 1920s, after the end of the Greco-Turkish War . Films during this period, such as Astero (1929) by Dimitris Gaziadis and Maria Pentagiotissa (1929) by Ahilleas Madras, consisted of emotional melodramas with an abundance of folkloristic elements. Orestis Laskos 's Daphnis and Chloe (1931), one of the first Greek films to be shown abroad, contained

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4784-405: The eldest, Ludwig Ferdinand , were now considered the most likely candidates, but due to the issue of religion, no definite arrangements were ever made. In 1861, a student named Aristeidis Dosios (son of politician Konstantinos Dosios ) attempted to murder Queen Amalia and was openly hailed as a hero. His attempt, however, also prompted spontaneous feelings of monarchism and sympathy towards

4876-414: The family that Saint Philothei came from. In the mid-17th century, out of the eight main administrative units ( platomata ) in Athens, it appears Plaka was the least densely inhabited. During the Greek War of Independence , Plaka like the rest of Athens, was temporarily abandoned by its inhabitants because of the severe battles that took place in 1826. The area was repopulated during the first years of

4968-438: The film to the previously mentioned, saying that "It (self-evidently) does not have the humour of those movies by Yorgos Lanthimos and Athina Rachel Tsangari and by that token, less of their richness and inventiveness. But its force can't be doubted." In 2014, Stratos , directed by Yannis Economidis premiered in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, Xenia , directed by Panos H. Koutras , premiered at

5060-414: The first voyeuristic nude scene in a European film. During the Axis occupation , the Greek film industry struggled as it was forced to relocate overseas. Following the Greek Civil War , Greek cinema experienced a revival. Inspired by Italian neorealism , directors such as Grigoris Grigoriou and Stelios Tatasopoulos created works during this period shot on location using non-professional actors. During

5152-426: The foreign, mostly Protestant missionaries who established schools throughout Greece. Tolerance of other religions was over-supported by some in the English Party and others educated in the West as a symbol of Greece's progress as a liberal European state. In the end, power over the Church and education was ceded to the Russian Party, while the king maintained a veto over the decision of the Synod of Bishops. This

5244-425: The frontiers of his kingdom, for example by the suggested acquisition of Crete in 1841, failed in their objective and only succeeded in embroiling him in conflict with the Great Powers. Throughout his reign, King Otto found himself confronted by a recurring series of problems: partisanship of the Greeks, financial uncertainty, and ecclesiastical disputes. Greek parties in the Othonian era were based on two factors:

5336-423: The gift with interest, and will be grateful to you, seeing in you the one to resurrect the firstborn people of the Earth. Otto's reign is usually divided into three periods: The Bavarian advisors were arrayed in a Regency Council, headed by Count Josef Ludwig von Armansperg , who, in Bavaria as minister of finance, had recently succeeded in restoring Bavarian credit, at the cost of his popularity. Von Armansperg

5428-508: The greatest works of Greek cinema. Censorship policies of the 1967 junta and rising foreign competition led to a decline in Greek cinema. After the restoration of democracy in the mid-1970s, the Greek film industry again flourished, led by director Theo Angelopoulos , whose films captured international recognition, making him probably the most acclaimed Greek director to date. Other acclaimed directors of this era include Nikos Nikolaidis , as well as Pantelis Voulgaris and Alexis Damianos ,

5520-429: The late 1920s and early 1930s. The company mainly produced historical movies, usually adaptations of novels. In 1930, Dag made an attempt for a speaking movie, The Apaches of Athens ( Οι Απάχηδες των Αθηνών ), which was based on a Greek operetta by Nikos Hatziapostolou . Gaziadis also filmed the 1927 Delphic Festival, an idea of Angelos Sikelianos and Eva Palmer-Sikelianos, as part of his general effort towards

5612-761: The majority having film noir elements. Notable films were The Counterfeit Coin ( Η κάλπικη λίρα , 1955 directed by George Tzavellas ), Bitter Bread ( Πικρό Ψωμί , 1951, directed by Grigoris Grigoriou), and The Ogre of Athens ( Δράκος , 1956, directed by Nikos Koundouros ). Finos Film and director Alekos Sakellarios collaborated on several films in the late 1950s, namely The Hurdy-Gurdy ( Φτώχεια και Φιλότιμο , 1955) and its sequel, Laterna, ftoheia kai garyfallo ( Λατέρνα , 1958), as well as Aunt from Chicago ( Η Θεία από το Σικάγο , 1957) and Maiden's Cheek ( Το ξύλο βγήκε από τον Παράδεισο , 1959). The 1955 film Stella , directed by Michael Cacoyannis and written by Iakovos Kambanelis ,

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5704-417: The monasteries to lapse. By tradition dating back to the Byzantine era, the king was regarded by the Church as its head. On the issue of the Church's Autocephaly and his role as king within the Church, Otto was overwhelmed by the arcana of Orthodox Church doctrine and popular discontent with his Catholicism (while the Queen was Protestant). In 1833, the regents had unilaterally declared the Autocephaly of

5796-459: The neighborhood of Anafiotika , featuring traditional Cycladic architecture, was built by settlers from the Aegean island of Anafi . Plaka assumed its present form in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Following Greek independence, the area grew rapidly. Plaka became inhabited by a mixed population, that included old Athenian families as well as an influx of newcomers, such as artisans, professionals, military personnel, and others. In 1884

5888-476: The palace of the former bishops of Bamberg , Germany, and was buried in the Theatiner Church in Munich . During his retirement, he would still wear the Greek traditional uniform, nowadays worn only by the evzones (Presidential Guards). Αccording to witnesses, Otto's last words were "Greece, my Greece, my beloved Greece." Otto's letters to his sister, Princess Mathilde Caroline of Bavaria , Grand Duchess of Hesse, written between 1832 and 1861, are preserved in

5980-456: The piano. As a teenager, he was tutored in Classical Greek and Latin by classical scholar and passionate Philhellene Friedrich Thiersch , who was the first to suggest the young prince as a candidate for the throne of the emerging nation. Thiersch's suggestion was supported by Jean-Gabriel Eynard , a major financial benefactor of the Greek independence movement and friend of Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greece's governor. Otto's name therefore entered

6072-538: The political activities of the diplomatic representatives of the Great Powers Russia, United Kingdom and France and the affiliation of Greek political figures with these diplomats. According to Richard Clogg , the financial uncertainty of the Othonian monarchy was the result of The political machinations of the Great Powers were personified in their three legates in Athens: Theobald Piscatory (France), Gabriel Catacazy ( Russian Empire ), and Sir Edmund Lyons ( United Kingdom ). They informed their home governments on

6164-420: The pressure and agreed to the demands of the crowd over the objections of his opinionated queen . This square was renamed Constitution Square ( Greek : Πλατεία Συντάγματος ) to commemorate (through to the present) the events of September 1843—and was to feature in many later tumultuous events of Greek history. Now for the first time, the king had Greeks in his Council and the French Party, the English Party and

6256-400: The reign of Otto of Greece . Plaka had a sizable Albanian community till the late 19th century, and as a result it was the Albanian quarter of Athens. They had their own courts where they used the Albanian language. Their descendants nowadays have been assimilated into the Greek nation in considerable numbers. This happened through Greek control over the education system. At the same period

6348-427: The revival of the "Delphic Idea". The event consisted of Olympic contests, an exhibition of folk art , and a performance of Prometheus Bound . The 1931 film Daphnis and Chloe ( Δάφνις και Χλόη ), directed by Orestis Laskos (1908–1992), contained the first voyeuristic nude scene in the history of European cinema; it was also the first Greek movie which was played abroad. In 1932 Olympia Films presented

6440-424: The royal couple among the Greek population. While Otto was visiting the Peloponnese in 1862 a new coup was launched and this time a Provisional Government was set up and summoned a National Convention. Ambassadors of the Great Powers urged King Otto not to resist, and the king and queen took refuge on a British warship and returned to Bavaria aboard (the same way they had come to Greece), taking with them

6532-440: The royal couple to have children also raised the thorny issue of succession: the 1844 constitution insisted that Otto's successor had to be Orthodox, but as the king was childless, the only possible heirs were his younger brothers, Luitpold and Adalbert . The staunch Catholicism of the Wittelsbachs complicated matters, as Luitpold refused to convert and Adalbert married Infanta Amalia of Spain . The sons of Adalbert, and especially

6624-687: The speaking movie The Shepherdess's Lover ( Ο αγαπητικός της βοσκοπούλας ), which was based on a play by Dimitris Koromilas. Also influential during this period was director Achilleas Madras, whose work included Maria Pentagiotissa (1929) and Sorcerer of Athens (1931). During the late 1930s, a number of Greek filmmakers fled Greece due to the hostility of Metaxas Regime and the material lack of ability for producing speaking movies. The Greek film industry reemerged in Turkey , and later in Egypt . In spite of German occupation during World War II, Philopemen Finos ,

6716-514: The streets, such as Adrianou and Tripodon, can be traced back to the ancient era. The population of Athens grew during the early 16th century, and the town experienced another urban development after the one which occurred in 1456, this time towards the north-east, again mainly by the settlement of Albanians who had moved in the region several years before the Ottoman arrival. After the Ottoman conquest, these settlements occurred in Attica in one wave after

6808-476: The support of the powers was key to his remaining in power. To remain strong, Otto had to play the interests of each of the Great Powers' Greek adherents against the others, while not irritating the Great Powers. When Greece was blockaded by the British Royal Navy in 1850 and again in 1854, to stop Greece from attacking the Ottoman Empire during the Crimean War , Otto's standing amongst Greeks suffered. As

6900-541: The surname of a family who was likely of Frankish origin, but had been Hellenized. Some have suggested that the toponym Plaka derives from the Arvanitika Pliak Athena , meaning 'Old Athens'; from Albanian plak 'old'. Others have suggested that it derives from the presence of a plaque (Greek: πλάκα; romanized: plaka ) which once marked its central intersection. The latter view is also supported by linguist Charalampos Symeonides (2010), who stated that Plaka

6992-524: The times of Apostle Paul . Muslim families were still living in Greece during Otto's reign, since hostility was mainly against the Ottoman state and its repressive mechanisms and not against Muslim people. Although King Otto tried to function as an absolute monarch, as Thomas Gallant writes, he "was neither ruthless enough to be feared, nor compassionate enough to be loved, nor competent enough to be respected." By 1843, public dissatisfaction with him had reached crisis proportions and there were demands for

7084-516: The tourist boom. In the 1980s, a comprehensive preservation plan was implemented, and the area improved rapidly. Nowadays Plaka is a major tourist destination. Plaka is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists around the year, and is under strict zoning and conservation regulations, as the only neighborhood in Athens where all utilities (water, power, cable television, telephone, internet, and sewage) lie underground in fully accessible, custom-made tunneling. Museums in Plaka include: Many movies of

7176-468: The upper level, - Ano Plaka - located right under the Acropolis and the lower level - Kato Plaka - situated between Syntagma and Monastiraki. Plaka was developed mostly around the ruins of Ancient Agora of Athens . It is the oldest district of Athens and has been continuously inhabited from the neolithic to the present day. As a result, Plaka contains monuments form all periods of the city's history. Some of

7268-584: The vacant throne, including Prince Frederick of the Netherlands and Otto's uncle, Prince Karl Theodor of Bavaria . Even an Irishman named Nicholas Macdonald Sarsfield Cod'd put himself forward, claiming descent from the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty. Ultimately, they settled on Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , and the amended London Protocol of 1830 recognized him as the de jure sovereign of Greece. Although initially enthusiastic, Leopold

7360-523: Was a major commercial success, and was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film. The movie was based on the novel, Zorba the Greek , by author Nikos Kazantzakis . Other important films during this period include Antigone (1961) and Electra (1962), both of which starred Irene Papas , The Red Lanterns (1963) by director Vasilis Georgiadis , and Battlefield Constantinople (1970), which starred

7452-450: Was discouraged by the limited borders established by the protocol and Britain's refusal to grant financial support to the vulnerable new state. Due to this, as well as personal reasons, he formally rejected the crown three months later. Kapodistrias' assassination in 1831 destabilized Greece, and caused British Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston to convene the London conference . Here, the crown

7544-463: Was initially enthusiastically welcomed by the Greek people as an end to the chaos of the prior years and the beginning of the rejuvenation of the Greek nation. A year later Greek poet Panagiotis Soutsos evoked the scene in Leander , the first novel to be published in independent Greece: O King of Greece! Old Greece bequeathed the lights of learning to Germany, through you Germany has undertaken to repay

7636-489: Was nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture. The production of Greek films increased after the fall of the dictatorship in the mid-1970s, though the industry struggled with foreign competition and the rise of television. Michael Cacoyannis' 1977 film, Iphigenia , was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. During the 1970s and 1980s Theo Angelopoulos directed

7728-429: Was offered to the 17-year-old Prince Otto, which he happily accepted. The Bavarian House of Wittelsbach had no connections to the ruling dynasties of any of the Great Powers, and so was a neutral choice with which they were all satisfied. The Greeks were not consulted, but Greece was in chaos and no group or individual could claim to represent it anyway. The London Protocol of 1832 therefore finally recognized Greece as

7820-422: Was screened at Cannes, and launched Greek cinema into its "golden age." Melina Mercouri , who starred in the film, met American expatriate director Jules Dassin at Cannes while attending the screening, and the two would eventually marry. Dassin directed the 1960 Greek film, Never on Sunday , which starred Mercouri. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Mercouri, and won

7912-565: Was the President of the Privy Council and the first representative (or Prime Minister) of the new Greek government. The other members of the Regency Council were Karl von Abel and Georg Ludwig von Maurer , with whom von Armansperg often clashed. After the king reached his majority in 1835, von Armansperg was made Arch-Secretary, but was called Arch-Chancellor by the Greek press. Britain and

8004-400: Was the most successful movie of the decade. In 2003, A Touch of Spice ( Politiki kouzina ), a big-budget film by director Tasos Boulmetis , was the most successful film of the year at the Greek box office , making over 12 million euros. 2004 was also a good year for Greek films, with Pantelis Voulgaris 's Brides ( Nyfes ) gathering more than a million spectators and over 7 million at

8096-613: Was the opening film of the 40th Rotterdam International Film Festival , Alps , directed by Yorgos Lanthimos won the Best Screenplay Award at the Venice International Film Festival and Unfair World , directed by Filippos Tsitos won the Best Actor Award for Antonis Kafetzopoulos at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In 2012, L by Babis Makridis premiered in competition at

8188-522: Was to keep balance and avoid discrediting Greece in the eyes of Western Europe as a backward, religiously intolerant society. Catholic communities had been established in Greece since the 13th century (Athens, Cyclades, Chios, Crete). Jewish communities also existed in the country, those arriving after the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain (1492) joining the earlier Romaniotes , Jews who had been living there since

8280-448: Was to make a detailed archaeological and topographic survey of Athens. He assigned Gustav Eduard Schaubert and Stamatios Kleanthis to complete this task. At that time, Athens had a population of roughly 4,000–5,000 people, located mainly in what today covers the district of Plaka in Athens . Athens was chosen as the Greek capital for historical and sentimental reasons, not because it was

8372-409: Was to make the Great Powers' parties more powerful, not less. The Great Powers did not support curtailing Otto's increasing absolutism, however, which resulted in a near permanent conflict between Otto's absolute monarchy and the power bases of his Greek subjects. Otto found himself confronted by a number of intractable ecclesiastical issues: 1) monasticism , 2) Autocephaly , 3) the king as head of

8464-519: Was viewed as a heretic by many pious Greeks; however, his heirs would have to be Orthodox , according to the terms of the 1843 Constitution. King Otto brought his personal brewmaster with him, Herr Fuchs, a Bavarian who stayed in Greece after Otto's departure and introduced Greece to beer, under the label " Fix ". Popular heroes and leaders of the Greek Revolution, such as generals Theodoros Kolokotronis and Yiannis Makriyiannis , who opposed

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