Lazaros Koundouriotis Historical Mansion

The house of the Hydra nobleman Lazaros Kountouriotis, built during the island’s naval heyday, dominates the western side of Hydra’s harbor.

In the mansion of this prominent political figure of modern Greece, significant deliberations took place regarding the issues of the 1821 Revolution, and distinguished personalities of the time, both Greek and foreign, were hosted.

In 1979, the house was donated to the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece by his great-grandson, Pantelis Kountouriotis, and his wife, Frosso, with the purpose of being converted into a museum. After extensive restoration and conservation work, the historic house has been open to the public since the summer of 2001 and operates as a branch of the National Historical Museum.

The Society, staying true to the donors’ wishes and recognizing the value of the Kountouriotis mansion within Hydra’s unique architectural and historical heritage, preserved all of its historical and architectural elements intact and created accessible exhibition spaces.

The upper floor is presented as it was experienced by the last descendant of the family and donor, Pantelis Kountouriotis, with the furniture, utensils, paintings, and personal belongings of the Kountouriotis family. On the top floor, a remarkable collection from the National Historical Museum is displayed, including traditional costumes, jewelry, decorative, and utilitarian objects, primarily showcasing island folk art.

On the ground floor, in the old cellars of the house, which have been suitably adapted, paintings by two renowned Greek and internationally recognized painters, Pericles Byzantios (1893-1972) and his son, Konstantinos Byzantios (1924-2007), are permanently exhibited. Both artists had close family ties with the Kountouriotis family.