Makriyannis Wing

On the evening of June 2, 2018, the Ioannis Makriyannis Wing of the Gennadius Library opened. The wing showcases many of the treasures of the School, taken from our libraries and archives, in a modern exhibition space, free and open to the public. The Makriyannis Wing will also holds educational exhibitions about the important archaeological and scientific work of the American School. With its contemporary style, versatile space, and inviting interior, the Makriyannis Wing serves the expanding mission of the American School for decades to come.

Constantine (Deno) Macricostas, chairman of the technology company Photronics, and his family named the wing after national hero Ioannis Makriyannis (1797–1864), who fought in the Greek War of Independence (1821–1832), and who was later instrumental in the granting of the first constitution. Macricostas’s mother was born in the village of Krokilio, near the birthplace of General Makriyannis.

The courtyard of the wing, the Georges Family Courtyard Terrace, was donated by John A. Georges, Operating Partner of One Rock Capital Partners, LLC, in honor of his family.

About Ioannis Makriyannis

Yannis Makriyannis (1797–1864), born Ioannis Triantaphyllou, was a Greek merchant, military officer, politician and author, best known today for his Memoirs. Starting from humble origins, he joined the Greek struggle for independence, achieving the rank of general and leading his men to notable victories. Following Greek independence, he had a tumultuous public career, playing a prominent part in the granting of the first Constitution of the Kingdom of Greece and later being sentenced to death and pardoned.

Despite his important contributions to the political life of the early Greek state, general Makriyannis is mostly remembered for his Memoirs. Aside from being a source of historical and cultural information about the period, this work has also been called a "monument of Modern Greek literature", as it is written in pure Demotic Greek. Indeed, its literary quality led Nobel laureate Giorgos Seferis to call Makriyannis one of the greatest masters of Modern Greek prose.