5. Homerion Cultural Center

The center’s name and logo refer to Homer. It was named ‘Homerion’, as the vision of its founders was to revive the Homerion Gymnasium of ancient Chios. The center disposes a modern theater hall, a conference hall and exhibition areas. Each year it hosts various artistic workshops and the proceedings of the Homeric Academy, the only Greek Academy which is a member of Euroclassica and attracts prestigious researchers on Homer from around the world. It operates on a daily basis except for Monday and Thursday mornings. You can learn more about the center’s events and activities through its official website.

At the Center’s entrance you can admire a marble bust of Homer. It was created in 1972 by Mary Papakonstantinou, a sculptor from Chios, who was inspired by the representations of Homer on ancient busts, as well as on various coins. The name OMIROS (Homer) is carved at its base, accompanied by a lyre in relief, under which one reads a verse from the Hymn dedicated to Apollo. The sculptor also plans to create a bust of Homer whose plaster pattern is exhibited at the entrance of the Regional Unit of Chios building. The entrance to the Cultural Center is decorated by a bronze bust of Homer, the work of an unknown artist, which is a true copy of one of the poet’s most known portraits, dating to the Hellenistic period.