Location information

Velentzas Bakery

ALI MERIA (Village) VOLOS
  This is a ground building made of stone, of a rectangular plan, 9x12 m. in dimention and consists of only one room. Its roof is wooden and covered with tiles of the "byzantine" type as well as with a circumferent zone of schist slabs. On the parts of the walls between the big windows the famous folk painter Theofhilos Chatzimichael has painted nine wall paintings -eight on the inside walls and one on the main front of the building.
  It was built in 1897. It was used as a bakery and stopped funcioning as one in 1950. The decoration by Theophilos was done in 1910.
  The building went through conservation works in 1986. The wall structure was reinforced, the roof was replaced, the plasters were repaired and there was colour added to the building.
  The building consists a storage-auxiliary room of the house-next-door.
  Today it belongs to the family of Stavros Melinis.
  In 1965 it was characterized as a Work of Art and Historical Preserved Monument.

This text is cited Sept 2003 from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture URL below, which also contains image.

Hellenic Ministry of Culture WebPage
• http://www.culture.gr/2/21/213/21305n/e213en03.htm... (1 img.)

  The road uphill which leads to Volos, passes through the central cobbled square, with a wonderful view and a century old plane tree. On the one side is the church of Aghios Athanasios with exceptional grounds and a marble fountain with crystal clear water. Walking through the cobbled streets of the village you reach Velentzas bakery where you can admire the nine famous mural paintings by the popular artist Theofilos, who passed several years of his life in this area at the beginning of the century.
  Further on is the imposing Chatziargiris mansion, enclosed by a high stone wall and Galiagra Goudelia an old oil press that has been preserved in its original form. Continuing your exploration you will reach the chapels of Aghios Ioannis, Taxiarches and Aghioi Apostoloi. You can admire the marvelous landscape around Aghioi Apostoloi with century old plane trees which cover the whole village, the renowned plane tree forest on the banks of Anavros, the pine-covered hill of Aghios Ioannis (Toumba) where the municipality has planned the landscape aesthetically so as the visitor can relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere near the stone fountain.
  You will be impressed by the variety of flowers which are cultivated in contemporary floricultural gardens. You must certainly try the delicious cooking which is served in the taverns and quench your thirst at the traditional municipal fountains which offer abundant running water.

This text is cited September 2004 from the Municipality of Portaria URL below, which contains images

• http://www.portaria.gr/aksioAli.asp (4 img.)