DOROVINIS COUNTRY HOUSES  IN CRETE

Vassilis and Ioanna Dorovinis, experts in the protection of Greek Environment and Heritage, have been engaged in a cultural-green tourism project in the historic village of Anatoli, municipality of Ierapetra, Southeastern Crete, Greece.

The semi deserted village of ANATOLI was not chosen by chance. It has the characteristics of a common, semi mountainous traditional village of last century, with simple, severe stone houses, that are tied up together and adjusted to the rocky environment in a unique and marvelous way. The landscape  reminds Santorini for the stunning views to the sea and Monemvassia for the rocky formations.

The project aimed at the restoration of simple, common looking, dilapidated houses, which could become distinguished models of traditional houses, through fine restoration interventions.

Three (2) houses, PASIPHAE and SMARAGDA, have already been restored in an exemplary way, combining the lost qualities of traditional home architecture with modern facilities and luxury. Two (2) other adjacent houses, in the old market street, have been joined and converted into a luxury Sitting-Coffee and Restaurant Lounge, the “MESOHORIA”, with Open Bar on the terraces and stunning views to the sea. Six (6) other ruins located at various and unique places of the village were to be restored as vacation houses and one of them as an Art Shop, while an olive groove lot of 750 m2 (at the borders of the village with stunning views to the sea), was to be converted into a Mediterranean Garden with swimming pool, spa, beauty facilities and open air Jacuzzi.

Today the project is seeking to be undertaken by a private investor, while the ruins are offered for sale and restoration as vacation houses.

IOANNA DOROVINIS is an architect (M.Sc. Columbia Un. NYC), specialist in Conservation of Historic Buildings and Settlements (M.A. York Un.UK), with a PhD in History of Architecture (Athens Polytechnique Un.).

The village of Anatoli in Ierapetra Crete was the last stop in her long journey for the safeguard of Cretan Architectural Heritage, for which she has devoted the last 20 years of her career by the Ministry of Planning, Department of Traditional Settlements.

When she first visited the village, in 1997, in an autumn rainy day, the ruins and the landscape around exerted such strong  influence to her that she decided to buy a house in Crete, the PASIPHAE (after the queen of Minoa), and convert it into a family resort.  Another house, the KALLIROHE  (from the water nymph)   followed soon, and as the merits, beauty and diversity of local architectural patterns were revealed, more ruined houses were added to the company’s  property, while other owners were inspired to save and restore their houses.

She is the writer of many articles concerning architectural heritage, while her doctorate thesis will soon be published under the title “The Domestic Architecture of Mytilene, Lesbos island, (1830-1920) Historical background-City Planning-Architecture”.

VASSILIS DOROVINIS is a lawyer (University of Athens),   a political scientist and an historian (D.E.S. University Paris -I ), practicing at the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece.

He was born in Argos and has participated in many famous court cases, concerning   heritage preservation and natural environment.

He was a delegate of the Greek N.G.O’s to the Aarhus Convention and currently a member of a European Network of Lawyers for the protection of the environment.
He is a legal consultant of the French Archaeological School of Athens and a lecturer at the University of Technology of Athens.

He has written many articles in scientific periodicals, as in the well known “Archaeology and the Arts”

The Dorovinis are members of the “Greek Society for the Protection of Architectural Heritage and the Environment”, and of the corresponding European “Europa Nostra”.
They have a 10 year old son, Costadis