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12 Treasures at the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum

12 Treasures at the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum

Located in Varvari or Myrtia, a beautiful village within the Municipality of Archanes, Asterousia, lies the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum.

In its halls, the museum showcases 12 treasures:

  1. The original manuscript of ‘The Ascent’
  2. The Mt Athos Notebook-Calendar
  3. Handwritten drafts of Kazantzakis' ‘Odyssey’
  4. A collector's first edition of 'Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas'
  5. Kazantzakis' Cretan ‘vourgiali’ (rucksack)
  6. The screenplay by Anthony Quinn for the film ‘Zorba the Greek’
  7. Costume designs by G Tsarouchis for the film ‘Christ Recrucified
  8. Costume designs for the theatrical production of ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’
  9. Artefacts from the Spanish Civil War
  10. A portrait-sketch of Kazantzakis by Fotis Kontoglou
  11. A life-sized terracotta figure of Kazantzakis
  12. A photo album featuring Nikos Kazantzakis in Crete in 1945
Unveiling ‘The Ascent’: A Journey Through Nikos Kazantzakis' Lost Manuscript
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Unveiling ‘The Ascent’: A Journey Through Nikos Kazantzakis' Lost Manuscript

Unveiling ‘The Ascent’: A Journey Through Nikos Kazantzakis' Lost Manuscript

The manuscript was discovered among the belongings of George Anemogiannis, the founder of the museum, alongside several other significant and previously unknown documents. These discoveries have come to light in recent years, shedding new insights into the history and legacy of the museum's founder.
Heraklion
Exploring Nikos Kazantzakis: Unveiling the Mt Athos Calendar Notebook
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Exploring Nikos Kazantzakis: Unveiling the Mt Athos Calendar Notebook

Exploring Nikos Kazantzakis: Unveiling the Mt Athos Calendar Notebook

It is one of the oldest notebooks-diaries of the author, written in a notebook, the type commonly used in the previous two centuries for keeping financial accounts, including income and expenditure records.
Heraklion
Unveiling Kazantzakis' Odyssey: Exploring Handwritten Manuscripts
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Unveiling Kazantzakis' Odyssey: Exploring Handwritten Manuscripts

Unveiling Kazantzakis' Odyssey: Exploring Handwritten Manuscripts

In 2008, George Stasinakis joyfully donates two Kazantzakis' Odyssey volumes to the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum.
Heraklion
Exploring the First Edition of 'Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas’: Author's Manuscript Corrections Unveiled
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Exploring the First Edition of 'Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas’: Author's Manuscript Corrections Unveiled

Exploring the First Edition of 'Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas’: Author's Manuscript Corrections Unveiled

The significance of this collector's edition lies in the multitude of corrections and additions made by the author himself in preparation for the second edition of the work.
Heraklion
Dancing with Zorba: Antony Quinn's Screenplay for 'Zorba the Greek' Film
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Dancing with Zorba: Antony Quinn's Screenplay for 'Zorba the Greek' Film

Dancing with Zorba: Antony Quinn's Screenplay for 'Zorba the Greek' Film

Quinn, deeply impressed by the expressive power and profound ideas of Kazantzakis, dedicated himself to his work with great intensity, meticulous attention to detail, and utmost respect. His goal was to capture the essence of Zorba's character as faithfully as possible.
Heraklion
Costume Creations by Y Tsarouchis for ‘Christ Recrucified’ Film
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Costume Creations by Y Tsarouchis for ‘Christ Recrucified’ Film

Costume Creations by Y Tsarouchis for ‘Christ Recrucified’ Film

Yannis Tsarouchis (1910–1989) is celebrated as one of the most prominent contemporary Greek painters, achieving international recognition. In addition to his acclaimed career as a painter, Tsarouchis found success as a set designer, contributing his talents to both Greek and foreign theatres.
Heraklion
Visions in Fabric: Costume Designs for 'Sodom and Gomorrah'
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Visions in Fabric: Costume Designs for 'Sodom and Gomorrah'

Visions in Fabric: Costume Designs for 'Sodom and Gomorrah'

The costumes for the show were created by Gerda Schulte, one of Germany's most remarkable and pioneering theatre costume designers in the early postwar decades.
Heraklion
Echoes of the Spanish Civil War: Uncovering Forgotten Stories
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Echoes of the Spanish Civil War: Uncovering Forgotten Stories

Echoes of the Spanish Civil War: Uncovering Forgotten Stories

On 1st October 1936, Emilios Chourmouzios, the editor-in-chief of Kathimerini newspaper, urgently sent a telegram to Kazantzakis, inviting him to assume the role of the newspaper's official correspondent for the Spanish Civil War.
Heraklion
Kazantzakis: A Portrait Sketch by Fotis Kontoglou
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Kazantzakis: A Portrait Sketch by Fotis Kontoglou

Kazantzakis: A Portrait Sketch by Fotis Kontoglou

On the back of the artwork, there is a handwritten dedication from its creator, Fotis Kontoglou, reflecting his characteristic humility, to the author.
Heraklion
Terracotta Full-Length Figure Depicting Nikos Kazantzakis
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Terracotta Full-Length Figure Depicting Nikos Kazantzakis

Terracotta Full-Length Figure Depicting Nikos Kazantzakis

This terracotta sculpture, standing at a height of 34 cm, was crafted by Frosso Efthymiadi in 1945.
Heraklion
Photo Album: Nikos Kazantzakis in 1945 Crete
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Photo Album: Nikos Kazantzakis in 1945 Crete

Photo Album: Nikos Kazantzakis in 1945 Crete

The album features five carefully selected photographs capturing Nikos Kazantzakis during the Central Committee for the Verification of Atrocities mission to Crete in the summer of that year.
Heraklion

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12 Treasures at the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum