Dora d’ Istria, the pioneering Romanian Philhellene and her only known painting

 

The SHP and the Philhellenism Museum, in collaboration with the Embassy of Romania in the Hellenic Republic, organized on June 11th, 2026 a cultural event dedicated to the prominent personality of Dora d’ Istria (Elena Ghica), one of the most distinguished Romanian and European personalities who left their mark on the intellectual life of the 19th century.

Dora d’Istria, the literary pseudonym of Elena Ghica (1828-1888), was a great author, a pioneer of women’s emancipation, and a constant supporter of cultural dialogue between nations in promoting the right to freedom and equality.

The event took place at the Philhellenism Museum in Athens and brought together Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Greece, representatives of the Greek cultural, religious and academic community and of the local authorities, members of the Romanian community, and numerous guests interested in the shared cultural heritage of Romania and Greece.

The programme opened with introductory speech about the distinguished Philhellene Elena Ghica by Mr. Constantinos Velentzas, Founder and President of the Philhellenism Museum and of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism. A special moment of the evening was the presentation by Mr. Velentzas, for the first time in Greece, of a unique landscape, the only known painting created by Dora d’ Istria, acquired by the Philhellenism Museum last year, highlighting a lesser-known dimension of her artistic personality.

In her address, H.E. Mrs. Carmen-Ileana Mihălcescu, Ambassador of Romania to the Hellenic Republic, emphasized Dora d’ Istria’s exceptional contribution to European culture, her advocacy for education and women’s rights, and her role in fostering intercultural dialogue throughout Europe and the region. The Ambassador underlined the enduring relevance of the legacy of Dora d’ Istria, founded on the values of freedom, knowledge, human dignity, and mutual understanding among nations.

This was followed by the presentation by professor of the University of Athens, Mr. Yiannis Deligiannis, which focused on the close connection of Dora d’ Istria with Greece, her philhellenic activity and the influence of Greek culture on European culture.

The event further featured the inauguration of an exhibition of paintings by Romanian artist Ana Iulia Miheșan, inspired by themes of identity, heritage, and cultural connection. The exhibition created a meaningful dialogue between contemporary artistic expression and the humanist values promoted by Dora d’Istria throughout her life. The exhibition by Iulia Miheșan can be visited at the Philhellenism Museum until 22 June 2026.

 

Information: info@phmus.org

 

Messolonghi and Philhellenism: two-day events

 

The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism and the Philhellenism Museum, in collaboration with the Municipality of the Sacred City of Messolonghi, continue their collaboration with the aim of promoting the city as a constant beacon of Philhellenism.

In the context of the bicentenary of the Exodus of Messolonghi, 1826-2026, a memorial ceremony and tribute was organised dedicated to the fallen British officer Frank Abney Hastings, the admiral and commander of the emblematic corvette “Karteria”, the first steam-powered warship in world history designed in London and firstly used during the Greek War of Independence.

The event took place on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, at the historic site of the Frank Abney Hastings Monument in Aitoliko, in the city where in May 1828 the great Philhellene officer of our naval struggle was fatally wounded, in the context of the operations for the liberation of Messolonghi.

The event was welcomed by the Mayor of the Sacred City of Messolonghi, Mr. Spyridon Diamantopoulos. Speeches were conducted first by the President of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism and the Philhellenism Museum, Mr. Constantinos Velentzas, on the topic “Frank Abney Hastings and Philhellenism”, highlighting the deep, self-sacrificing contribution of the Admiral, as well as the overall impact of the philhellenic movement and international alliances on the outcome of the Revolution, and followed by the architect and engineer and Head of the Restoration of Ancient Monuments of the Ministry of Culture, Dr. Michalis Lefantzis, on the topic “The “Karteria” and the action of the emblematic ship”, which focused on the technological pioneering and military action of the historic corvette that changed the course of naval battles forever.

The inauguration of the exhibition “Messolonghi, City of Liberty and Ecumene” at the Trikoupion Cultural Center of the Sacred City of Messolonghi followed on Sunday, May 24th, 2026.

The first exhibition presented at the Trikoupion Cultural Center is an extensive tribute to Philhellenism with the collaboration of the Municipality of the Sacred City of Messolonghi and the Philhellenism Museum, and the support of the Hellenic Parliament.

The inauguration ceremony was held by the Mayor of the Sacred City of Messolonghi, Mr. Spyridon Diamantopoulos, the President of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism and the Philhellenism Museum, Mr. Constantinos Velentzas and the collector Mr. Nikitas Stavrinakis.

The exhibition presents, through more than a hundred original rare exhibits, the historical dimension of the events of the Exodus, which determined the development of international Philhellenism during the 19th century.

The curator of the exhibition, Mr. Thodoris Koutsogiannis, Dr. of Art History and Curator of the Art Collection of the Hellenic Parliament, guided visitors through the important historical documents and works of art, analysing the iconography of the era and highlighting the impact that the Exodus of Messolonghi had on an international level.

The exhibition will last until July 2026, constituting a central point of reference for visitors to the city. Masterpieces of philhellenic art by internationally acclaimed artists and rare original documents of the Revolution are exhibited for the very first time in the Sacred City of Messolonghi in the context of the 200th anniversary of the Exodus, 1826-2026.
The exhibits come from the Collection of the Philhellenism Museum, while special honorary participation is given to the collectors Evangelos Angelakos, Konstantinos Arniakos, Nikitas Stavrinakis and Nikos Lyros, whom we warmly thank for their kind response.

The exhibition is held with the support of the Hellenic Parliament and the kind sponsorship of AEGEAS AMKE, Lilian Voudouri Foundation, George and Victoria Karelia Foundation, Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism.

 

Information: info@phmus.org

Invitation to the opening of an exhibition in Messolonghi

 

The Mayor of the Sacred City of Messolonghi Spyridon V. Diamantopoulos and the President of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism Constantinos Velentzas cordially invite you to the opening of the exhibition “Messolonghi City of Liberty and Ecumene” at the Trikoupio Cultural Center of the Sacred City of Messolonghi on Sunday, May 24th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.

The periodical exhibition, organised in collaboration with the Municipality of the Sacred City of Messolonghi and the Philhellenism Museum, presents the international impact of the Exodus of Messolonghi in 1826 and the enormous wave of support for the struggling Greeks, as it broke out in Europe and America.

Unique works of Philhellenic art and rare documents of the Struggle of Greeks and Philhellenes are exhibited for the first time in the Sacred City of Messolonghi in the context of the historical 200th anniversary of the Exodus, 1826-2026.

The exhibition is conducted with the kind support of the Hellenic Parliament and the kind sponsorship of the AEGEAS AMKE, the Lilian Voudouri Foundation, the George and Victoria Karelia Foundation, the Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, the Ioannis S. Latsis Public Welfare Foundation, the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism.

Information: info@phmus.org

 

The Philhellenism Museum at This Is Athens City Festival 2026

 

The Philhellenism Museum collaborates with the City of Athens for another year and participates in the This Is Athens City Festival 2026.

Sundays 10 and 17 May 2026 are dedicated to the people who loved Greece and sacrificed for its freedom. The action “In the Footsteps of the Philhellenes” offers a live guided tour of the heart of Athens, connecting emblematic landmarks with the personalities that sealed the Greek War of Independence.

Participants will, among other things, follow a route that includes:

– The Russian Church and the Anglican Church (where the remains of Frank Abney Hastings are kept).
– The historic district of Plaka, the Church residence, the Finley residence and the Hill School.
– Spots and stops at the emblematic sculpture of Lord Byron, the bust of Eynard and the Monument of Lysicrates.
– References to the sieges of the Acropolis.

 

Dates: 10 & 17 May 2026

Hours: 11:00 – 13:00

Meeting point: Rallou Manou Square at the Russian Church of Athens (Syntagma)

Free admission with reservation required.

Reservations: send your name, title/capacity, mobile number and email to info@phmus.org

The guided tour will be conducted in Greek language.

 

Sponsors:

    

 

Minister of Education Sofia Zacharaki visits the Philhellenism Museum

 

The Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Sofia Zacharaki, visited the Philhellenism Museum and had a guided tour of its collections.

The Minister was informed about the classical education received by most Philhellenes who supported the Greek War of Independence in their countries, or arrived in Greece as volunteers to fight for its freedom, and the pivotal role it had in promoting the Philhellenic movement. The visit took place in the context of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Exodus of Messolonghi, which was the pinnacle moment of the Greek War of Independence.

Ms. Zacharaki expressed her admiration for the large-scale oil painting of the “School of Athens”, the most famous work of the Italian painter and architect of the early Renaissance, Raphael, a rare reproduction of which is exhibited at the Philhellenism Museum. The figures of Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Euclid, Thucydides, as well as Apollo and Athena, embody the classical spirit of antiquity and underline the timeless value of classical education.

Contact: info@phmus.org

 

US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle visits the Philhellenism Museum

 

H.E. U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Ms. Kimberly Guilfoyle, visited the Philhellenism Museum, toured its collections focusing in particular on the section dedicated to the American Philhellenism.

The museum colleagues presented the Ambassador important exhibits demonstrating that the Founding Fathers of the United States were deeply influenced by Greek education and studied Greek history and literature in depth. Ambassador Guilfoyle was particularly interested in a document written in Ancient Greek by the second U.S. President, John Adams. The text features an excerpt from Herodotus concerning the history of the Ionian Confederacy. The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SHP) will soon unveil this significant document during a special event at the museum.

Ambassador Guilfoyle was also moved by the true stories of orphans from the Greek War of Independence who were adopted into American families and later became prominent members of U.S. society.

 

Contact: info@phmus.org

 

27-28/9/2025 Celebration of the anniversary of the naval battle of Itea

 

The SHP and the Philhellenism Museum participated in the celebrations for the 198th anniversary of the naval battle of Itea (Angali), which took place on 27 and 28/9/2025.

This historic naval battle played a decisive role in the success of the Greek Revolution and paved the way for the liberation of Western Central Greece. The great Philhellene Frank Abney Hastings, commander of Karteria, founder of the Hellenic Navy and national benefactor of Greece, played a leading role in it.

The anniversary is dedicated to all the Philhellenes who, through continuous fundraising, financed the equipment of the Greek army and navy during the Revolution. It is also dedicated to all the Greeks and Philhellenes volunteers, who manned the Karteria, the first steam-powered warship in the history of Europe, and fought with it for the freedom of Greece.

After 200 years, the SHP implemented the decision of the Fourth National Assembly and handed over the Philhellenes monument, that has been placed on Vasilissis Sophias avenue in front of the War Museum, listing 2000 names of Philhellenes.

At the same time, the SHP recently agreed with the Prefecture of Central Greece and the Municipality of Delphi – Itea, to finance and deliver to Itea, in September 2026, a monument with a bust of Hastings, on the trunk of which will be engraved all the names of the Greeks and Philhellenes of the crews of the Karteria and the fleet that participated in the naval battle of Angali. Among them are the British Georges Thomas, the French Baron Denzel, the Danish officer Fabriciοus, the African-American James Williams and many others.

For information: info@eefshp.org

 

Guided tours of the exhibitions of the Philhellenism Museum in the Hellenic Parliament, and at its premises

 

Dear Friends,

We thank you for your interest and warm response to the activities of the Philhellenism Museum.

The visits and guided tours of hundreds of friends to our exhibitions in the Hellenic Parliament and in our Museum were successfully completed (indicative photos from the last tour are attached).

We remain at your disposal and will be happy to welcome you to the upcoming events of the Philhellenism Museum.

 

Information:
SHP – Philhellenism Museum
Τ.: +30 2108094750
E.: info@phmus.org
Add.: 12, Zisimopoulou Str., 11524 Athens, GREECE
W.: www.phmus.org | www.eefshp.org

 

Hydra: The SHP and the Philhellenism Museum at Miaoulia 2025

 

A delegation from the SHP and the Philhellenism Museum, participated on June 27-29, 2025, in the celebration of Miaoulia 2025 in Hydra, and honoured the struggle of Greeks and Philhellenes for the liberation of Greece.

The delegation included Mr. Christos Paraskevopoulos, member of the Advisory Committee of the SHP and descendant of the Italian Philhellene Giuseppe Chiappe who participated in the Greek Revolution of 1821.

During the events, the SHP participated in the official ceremony organized by the Municipality of Hydra for the naming of a central street of the island, with the names of the Italian Philhellenes Giuseppe Chiappe and Felice Caserta, who were active in Hydra during the period 1821 – 1831. The SHP members participated in the conference that followed, coordinated by the Mayor of Hydra, Mr. Georgios Koukoudakis.

For information: info@eefshp.org

 

 

The story of Rosa Botsari, Philhellenism and the cultural dialogue between Greece – Germany

 

 

The one and only Greek woman in the “Gallery of Beauties” in Munich, from now on has her permanent place in Athens.

The famous portrait of Katerina (“Rosa”) Botsari, a work by the leading German painter Joseph Karl Stieler, has been on display in Athens, at the Philhellenism Museum.

The unveiling of the portrait of the 19th-century Greek beauty Katerina (Rosa) Botsari, daughter of the glorious fighter Markos Botsaris, took place in March 2025 at the Philhellenism Museum, in the presence of descendants of the Souliot Botsaris family and H.E. German Ambassador to Greece, Mr. Andreas Kindl.

 

The eventful life of the daughter of the Greek fighter Markos Botsaris

Markos Botsaris’ daughter, Rosa, sealed the history of the 19th century with the unparalleled beauty of her appearance as a mostly admired woman throughout Europe, as well as the first Greek Court Lady in the service of Queen Amalia.

Rosa, a nickname she received from the characteristic rosy color of her cheeks and lips, became the protégé of Queen Amalia, and a rare variety of Danask rose species was named after her in constant remembrance of the beauty and freshness of her youth.

 

Stieler’s two unique artworks in Munich and Athens

The figure of Rosa painted in 1841 by the leading German painter Joseph Karl Stieler (1781-1858), re-established the dialogue for the promotion of European cultural heritage.

The portrait of Rosa was commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria in order to be included in the “Gallery of Beauties” at Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, which nowadays functions as a museum. The Nymphenburg Archives evidence that the artist created two identical copies, a common practice for important portraits of the time.

The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SPH) and the Philhellenism Museum in Athens acquired the work in December 2024 with the aim of incorporating Rosa’s physique in the collection of a Greek museum, and highlighting her life and family history that implies a deep connection with this of Philhellenism.

This second existing portrait, of even higher value than the first, came back to public view after 42 years, as it had remained in a private collection since it was auctioned by Sotheby’s in 1983 in London. The Philhellenism Museum acquired the work by purchase, setting a world record for the highest price ever paid for a work by the famous German portraitist Stieler.

 

The ongoing cultural dialogue between Greece and Germany

During the inauguration of the portrait in Greece, the founder and president of the Philhellenism Museum, Constantinos Velentzas, underlined the strong bonds between the two countries: “Ludwig I of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach was a Philhellene, a fanatical Hellenist, a collector and a friend of the arts. During his reign, Munich rose to prominence artistically with the construction of many neoclassical and neo-humanist buildings, modeled on the architecture of ancient Greece. One of these is the Propylaea of ​​Munich, the only monument internationally dedicated to the Revolution of 1821. Markos Botsaris, who was identified in international public opinion with Leonidas of Sparta, is the central figure who inspired Philhellenic art and Philhellenism internationally.”

The German Ambassador to Greece, Andreas Kindl, expressed his great pleasure and happiness that this major work of art will now be in Athens as well, stating in fluent Greek that “more than 400,000 people visit the “Gallery of Beauties” in Munich every year. The portraits of the Gallery were created by Louis with the aim of representing the ideal of beauty of the time and Rosa Botsari was the only Greek woman among them”. Moreover, he jokingly noted “Today we would say that Rosa was the Miss Greece of the 19th century!”, pleasantly surprising those who attended the ceremony.

The unveiling of the painting was carried out by the young Rosa Botsari, daughter of Kitsos Botsaris, grand-nephew and descendant of Markos Botsaris. Rosa spoke publicly for the very first time about her ancestor, revealing the charm that Rosa even exerted on Washington’s nephew, who was longing her to become his wife – although he did not succeed to make so.

Given the historical, cultural and artistic interest of the existence of the painting in both countries, the formation of programmes and synergies between the Nymphenburg Museum in Munich and the Philhellenism Museum in Athens will be announced soon.

 

For information: info@phmus.org