Palataki (Kyverneio)

The Palataki (Little palace) or Kyverneio (Government House) is a neoclassical building at the cape of Mikro Emvolo or Karabournaki. It is considered a typical example of neoclassical palace architecture with a propylaeum and a peristyle consisting of Ionic columns. There is also a small church, a helipad and access to the sea, where there was a small marina. Pericles Sakellarios and Ioannis Christopoulos designed it to serve as the official residence of the Minister for Northern Greece. The mansion consists of two main floors covering 1,604 square metres (17265 square feet). The basement covers 1,330 square metres (14316 square feet) and holds the kitchens, laundry, and storage rooms.

Construction began in the late 1950s. In 1963 it was transferred to the Greek royal family as a residence, but it was little used since the royal family preferred to stay at the Méditerranée Hotel on Thessaloniki’s seafront. In 1968 the military junta returned the building to the Ministry for Northern Greece. After 1974 it was used as a residence by the Minister for Macedonia-Thrace and by the Prime Minister (and later President of the Republic) Konstantinos Karamanlis. For many years Palataki hosted the annual reception for the opening of the Thessaloniki International Fair. In 1997, it hosted the large exhibition of works by the Italian painter Caravaggio (1571-1610) as part of the events celebrating Thessaloniki as the European Capital of Culture. Today it is used periodically for outdoor concerts, exhibitions, and artistic events.