The Photography Museum "Christos Kalemkerisς" was founded as an Approved organization of the Municipal Right of the Municipality of Kalamaria in 2001. The offices are housed temporarily in an apartment in 100 Aigiaou Street, until the three-level building which is the permanent exhibition area of the Museum in the area of the military base "Kodra" has been restored.

The archives of Mr. Christos Kalemkeri include rich and important material from 1838 to today with subject important themes of Greek and foreign photographers which make up the history of photography in Greece during the 19th and 20th centuries. More specifically the following subjects are included:

Α. HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Regards photographic material that refers to technical changes which developed from the birth of photography until today and the study of the prehistory and history of photography.

1. Important recording and archiving of photographs of all the professional photographers, Greek and foreign, who worked in Greece in the 19th century. Amongst them Phillipos Margaritis, Dimitrios Konstantinou, P. Moraitis and other photographers excellent samples of their work which belong to the material of the Museum.
 

The woman in the photo by F. Margariti, Felicite, in local costume
of Attica, Photograph, 1855.

2. Famous Greek photographers who have worked as professionals abroad.

3. Inventory of photographs of the first important Greek and foreign tourists who photographed different areas and towns of Greece, emphasizing its archaeological richness.

4. Photographs of Greek archaeological monuments of Asia Minor an Italy and Egyptian archaeology by the biggest Greek and foreign photographers of the 19th Century.

5. Albums of photographs which cover towns of countries of the Mediterranean in the 19th century.

The Athens Acadimia, end of 19^th century

Lysikratous Monument, Athens, end of 19^th century

Erechthio,Acropolis Athens, end of 19^th century

B. HISTORY OF GREECE

The archives of the Museum include photographic documents from wars that played a determining role in the history of Hellenism, like:

1. Greek-Turkish war1897 (Thessaly).

2. Α' Balkan war. Humorous album of British photo reporter Haworth J. Woodly, donation to successor to Konstantinos and then the Queen of Greece. Album of French war photo reports with the subject the overtaking of Limnos and the Greek against Turkish fleet. The overtaking of Imvrou and Tenedos and Agiou Oros by the Greek forces.

3. Β' Balkan war. Album by Zietz and Romaidi Brothers with subject the battles of the Greek army against the Bulgarian forces.

4. Α' World War. Photographs of the forces of Entebe and the battle of the Central Forces.

5. Β' World War. The destruction of the port of Thessaloniki by the Germans.

Aerial photography in the A' World War. Panoramic view of the area of Kalamaria. On the right we can see today’s army base Kodra with the barracks made by the Turks.

Railway line towards Kalamaria at the point of today’s Agias Sofias street in Thessaloniki.

Osman Sait, the Mayor of Thessaloniki during 1920-1922 greets the princess Eleni.

Picture of the seaside avenue of Thessaloniki, through the destruction of the port of the town, by the Germans during their withdrawal at the end of the B' World War.

6. Asia Minor campaign. Photographic material of all the phases of the ventures of the Greek army.

C. PORTRAITS

Portraits of important personalities played an important part in Greek history and culture. Kings, politicians, artists etc.

Harilaos Trikoupis (1832-1897)

Theodoros Diligiannis (1824-1905)

D. FOLKLORE TRADITION

Soldiers, politicians, urban and other types of traditional costumes from all over Greece make up the history of Greek costumes.

Kilt-wearing men. Photograph P. Moraits, Alboumina 1880

Woman in traditional outfit of Attica. Photo F. Margaritis, 1853-1855.

E.GREEK TOPOGRAPHY

Rare albums and single photos of the cities of Greece by distinguished Greek and foreign photographers of the 19th century.

View of the port of Pireas in 1885.

Partial view of Trikala around 1884. On the banks of the river Lithaiou men carry water with their animals while the women wash clothes. Photo. D. Michailidis, Andrianoupoli.

The beautiful stone arched bridge over the river Pineos in Larissa in 1884. People admire the view while loaded animals are coming over the bridge. Phot. D. Michailidis.

Partial view of Larissa in 1884. On the right we can see Hussein Mosque with its minarets. Phot. D. Michailidis, Andrianoupoli.

Panoramic view of Fanari Karditsas in 1885.

F. GREEK RAILWAYS

Albums and photos of the four Railway Networks of Greece, which fully cover the history of trains. Three albums have already been published. A. Trains of Northern Greece - published, B. Thessalian Railways - published D. Railways of Peloponnesian Railways (will be published in June 2003) D. Railways of Mainland Greece - will be published during 2004. The above four volumes make up the encyclopedia of trains of Greece.

The old railway of Thessaloniki during the years of ottoman occupation, around the end of the 19th century.

The main station of the lines of the Junction in Thessaloniki, with the installations and the building the main operations of the railway service.

The railway bridge of Alfeiou in the Peloponese during the first stages of construction in 1889.

The King George Α' at the opening of the railway station of Halkida.

G. CONSTANTINOPLE-SMIRNI

Agia Sofia

Waterside Smyrna, end of 19th century