Restoration of the historic gardens of the former royal estate of Tatoi

A site analysis and restoration proposal, for the gardens and plantations of the former royal estate of Tatoi was undertaken. Tatoi was the summer residence of the Royal family of Greece since 1872 and included a pilot farm, with cowshed, dairy, winery, vineyards and olive groves, as well as the royal cemetery. It is located on Mount Parnitha, near Athens, the capital of Greece. Tatoi was abandoned in 1967 and in 2003 it was passed on to the Greek state. The estate is characterized as "historical site" and the buildings within it as "modern monuments". Within the estate over thirty buildings are preserved, some of which date back to the 1880s. The estate is open to the public in spite the lack of any organization that would accommodate the visitors. The Greek Ministry of Culture has commenced a program for the restoration of several buildings. Yet there has not been made any such effort for the gardens and the plantations of the estate. Following the site analysis, the original design of the gardens and plantations, as well as the modifications undergone over the years, were studied. On the south side of the palace, is well evident, the palace garden, which was first created in 1892. The trails and many other basic elements of the original design are preserved and are associated with the eclecticism movement. North of the palace, traces of a "park" were found, for which there is not many information in the literature. Concerning the plantations, there are still preserved the olive grove, part of the vineyard and a greenhouse that probably dates back to the beginning of the 19^th century. Based on the Florence Chart we proposed interventions for the restoration of the palace garden, the "park" and the plantations. Solutions are recommended for the most pressing functional problems of the site associated with visitors. It is emphasized that all the interventions should be part of a system that would ensure financial independence and would render the estate a suburban park with recreational and educational aspects.