A great project was completed in early 2021 and the most beautiful and lively walk is a reality. Lambraki Street, which connects Vouliagmenis Avenue with Posidonos Beach Avenue, was radically renovated, with the highest quality materials and the most modern specifications, which results in a complete - functionally and aesthetically - upgrade of the wider area.
According to the standards of La Rambla, the famous street of Barcelona that connects a central square with the beach of the city, its Greek version was designed and implemented, with the difference that in the course of the reconstruction, poetry was also added.
In the center of Grigoriou Lambrakis there was an anarchic outdoor parking lot. With the new redevelopment, cars were removed from the middle part of the street (they park in new spaces placed around the perimeter), a large pedestrian and cycle path was created, many new trees, seating areas and modern lighting were added, while at the same time the element of poetry was introduced.
On their way passers-by encounter verses - in Greek and English - from the greatest Greek poets of the last two centuries (Seferi, Elytis, Ritso, Cavafy, Solomos, Palamas, Karyotakis and other great ones), putting the treasures of modern Greek poetry into everyday life. their.
The occasion for the construction of the Street of Poets were the busts of Odysseus Elytis and Giorgos Seferis that were for years at the junction of Lambrakis and Metaxas streets. To complete this major renovation, the busts were completely restored and re-positioned in the center of the pedestrian street.
The small building with the machines for the operation of the tram was beautified, highlighted and is now used for periodic exhibitions, the first of which is for the historical anniversary of 200 years since the start of the Greek Revolution of 1821.
The walk in this new area - which before was an inaccessible for pedestrians and "suffering" islet - turned in a few months into a unique experience for citizens - visitors.
With the completion of this great project, actions are planned with the aim of introducing poetry and literature in general into the lives of citizens. In this context, the following units of actions are carried out*:
School poetry walks: High school students of Glyfada will visit the site with the aim of getting in touch with Greek poetry and gaining knowledge about the life and activities of Greek poets.
The library of Glyfada on the Street of Poets: The extremely active municipal library of Glyfada will organize poetry evenings in the "Peripato" area, where masterpieces of modern Greek poetry will be recited and books will be collected from citizens and visitors to strengthen the library.
(Materialized): You just got your hands on a free book: During World Book Day a surprise awaited those who visited the Poets' Street. On the benches a file from the Municipality of Glyfada and inside a book, different for each one. A unique and original idea, it surprised, filled the world with joy and became a topic of discussion throughout the city.
This book came from an effort by Mayor Giorgos Papanikolaou and the Glyfada Municipal Library to integrate literature into the everyday life of citizens. It is an act of giving, solidarity and communication that aims to highlight reading as a vehicle for learning, entertainment and personal growth.
* Subject to the restrictive measures for the pandemic.
