The old customs office of Nafplio in southern Greece, which is characterized as a historical monument and work of art, has been granted to the Greek Ministry of Culture by the Ministry of Finance in order to house cultural events.
The building that was probably designed by architect Stamatis Cleanthes in 1830, was operating as a customs office until 1999.
In 2004, the building was granted by the Greek Public Real Estate Organization to the Nafplio municipality on condition that it would be restored, which never happened. In 2012, the Coast Guard Authority of Nafplio and the Ministry of Justice requested the building in order to house their services. However, both authorities never submitted a plan for its use.
In January 2014, the Ministry of Culture made an official request to be granted use of the property to house cultural events. The Directorate of Technical Services and Housing of the Finance Ministry decided to grant use of the building to the Ministry of Culture.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture, Lina Mendoni said, “I believe it is an ideal place to house the modern economic history of the Peloponnese, which is rich and interesting. But this is just an idea, and we will see when the time comes. Now, we need to do an autopsy and then examine the stages for the building’s restoration.”
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