The Town Hall of Ermoupolis: 150 Years of a Neoclassical Landmark

The Town Hall of Ermoupolis—the capital of the Greek island of Syros—is the first building documented as part of a major, multiyear research initiative launched by the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture to study the Neo-Hellenic architectural heritage of Greece. A masterpiece of Neoclassical architecture, the Town Hall was born from the shared vision of Mayor Demetrios Vafiadakis and the German architect Ernst Ziller. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the laying of the building’s foundation stone, the School of Architecture presents the most comprehensive documentation of the monument since its original construction. Conducted in Fall 2025 by students in the Master of Science in Historic Preservation program, the project combines a sophisticated documentation methodology with rigorous fieldwork and hand drawings. This comprehensive work of documentation is celebrated in the monograph P. Vitti (ed), The Town Hall of Ermoupolis. 150 Years of a Neoclassical Landmark, Athens: Melissa 2026.

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Archive Drawings Documentation

Plans and Elevation Coloured Plates Purchase the Book

Archive Drawings of the Ermoupolis Town Hall

This section presents the architectural drawings created by Ernst Ziller, illustrating the design evolution of the building from 1871 to 1888. The drawings are preserved at the General State Archives (Γ.Α.Κ.) – Cyclades Department (used with permission), except for drawing AI#27, which is held by the Municipality of Syros.

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Documentation of the Ermoupolis Town Hall

This section features the comprehensive survey drawings produced by students of the Master of Science in Historic Preservation, under the direction of Paolo Vitti and Lorenzo Fei. The on-site documentation campaign was conducted in September 2025 and focused on four main areas: the Atrium and Main Staircase, the North-East Tower, the Central Attic and Roof, and the North Elevation.

Atrium and Staircase

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North-East Tower

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Central Attic and Roof

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External Elevations

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Plan and elevation of the Ermoupolis Town Hall

This section features the floor plans and elevations rendered in graphic style, derived from high-resolution laser scanning data and precise on-site measurements.

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Coloured Plates of the Ermoupolis Town Hall

This section displays the watercolor plates created for the 150th anniversary exhibition celebrating the laying of the foundation stone of the Town Hall.

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This comprehensive work of documentation is celebrated in the monograph P. Vitti (ed.), The Town Hall of Ermoupolis: 150 Years of a Neoclassical Landmark, Athens: Melissa, 2026.

Purchase the Book