The Doors of Greece

As befitting a country that has been at the crossroads of recorded history, in Greece you will find architectural styles that range from the very ancient to up-to-date modern. And you will find style influences from countries and cultures that invaded Greece or were conquered by Greece or that were trading partners with Greece over the years.

Certainly the front door to a dwelling is just one small architectural detail in the overall scheme of things but it seems as though the Greeks attach more importance to the appearance of the portal into the home or business than your average owner.

The doors of Greece reflect that great mix of time and culture that only places that are ancient crossroads possess. Clearly the images show that Greeks like color and at times very bold colors on their doors and it also seemed to me that many entries were rather narrow.  

And many of the doors showed the picturesque dilapidation of the ravages of time and surviving in a country surrounded by salt water and with an abundance of sunshine.

Windows, scroll work, knockers, and elaborate handles are not uncommon along with lamps, planters, bird cages, and mini-gardens on the porch accompanying the doors.

Here is my photo essay on the doors of Greece.





Sorry for the avalanche of photos – I just had a hard time editing it down to a more manageable number. You can feel sorry for my wife that had to endure my incessant photo-snapping of doors as we wandered the streets of Greece. Luckily she’s a good sport.