Theodoros Kolokotronis archive
A digital repository of knowledge and history accessible to all
The Theodoros Kolokotronis Archive, a unique digital repository of knowledge and history for the period of the Greek Revolution, is now accessible to the public through the address kolokotronis-archive.org. It presents manuscripts and objects from a rare archival collection of 1,166 documents, which are connected to the life and action of Theodoros Kolokotronis, as well as to the historical heritage of the Struggle of 1821.
In the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos An. Tasoulas, the official public presentation of the Theodoros Kolokotronis Archive took place on Monday, March 23, 2026, at a special event at the Athens Concert Hall.
Among others, the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, and the Metropolitan of Mantineia and Kynouria Epifanios attended.
At the event, which was co-organized by the Michael N. Stasinopoulos Public Benefit Foundation–VIOHALCO and the Public Benefit Foundation for Social and Cultural Work (KIKPE), the President of the Republic Konstantinos An. Tasoulas addressed a greeting, who, after making a brief reference to the life and the decisive contribution of Theodoros Kolokotronis, the “leading figure of the Greek Revolution, who marked with his action the course towards the freedom of our nation”, as he characteristically said, stressed:
“In the collective consciousness of the Greeks, Theodoros Kolokotronis remains the model of the brave fighter, the intelligent strategist, the selfless patriot, who did not limit himself to the present, but looked with responsibility and foresight towards the future. (…) Today’s presentation of the digital archival site for Theodoros Kolokotronis therefore acquires particular importance. (…) The initiative strengthens our collective historical consciousness and contributes to the preservation of memory and the connection of the past with the future (…) The Michael N. Stasinopoulos Public Benefit Foundation–VIOHALCO, the Public Benefit Foundation for Social and Cultural Work (KIKPE) have done their duty. It is now our turn to benefit from it, to get to know it, to visit it, to study it, to enjoy it and to draw from it optimism that we so much need in this period of troubled and uncertain times for the future of our homeland.”
The Theodoros Kolokotronis Archive is a creation of the newly established non-profit civil company THEODOROS KOLOKOTRONIS ARCHIVE, which was formed with the aim of the systematic care, study and promotion of the archival collection gathered by the Michael N. Stasinopoulos Public Benefit Foundation–VIOHALCO and the Public Benefit Foundation for Social and Cultural Work (KIKPE).
UNIQUE DOCUMENTS – OPEN CALL FOR ENRICHMENT OF THE ARCHIVAL COLLECTION
The particularity of the Archive lies in the scientific processing and in the effort to offer a dynamic space for understanding the world, the language and the era of Kolokotronis. Utilizing modern digital tools and interconnections, the repository includes biographical notes and timelines, highlighting the informational wealth of the documents, while at the same time a glossary of difficult words, indexes of place names, the entirety of the names of authors and recipients of the documents, as well as a bibliographic guide are provided.
The repository is constantly developing and being enriched, with the prospect of forming the “ideal archive” of Theodoros Kolokotronis, incorporating documents from other archival institutions, as well as from private and family collections. In this way, the Archival Site aspires to surpass the limits of an individual collection and to evolve, through the open call that took place at the event, into a dynamic hub for the collection, documentation and promotion of material concerning Kolokotronis and his era.
Those who possess relevant historical documents and heirlooms can contact the research team at the email address documenta@kolokotronis-archive.org, in order to contribute to the enrichment of the Archival Site through their digitization and documentation. The original material remains in their possession, while its origin will be referenced in the repository.
NEW HOME
The Theodoros Kolokotronis Archive will acquire its own home. The Archive of Theodoros Kolokotronis will be housed in the center of Athens (3rd September and Marni Streets) in a building that is being renovated in order to welcome the public in a modern museum and archival space of historical research and knowledge, which will combine education and the cultural utilization of the documents and the history of the Greek Revolution.
INTERVENTIONS AT THE EVENT
At yesterday’s event of the first presentation of the project at the Athens Concert Hall, on behalf of the organizers, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Michael N. Stasinopoulos Public Benefit Foundation–VIOHALCO, Mr. Michalis Stasinopoulos, noted:
“We have the honor and great pleasure to inaugurate together with you the beginning of the uploading of the archival collection of Theodoros Kolokotronis on the internet. A milestone that gives us great satisfaction and which we consider as the important first step of a broader and long-term project in relation to the legacy of Theodoros Kolokotronis and the Revolution of 1821. This collection came to the two Foundations
in 2022, from the Theofanidis family and originates from the archive that was gathered and maintained by Gennaios Kolokotronis. It had been published from time to time partially by himself and later, also partially, by Admiral Io. Theofanidis. The collection has not been presented in its entirety in the past and the archival material remained to a large extent inaccessible and underutilized. Approximately one third of the existing documents is unpublished.”
Mr. Giannis N. Stasinopoulos, President of the Public Benefit Foundation for Social and Cultural Work (KIKPE), stated that:
“Today (i.e. Monday 23/03) KIKPE, together with the Michael N. Stasinopoulos Public Benefit Foundation–VIOHALCO, inaugurated, with great joy and pride, the archival site of Theodoros Kolokotronis, which gathers a large part of archives for the most emblematic personality of the Struggle of 1821 and we hope that it will be continuously enriched with valuable material. The aim of this effort is for Theodoros Kolokotronis to enter into dialogue not only with the community of historians, but also with the ordinary citizen, thus contributing to the preservation and dissemination of our national heritage.”
A brief greeting was addressed by the Director of the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation, Professor Mr. Nikolaos Papazarkadas, who praised the importance of the initiative undertaken by the two Public Benefit Foundations and stressed that the participation of the Institute in the scientific documentation, as well as in the future development of the actions of the Theodoros Kolokotronis Archival Site was “a self-evident obligation fully aligned with the call of the leading neo-Hellenist and co-founder of the National Hellenic Research Foundation, Konstantinos Th. Dimaras, regarding a National Record”.
This was followed by a discussion with the participation of the Emeritus Research Director of the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation, Mr. Vassilis Panagiotopoulos, the Emeritus Professor of Modern Greek History of the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens, Ms. Olga Katsiaridi-Hering, the Philologist and Palaeographer Mr. Agamemnon Tselikas, the Professor of International Relations and Foreign Policy at the Department of International and European Studies at Panteion University and Member of Parliament Mr. Angelos Syrigos, the Doctor of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Geneva Mr. Meletis I. Meletopoulos and the former Associate Professor of the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of Ioannina and President of the Peloponnesian Studies Society Mr. Georgios Nikolaou. The discussion was moderated by journalist Mr. Kostas Papachlimintzos.
In the interesting discussion, both the historical importance and significance of the digital Archive, which had largely remained inaccessible and underutilized, were highlighted, as well as the personality and contribution of Theodoros Kolokotronis and his family.
Visit the digital repository and discover the richness of the archival material:
https://kolokotronis-archive.org/
Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/kolokotronis_archive/
https://www.facebook.com/kolokotronisarchive