Museum
Foundation Baron Michael Tossizza
Foundation Baron Michael Tossizza is a museum.
About Foundation Baron Michael Tossizza
Overview & Identity
The Baron Michael Tossizza Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1947 with the primary mission of maintaining the cultural heritage and sustaining the economic growth of Metsovo, Greece. Founded through the collaboration of Baron Michael Tossizza, a wealthy descendant of a national benefactor living in exile, and Evangelos Averoff, a prominent Greek statesman, the foundation operates as a pivotal institution for the development of the Epirus region. Although the Baron never visited Greece, his fortune and Averoff's vision created a lasting legacy that transformed the village of Metsovo from a deserted settlement into a thriving cultural and economic hub.
History & Founding
The foundation's origins trace back to a decade-long correspondence between Baron Michael Tossizza (1885–1950) and Evangelos Averoff (1908–1990), who first met in Lausanne in 1947. Tossizza, born in Livorno and raised in Switzerland, was an eccentric bachelor who had never spoken Greek or visited his ancestral homeland. Despite this distance, he decided to bequeath the majority of his fortune to a foundation bearing his name to support his ancestors' village. The memorandum of association was drafted in June 1947, with Averoff serving as the foundation's lifelong president and adopting 'Tossizza' as his second surname. The foundation was officially established in 1947, with operations intensifying between 1950 and 1960.
Building & Architecture
The foundation's most visible architectural achievement is the restoration of the Tositsa family manor house in Metsovo, known as the Archontiko Tositsa. Originally constructed in 1661, the historic building had fallen into disrepair before the foundation intervened. Between 1950 and 1960, the foundation funded the comprehensive restoration of this manor, which now houses the Metsovo Folk Art Museum. The building serves as an 'open museum,' preserving the natural layout of a traditional manor house with its rooms, stables, warehouses, and parlours intact. The restoration allowed the structure to function as a public institution while maintaining its historical integrity as a symbol of the region's architectural heritage.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
The Metsovo Folk Art Museum, the foundation's flagship project, houses diverse collections that reflect the life of Metsovo during its economic boom and the region's historical memory. Key holdings include a major collection of 66 icons dating from the 15th to the early 20th century, alongside Byzantine metal items spanning from early Christian times to the late Byzantine period. The museum also displays firearms and swords from the Greek War of Independence (1821), traditional embroidered dresses, gold-embroidered saddles, silverware, and wooden kitchen utensils. Additionally, the third floor is dedicated to Evangelos Averoff, featuring his personal items and photographs, while the lower levels exhibit agricultural tools, looms, and woven fabrics.
Significance & Legacy
The Baron Michael Tossizza Foundation is credited with orchestrating the 'modern miracle' of Metsovo, a rapid transformation of the village between 1950 and 1960. The foundation funded the construction of over 100 schools, the Tositsa Hospital (predating Greece's national health system), a ski resort, a timber factory, a cheese factory, and a model byre to improve local livestock. It also restored churches, monasteries, and fountains, and built the Tositsa Student House in Athens to support students from Epirus. These projects created local employment, revived traditional crafts, and established Metsovo as a center for culture and tourism, ensuring the village's survival and prosperity for future generations.