Ioannis Pangas
Ioannis Pangas | |
---|---|
Born | 1814 Korçë, Albania, then Ottoman Empire |
Died | 1895 (aged 81) Athens, Greece |
Occupation | Businessman |
Known for | Benefactory deeds, Pangas Institute |
Ioannis Pangas or Bangas (Greek: Ιωάννης Πάγκας, 1814–1895) was a Greek wealthy merchant and philanthropist. He donated vast sums of money to the Greek state, as well as to educational, cultural and humanitarian institutions of the Greek communities in Greece and the Ottoman ruled Greek world.[1]
Life
He was born in a Greek family[1] in Ottoman Korce, present-day southern Albania. Though his father Georgios Pangas was also a notable merchant and philanthropist, Ioannis Pangas made his own fortune. He initially moved to Thebes and then to Chalkis. At 1833 in order to expand his professional activities, he moved to Cairo (Egypt) and then Romania. At a mature age he settled in Athens. Because of his character and hard-working nature he managed to make a fortune.[1]
Benefactory deeds and legacy
In 1889–88 he donated a significant amount of money for the maintenance and expansion of the Greek schools in his home city Korce, where he also established new libraries and donated a huge amount of educational material at his personal expense. Thus, he became one of the main contributors of the Lasso fund, a community fund that supported the foundation and support of Greek cultural institutions in Korce. The Greek Gymnasium of his home town was named Bangas Gymnasium after him.
While living in Athens, he built a luxurious mansion, designed by the German architect Ernst Ziller, at the center of the Greek capital (on Omonoia square) as well as a second manor, also designed by Ziller, adjacent to his home. On 16 August 1889, Pangas donated to the Greek state his fortune and all of his possessions, as an act of philanthropy to aid the rebuilding of Athens and the growth of the new Greek state. He retained only 1,000 drachmas per month in order to lead a decent life. This form of benefaction was quite unusual, to offer to donate one's fortune while living rather than upon death. Greek prime minister Charilaos Trikoupis personally noted the significance of Pangas's philanthropy.[2]
Pangas's mansion and adjacent manor still stand at Omonoia square. The former operated for many years as the Hotel Alexander the Great. The latter came to be known as the "Pangeion" or "Bangeion" or "Baggeion" (Greek: Μπάγκειον) and has been used to house universities and other educational institutions.
References
- ^ a b c Koltsida, Athina. Η Εκπαίδευση στη Βόρεια Ήπειρο κατά την Ύστερη Περίοδο της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας (PDF) (in Greek). Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. p. 160. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
- ^ "Το πρότυπο της ανιδιοτέλειας - Πάγκας Ιωάννης". Δήμος Αθηναίων. University of Ioannina. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
Sources
- Epirus, 4000 years of Greek history and civilization. M. V. Sakellariou. Ekdotike Athenon, 1997. ISBN 960-213-371-6.
- His life and work.
- Hotel Alexander the Great.
- Baggeion.
- Epirot benefactors
- v
- t
- e
- Ancient Epirus
- Despotate of Epirus
- Revolt of 1567-1572
- Revolt of 1854
- Revolt of 1878
- Himara revolt of 1912
- Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
- Northern Epirus
- Protocol of Corfu
- Greco-Italian War in southern Albania
- Northern Epirus Liberation Front
and culture
- Himariote dialect
- Laiko Vima
- Polyphonic song of Epirus
- Postage stamps and postal history
- Lasso fund
Education: New Academy (Moscopole)- Zographeion College (Qestorat)
- Acroceraunian School (Himara)
- Dhuvjan Monastery (Dropull)
- Bangas Gymnasium (Korçë)
- Benefactors: Apostol Arsache
- Evangelos and Konstantinos Zappas
- Ioannis Pangas
- Georgios and Simon Sinas
- Alexandros and Michael Vasileiou
- Christakis Zografos
- Literature: Theodore Kavalliotis
- Katina Papa
- Konstantinos Skenderis
- Takis Tsiakos
- Tasos Vidouris
- Stavrianos Vistiaris
- Andreas Zarbalas
- Politics: Vasilis Bolanos
- Georgios Christakis-Zografos
- Vangjel Dule
- Spiro Ksera
- Military/Resistance: Kyriakoulis Argyrokastritis
- Dimitrios Doulis
- Nikolaos Dailakis
- Konstantinos Lagoumitzis
- Zachos Milios
- Athanasios Pipis
- Ioannis Poutetsis
- Vasileios Sachinis
- Georgios Soulios
- Spyromilios
- Spyros Spyromilios
- Sports: Pyrros Dimas
- Sotiris Ninis
- Panajot Pano
- Leonidas Sabanis
- Andreas Tatos
- Clergy: Photios Kalpidis
- Vasileios of Dryinoupolis
- Panteleimon Kotokos
- Eulogios Kourilas Lauriotis
2 Includes individuals not necessarily of Greek ethnicity but with important contributions to Greek civilization.