MAINA: A stone-built 19th century tower-mansion...
Nestled in Exo Nyfi, a quaint village of traditional stone towers in Eastern Mani (location of John Kassavetis’ film “The tempest”), this hillside house has typical views of Mani, looking out over olive groves and the sea which is just a 5 minute drive away.
Originally an abandoned megalithic two-story building dating from the 18th century, the house is surrounded by a garden with olive trees, carob trees and prickly pears, even a cave. It’s an ideal place for privacy and relaxation. To the East, the yard abuts a 16th century tower, and just below there is a Byzantine chapel with 12th century frescoes. The stone tower house was renovated and extended by the architect Elena Zervoudakis, preserving the building’s traditional elements and combining them with minimalist interiors to give a sense of serenity and primordial spirit. The 150 sq.m. house is built into the slope and thus evolves over 3 levels, each with access to the garden and verandahs. It is surrounded by a garden with olive trees, rocks and a cave, 200 meters from the village parking facilities.
Built by using local material and techniques, rainwater harvesting and eco-friendly waste disposal system for irrigation, the house is considerate to the environment.
The house has two apartments that can be separated: one in the lower level (sleeps 4-5) and another in the upper level (sleeps 4-5).
Katoi (lower level)
On the lower level there is a bedroom with a double bed, a single bed and a wooden ladder that leads to a loft, containing a double mattress that sleeps two. A half-height wall, isolates the bedroom from an open closet, beyond which lies the bathroom. A wooden staircase leads to the middle level, where is the living room and the kitchen. The living room is an open space with large pillows, which can also be converted into a sleeping area, with a double and a single bed. The kitchen is free-standing, fully equipped island. There is a simple wooden dining table that can seat 6-10 persons and a stove with a wood-burning oven.
The lower level has access to the west exterior side and the middle level has access to the east and the west exterior sides of the mansion. The central veranda on the west side has an open-air kitchen with a marble sink, BBQ and a big wooden table. The small balcony on the east side is ideal for having breakfast, under the shadow of the tower and the trees, leading to the garden with its hammock and carob tree.
Anoi (upper level)
A staircase leads to the third level, which can be isolated, if needed, from the other two levels and can be totally independent. It consists of a sitting room with fireplace, where there is a sofa that can be used also as a double bed, an open plan fully-equipped kitchen, a loft with a single bed, a double bedroom and a bathroom (with shower). There is access to the exterior on both sides, with a view to the sea. The western yard offers a shady refuge under the trees. The east yard below the heavy rocks, offers a magnificent view to the sea and Kotronas bay.