A special and deeply moving interview was granted to us by the wife of the late Nikolaos A. Platis, Mrs. Maria-Eugenia Plati (Marie-Eugenie Elena), in the presence of my dear friend and her daughter, Loukia (Lucy) Plati. She spoke to us warmly about their life and the history of the Platis family, which constitutes an integral part of the identity and cultural heritage of Chios.
Nikolaos A. Platis worked in Monte Carlo for the Chian Livanos family, holding a high executive position in a shipping company. It was there that he met Maria-Eugenia, marking the beginning of a shared life journey filled with love, devotion, and a deep connection to the family’s roots in Chios.
The Platis family is numbered among the historic families of Chios, with roots stretching back to the Byzantine Empire. Notable figures among the Platis lineage include: Stavrakios Platis, a 10th-century Byzantine official during the reign of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus; Konstantinos Platis, Minister of the Interior in the government of Alexandros Koumoundouros in 1865; and Andreas Platis, Lieutenant General (honorary General) of the Hellenic Army during the Asia Minor Campaign of 1921–22.
In the Kampos of Chios, the Platis family owned large estate towers; the largest one, located in the Giazos area, passed to the Paidousis family in 1879 (The Treasures of Kampos, pp. 178–181). The historic estate acquired by Nikolaos originally came from the Mitarakis family; it is also home to the Studio/Atelier of the renowned painter Yannis Mitarakis (1897/98–1963). The grand courtyard gate next to the “Turkish” house—the former residence of an Ottoman official—is Genoese in architecture and stands as the largest and tallest gate in Kampos, bringing the history and art of the region to life.
In fact, I used to visit this estate when I was a child to play with my cousins, who went there to see their grandparents, who worked on the N. A. Platis family estate (The Treasures of Kampos, p. 15).
Nikolaos A. Platis was a man of great learning, with a deep love for books and the history of Chios. Together with his wife, they translated the work “The Island of Chios: Text and drawings from the magazine Le Tour du Monde, 1877” (Hippocampus Publications, 2003), offering a valuable historical record for the island.
Nikolaos’s father, Agapios Platis, was a prominent figure in pre-war Chios. He was a merchant who zealously supported his homeland through his political and social action, serving as a close friend of Eleftherios Venizelos and an active member of his party. As a trustee of the Holy Church of Evangelistria, he contributed to its completion, and his memory was honored with a street bearing his name behind the family home on Michalon Street.
Mrs. Plati also spoke of their bonds with the Michalos family, another historic family of Chios with a significant contribution to society, education, culture, and shipping. The family was responsible for the Michaleio Orphanage (1927), the building of which now houses the University of the Aegean, as well as the Ceramics Factory in the Kerameia area (1921–1988). In Kampos, where they maintained an estate, I used to visit my cousin who lived there as a child, because his parents worked for the Michalos family. Loukia Michalou became the godmother of Loukia (Lucy) Plati, after whom she was named, following an initiative by her mother.
Today, the family continues to honor the memory and values of the past with dignity and love. The siblings, Agapios N. Platis and Loukia (Lucy) Plati, pass on this love for Chios, education, and culture to their own children. Maria-Eugenia Plati remains a living testament to an era marked by great changes, but also by people who held high the values of education, tradition, and love for their homeland.
Nikolaos A. Platis leaves an indelible mark on Chios and in the hearts of those who love the island and its culture. Through his homes, estates, and books, along with his family, he continues to bridge the past with the present, reminding us of the importance of knowledge, history, and patriotism.
Author’s Postscript
Life, in its inexplicable way, brings one’s steps right where they belong. My childhood games with my cousins, amidst towers and courtyards at the Michalos family estate and the Platis family estate in Kampos, led, years later, to an unexpected and precious meeting with my dear friend, Loukia (Lucy) Plati. My cousins were there because their parents worked on the estates, while my own heart was tied to the place through my mother’s lineage.
Everything seems to dance to an invisible rhythm: the love for Kampos, the bonds with people who share the same roots and values, the heritage of my family, and an unseen force that we cannot see but can deeply feel. My studies in Architecture and the guidance of my father, a building contractor, connected knowledge with the heart, breathing life into the estates and memories of Kampos.
It all converges into a single purpose: to keep the history of this place alive through my book, The Treasures of Kampos.