Home of Nikos Gatsos set to be listed as monument

The Culture Ministry is seeking the listing of the house of prominent 20th century Greek poet and translator Nikos Gatsos as a monument. 

Procedures have already been set in motion, with Culture Minister Lina Mendoni sending a letter to the ministry’s Secretary General of Culture Giorgos Didaskalou so that the house in Asea, Arcadia in southern Greece obtains this status based on the provisions of the law regarding the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage.

Gatsos (1911-92) has received great acclaim for his work, with his long poem, “Amorgos,” considered a major contribution to contemporary Greek poetry, notable especially for its combination of surrealism with traditional Greek folk poetry motifs.

His lyrics were also used in songs by major Greek composers including Manos Hadjidakis, Mikis Theodorakis and Stavros Xarchakos.

In addition, he wrote lyrics for several films and for Elia Kazan’s “America America.”