Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor died on June 10th, 2011, in Dumbleton, England, at the age of 96. For many years he lived in the Messenean Mani, in a house he built himself, according to plans by Nikos Hatzimichalis.
His connection to the Benaki Museum was of long standing; he was in contact with Antonis Benakis and later Irene Kalliga, and he had strong links to the Museum’s Director, Angelos Delivorrias. Patrick Fermor chose to make a donation of his house to the Benaki Museum while he still lived, through the intervention of Mr. Tzannis Tzannetakis; a bequest that benefited the Foundation upon his death. For several years it has been agreed between the donor and the Museum, that the house would be used to host researchers, poets and novelists, who visit Greece to work for a few months. At the same time the Benaki Museum will be allowed to let out the house for certain periods of time, in order to cover the cost of its maintenance and of the hospitality offered.
Over the next few months, as soon as the library and archive are classified and recorded and all the necessary maintenance work is carried out on the House, the Board of Trustees of the Benaki Museum will make known the manner in which the space will be utilised.
