George Averoff
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George M. Averoff (1815-1899), alternately Georgios Averof (In Greek: Γεώργιος Αβέρωφ), was a Greek businessman and philanthropist.
Born in Metsovo, Averoff moved to Alexandria while still young. He was known through most of his life for founding numerous schools both in Egypt and Greece.
He financed the restoration of the Panathinaiko Stadium for the 1896 Summer Olympics at the request of Crown Prince Constantine. The stadium was rebuilt in 1895 using white marble from Mount Penteli pursuant to Averoff's request. The cost was initially estimated at 580,000 drachmas but eventually reached 920,000.
He also served as a member of the reception committee for the foreign competitors at the Games.
In gratitude for his contributions, a statue of Averoff was commissioned and placed in front of the stadium. It remains there today. In addition, a Greek cruiser, the flagship of the Hellenic Navy, was named after him.
