Bust of Lambros Katsonis

The hero Lambros Katsonis (1752–1805) was a Colonel in the Imperial Russian Navy and played a leading role in many victorious naval battles against the Ottoman fleet. He gained the favour of Empress Catherine the Great, who granted him the right for his ships to sail under the Russian flag. His connection with Kea was close, as he was married to Maroulio Orfanou, a native of the island.
At the port of Kea lies the narrow passage of Lambros Katsonis, through which he famously transported his ships over wooden rollers in order to escape the Ottomans. The reprisals against the island were severe. The request of the local community for the creation of his bust in the central square was fulfilled and celebrated with two days of events in September 2013. The bust was sculpted in Tinos marble by the award-winning artist Giorgos Kalakallas (1938–2021), professor at the School of Architecture of the National Technical University of Athens, who had extensive experience in portrait sculpture using a variety of materials.

Image credits: Eleni Taxeri