Dourgouti, Athens

Roots, Refugees, and Transformation

Dourgouti is a historic neighborhood in Athens, located in the district of Neos Kosmos, known for its background as a refugee settlement. The area emerged in the 1920s when Armenian and Greek refugees from Asia Minor settled there, outside the official city plan, building makeshift homes on available land.

The name Dourgouti is believed to come either from an Athenian landowning family or from a silk manufacturer who owned property in the area. The neighborhood quickly grew into a densely populated slum, but has since undergone major transformations, especially in the 1970s when it took on its current form.

Despite improved living conditions, development also led to a loss of social cohesion and neighborhood identity. Today, Dourgouti represents a diverse and historically significant area, shaped by generations of migrants and refugees.

Text and Photo: Knut Werner Lindeberg Alsén