Cafénion "The station"

The café of the Old Railway Station of Elefsina comes back to life, reviving the space where passengers once sat and waited for the train to arrive.
The Cultterra team will be offering fresh Greek coffee, and through the stories shared by locals, we will discover the history of the Old Railway Station building and the experiences of Elefsinians and other citizens who used the train.

The café project was born from a desire to connect younger people with older generations, to share and listen to life stories.
A bridge of time is being built, linking the past with the present. Along the way, we realized this was not just our own need, but also that of the older generations—to recount their memories, stories, experiences, images, and love for the place they grew up in.

We warmly thank the following for sharing their stories during our Sunday gatherings:
Dionysis Kolias, Popi Kallioupi, Aliki Marougka & Maria Kriekouki, Evangelia Nodara, Kostas Lykidis, Dinos Petrogiannis, Elsa Petrogianni, Michalis Logothetis, Meletis Milisis, Mr. Papanikolaou, Tasoula Iakovou, Mr. Nikos the last stationmaster, and Mr. Nikos the poet.

1st Café
At the first café gathering, Mr. Dionysis Kolias (station signalman) and Mrs. Popi Kallioupi (neighbor of the station) were present. The initial event was held in a more private setting to test the functionality of the concept. The station was filled with stories, laughter, descriptions of the space, and photographs.

2nd Café
The second café felt more like a reunion of childhood friends who shared memories from the time of the occupation in Elefsina.
Dinos Petrogiannis, Michalis Logothetis, Meletis Milisis, Mr. Papanikolaou, Mr. Vasileiou, and Tasoula Iakovou—old neighbors who grew up together in lower Elefsina—spoke about the harsh living conditions, the games they played, what they witnessed, their interactions with Italian and German soldiers, bombings, and more.
Their stories shocked, stirred curiosity, and inspired strength. The gathering in the station’s garden, over cups of Greek coffee, resembled more a theatrical performance than a conversation.

3rd Café
At the third café, we welcomed Aliki Marougka and Maria Kriekouki, friends who have known each other for nearly 50 years.
They discussed life in Elefsina, particularly during the decades 1950–1980, how women were treated, how autonomous they were, and what opportunities they had.
Maria—a seamstress and designer—has designed more than 80 wedding dresses for women from Elefsina and taught the craft to younger girls.
Aliki is not originally from Elefsina but feels as though she was born there. She worked for years in the local family business of frozen goods.
This café gathering was feminist, sisterly, and showed solidarity to all forms of femininity.

4th Café
At the fourth and final café for 2023, we hosted the last stationmaster of the Old Railway Station and Mr. Nikos, the poet, who as a child used to play in the station’s yard and around the trains.
Their conversations brought a deeply personal perspective, as they guided us through the station as they remembered it and even discussed the train operations of the past.