Xanthi

Panagiotis Merisoglou A2

Teacher: Mrs. Chatzicharalampous

Xanthi is a city in Thrace, in northeastern

Greece. It is the capital of the Xanthi

regional unit of the region of East Macedonia

and Thrace. Amphitheatrically built on the

foot of Rhodope mountain chain, the city is

divided by the Kosynthos River, into the west

part, where the old and the modern town

are located, and the east part that boasts a

rich natural environment. The Old Town of

Xanthi is known throughout Greece for its

distinctive architecture. Xanthi is famous

throughout Greece especially Macedonia

and Thrace for its annual spring carnival

which play a significant role in the city's

economy. Over 40 cultural associations from

around Greece participate in the carnival

program. The festivities which take place

during the period include concerts, theatre

plays, music and dance nights, exhibitions,

games on the streets and re-enactments of

old customs.

Name

There are two theories regarding the origin of

its name: it was either named after a daughter

of Oceanus and Tethys, or after Xanthi, one of

the Amazons that ruled the region back then.

History

Xanthi is sometimes identified with the ancient

city of Xantheia mentioned in the 1st century

BC. The population of the region of Xanthi had

dwindled down to almost nothing, as the

region was depopulated in the 3rd century

AD and almost everything had been destroyed

when the Ottomans conquered the region in

1361. For this reason, the Ottomans brought

settlers from within Asia Minor, which is how

Genisea was created, while Oraio and Xanthi

remained mainly Greek and Christian centres.

Traditional food and sweets

The cuisine of Xanthi is very unique and

delicious: sausages, pastourma (dried meat

usually from camels), kavourma (a local

salami), sarma (bowels of lamp stuffed with

rice and spices), youfkades and

chilopites (types of pasta), and kebab. Here

people combine traditional Thracian

tastes and recipes with influences from Asia

Minor and the cuisine of Pomaks (Slavic

Muslim populations).

Xanthi is also popular for its sweets made of

excellent quality products. Sweets like

karioka, saragli, nougkas and others, as well

as its amazing eastern syrup sweets have

made Xanthi very popular.

Cultural events

The city has rich history, tradition

and customs and it is the cultural

center in the area. It is also considered a

multi-cultural city and has been

characterized as " the city of the thousand

colours". Xanthi's carnival is very popular

(celebrated every February or March) and

is one of the most popular carnivals in

Greece, while the Old town festival (early

September) is equally famous. Furthermore,

the bazaar of Xanthi is famous too and

takes place at Emporiou square every

Saturday. In addition, the Manos Hatzidakis'

festival attracts worldwide interest.

The Old City of Xanthi

During the period of the Ottoman rule in Greece, the way of building houses in a city

usually was arranged in neighborhoods (mahalas) and was made around a religious center, a church, a mosque or a synagogue. Christians, Muslims and Jews were living harmoniously and created a very interesting

mixture of western and eastern architecture. So, walking in the narrow streets of the old city is a great experience since you will find many interesting neighborhoods with a magnificent background, the mountain ranges of the

region. The construction techniques, apart from religious beliefs, were directly related to the availability of local materials. Many of those traditional buildings are now folklore museums and art galleries and you can visit

them and see the architecture from the inside.

Nestos river

Twelve kilometres outside the city centre you will find river Nestos and its surrounding area. The lush green banks of the river and the steep rocks form an extraordinary scenery. The lack of human and city noises make it an ideal destination for relaxation. In the whole area you will find traditional villages and also paths and places that are worth exploring on foot. The village Toxotes has one of the most picturesque railway station of Greece. Near the village Galani you will find the small church of Profitis Ilias, from which the view of the river is impeccable. After the village Galini a path starts that leads you to the banks of the river where you will see traditional wooden huts built on the sand of river. If you are an extreme sports fan, there are clubs that organize climbing on the cliffs or have equipment for canoe-kayak.

Municipal Art Gallery of Xanthi

The Municipal Art Gallery of Xanthi is housed

in a traditional house that was built during

the previous century. It is a perfect example

of West Macedonian-Epirus architecture

with a basic characteristic its wooden

carved ceilings, that were used only in the

region of Xanthi. It is in the city center and

belongs to the Municipality since 1993. In

the two floors of the gallery the visitor can

see art pieces of local artists but also

temporary exhibitions of artists from other

places.

Folklore Museum of Xanthi

The Folklore museum of Xanthi is in the city center and it is housed in two traditional buildings from 1870. They both used to belong to the family of tobacco traders Kougioumtzoglou and they were designed in a Renaissance style by a Russian architect. The basic characteristic of the decoration are red bricks as well as murals made by a German romantic painter. Located almost next to the Cathedral Square, it can be found in a region that was the center of the Greeks during the Turkish occupation. By making a tour in the museum, you will have the chance to see the historical and social changes which took place in Xanthi over the last centuries. You will have the chance to learn about everyday life in the city of Xanthi, what locals used to do in their free time over the past centuries and see from up close objects and tools that people were using in their daily lives.

Archaeological site of Avdira

Avdira, the home town of the great Greek philosopher Democritus, is located 25 kilometers away from the city of Xanthi. According to mythology, the city was founded by Hercules himself to honor his battle partner Avdiros, who was killed by the horses of Diomedes.

The city grew culturally and economically especially after the Persian Wars and has been the most important member of the First Athenian Alliance after Athens. The excavations of the ancient city started in 1950 and the reconstruction and preservation of the findings continues to date. The most important things that the visitor will see in the archaeological site is the west side, where there are many Roman houses and the “House of Dolphins”, a house of the classical era that has a mosaic of dolphins on the floor. Very close to the port of the city there are also very important findings, such as defensive walls, a temple dedicated to an ancient goddess and a cemetery of the Hellenistic period.

The End

Xanthi