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Alexandroupolis

Alexandroupoli, the capital of the district of Evros, is a seaside town known for its fine sandy beaches. A pretty town with well laid-out streets and neo-classical buildings. To the north-east of Alexandroupoli is Feres with its especially important Byzantine cathedral of Theotokos tis Kosmosotiras. Along the Greco-Turkish border, to the north, is Soufli, famous for its silk production and its silks, and even further north are Didimotiho and Orestiada. The first is a splendid Byzantine city and the second is a small town built in a fertile area.

Some of the roads that lead to Alexandroupolis pass through planted fields, flanked by wooded mountains and the deep blue sea. Others pass through cities, villages, and landscapes assessing a rare Greek beauty. The same roads lead the visitors through nature, history, and tradition to the eastern-most point of Greece, called Thrace.

Alexandroupolis (approx. 45,000 inhabitants) is the pleasant chief city of the Nome of Evros. With bus, train and air services to Athens and Thessaloniki (as well as to other major Greek cities) and a sea connection with the island of Samothrace, it is one of the best location from which to explore Thrace. It is noted for its fish; caviar and mussels which are its specialties. In Alexandroupolis there are three Departments of the Democritus University of Thrace, the Department of Medicine, the Pedagogical Department of Primary Education and the Department of Pre-School Education. The main road, parallel with the sea, forms the principal boulevard of the city, Odos Dimokratias (formerly, and still on several signs, Leoforos Vassileos Georgiou B'), venue of "volta" which necessitates the evening diversion of traffic. On the shore facing the large artificial harbour is a conspicuous lighthouse, to the west of which a broad promenade has been laid out above the beach.

The huge modern cathedral further inland is prominent from the sea. There is an archaeological collection in the Old Dimarchion (City Hall) in Plateia Polytechneiou (also called Eleftherias), reached via Odos Kyprou, the entrance unsigned and well-concealed in an arcade, with a sculpture from the area and finds from the Sanctuary of Demeter at Mesembria, also plans of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothraceits advantageous geographical position between Europe and Asia, which has been the determining factor throughout the course of its history. Alexandroupolis, forming a vital crossroad for land and sea routes from prehistoric times to the present, has experienced many movements of tribal groups, colonial settlements, influences of peoples and cultures, enemy invasions, wars and conquerors.

The Evros River, of which we have periodic glimpses, rises in Bulgaria south of Sofia and, after a cource of c 500km, enters the Aegean Sea opposite the island of Samothrace through a delta, which is 11km wide. Since 1923 its lower course through the flat Thracian plain has formed the boundary between Greece and Turkey, save where the suburbs of Adrianoupolis (Edirne) and make a Turkish enclave west of the river. It is navigable for small boats as far as Adrianoupolis (Edirne), below which it is crossed by bridges only at Pithion and Ipsala. Its waters abound in fish and water fowl; rarely, geese and eagles may also be seen. Around its twin mouths, noted by Strabo, are several swamps and lakes, of which the largest is Gala-Golu, the ancient Stentoris of Herodotus, on the Turkish side. Further south-west of this lake is the town of Enos, familiar to diplomats as one end of the Enos-Midia line and the ancient Ainos, the foundation of which Virgil ascribes to Aeneas.
 

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