The city’s name derives from the ancient Trikka or Trikke which was itself named after a nymph that was a daughter of Peneus or Asopos. The city of Trikala is built on the ancient city of Trikka or Trikke, which was founded around the 3rd millennium BC and took its name from the nymph Trikke, daughter of Peneus, or according to others, daughter of the river god Asopus. The city became an important center in antiquity and it was considered to be the birthplace and main residence of the healing god Asclepius.The city exhibited one of the most important and ancient of Asclepius’ healing temples, called asclepieia.
The city’s story :
Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece, and the capital of the Trikala regional unit. The city straddles the Lithaios river, which is a tributary of Pineios. The city is near Meteora and also near the mountain range of south Pindus, where there are many destinations (i.e. Pyli’s stone bridge, Elati, Pertouli, Palaiokarya’s stone bridge and waterfall, Pertouli Ski Center etc.). Trikala is a lively Greek city with picturesque monuments and old neighborhoods with traditional architecture.
The mill of Elves
It was built in 1884 by Agathoklis brothers after Thessaly was liberated from Ottoman rule and was united with Greece. It was the first roller mill of Greece, the largest of the Balkan region and the first pasta factory of Greece. Nowadays the Matsopoulos Mill is mostly known as “The Mill of the Elves”. And this because of the famous Christmas arrangement that transforms it into a major attraction visited by thousands of city inhabitants and visitors from all over the country.
The central bridge
The Central Bridge connects the main square of the city (Iroon Politechniou) with the pedestrian street of Asklipios. The bridge was built in 1886 by a French engineer and is made out of metal. From the bridge, you can see the green shores of Lithaios River and the statue of Asklepios.
The old town of trikala “Varousi”
The neighborhoods of Varousi and Manavika are two of the most famous places in the old city. Varousi, hosts many churches, built very close to each other that date from the era of the Byzantine empire and later. Manavika is the other traditional neighborhood of the old city, including the brothels as well as the meat and vegetable market. Nowadays in Manavika, there is a large number of small tavernas, restaurants and cafeterias.
Clock Tower
The city’s trademark was built in 1936 on the spot of an older Ottoman clock tower. You want to visit it for its panoramic view. The castle lies on a hill at the northeastern side of the city, and was first built, according to Procopius of Caesarea, by Emperor Justinian on the ruins of the acropolis of the ancient city of Trikke.
Tsitsani Museum
One is the “Protection and Emergence in the Old Prison Building of Trikala”, which is carried out by the Department of Antiquities of Trikala, while the second subproject concerns the “Repatriation of the old building of the old prison of Trikala – Research Center Vasilis Tsitsanis” Trike.Upon completion of the project, the building turns into an archaeological site with an architectural and historical structure on the ground floor and an area with references to the local composers and songwriters on the upper floor. The two exhibitions will operate separately, but both will contribute to the development of the local area and the tourism of the city.
Osman Sah
The mosque of Osman Sah or Kursum Tzami, is located just some meters away from the Tsitsanis Museum. It is a unique monument as it is the only mosque of Trikala and has been declared a World Heritage monument by UNESCO. Kursum Tzami is open for visitors and hosts events appropriate for the building, such as art installations and speeches.
Lastly, In Trikala (and in general in the Prefecture of Trikala) there are producers of agricultural products that offer high quality and enjoy great recognition both inside the country and abroad. The well-known village sausages of Trikala, dairy products (such as kasheri and feta) and halva are just some of the local delicacies worth buying from the city market. Also famous are the local vegetables and fruits (such as tomatoes, watermelons and melons), as well as the various types of wine and tsipouro.
XRISTINA GIANNOULAKOU
