ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟ ΚΕΡΑΜΩΤΗΣ

1. Anaktoropolis in Nea Peramos,Kavala

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In the west of Nea Peramos on a hill a visitor encounters the remnants of the castle of Anaktoropolis. The architecture of the castle is Byzantine. Anaktoropolis existed from the 10th until the 15th century.

The ancient town of Oisimis existed there from the 7th century B.C. People from Thasos founded Oisimi because the area is geographically interesting since it combines the sea and a fertile plain. In Oisimi there was an acropolis. At the top of the acropolis there was a temple where people worshiped the goddess Athena. At the beginning of the 5th century the temple was destroyed and later it was replaced by another temple. A visitor can see the ruins of this temple and the walls of the fortress of that period even now. Oisimi was associated with the Spartan General Vrasidas who was the leading figure of the Peloponnese War. General Vrasidas fought against and finally won the Athenians who wanted to conquer Amphipolis. The Spartan army won Athenians but Vrasidas lost his life there. The peninsula of the area is named after him. Anaktoropolis was built in the area where ancient Oisimi was. According to historical information, the castle of Anaktoropolis was built in 1167-1170. In the town there was a harbor which controlled the area from Thessaloniki to Istanbul. This harbor was an advantage for the area as commercial ships could reach it form the Aegean .At the end of the 14th century Ottomans occupied Anaktoropolis and changed parts of the town and the castle, too. In the 18th century the fortress of Anaktoropolis was abandoned. In 1869 Russian monks of Agion Oros bought the area and this is why it played a political role until the beginning of the 20th century.

Today the peninsula of Vrasidas is characterized as an archaeological area and many tourists and local people enjoy the beautiful beaches and the beauty of its nature.

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Source: http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/gh351.jsp?obj_id=5927        

                                                                                                                      Irene@Liana, C1

 

2. The ancient theatre of Philippi in Kavala

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The ancient theatre of Philippi was built in 356 B.C. by Phillip B’ ,the king of Macedonia and Great Alexander’s father. It is situated on the hill of Philippi. Philippi was an ancient city in eastern Macedonia. Around the theatre there were three gates, walls and high towers. The stage was wooden. The main building of the stage was built in the 2nd century A.D.  It was made by local marble. In the 3rd century A.D. Romans turned it into an arena where people watched wild animals fighting. In the 14th century Ottomans conquered the ancient city of Philippi.

The festival of Philippi has been organized since 1957. The first performance played was Euripides’ Electra.  Thousands of visitors watch the performances written by the ancient playwrights, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes every summer. The festival usually starts at the beginning of July and ends at the end of August. Next to the theatre there is the archaeological museum of Philippi, a café and an amusement park for the visitors to relax. The ancient theatre is only 16 kilometers away from the beautiful city of Kavala.

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Source: http://local.e-history.gr/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=17204266

                                                                 Elina& Mary, C1

 

3. The Arches

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The most famous monument of modern Kavala is the «Arches», the old aqueduct of the city. The monument is located at the edge of the old city and impresses with its volume and its architecture. Its length is 270 meters and its height is 25 meters. It was built with local granite and bricks. Also, the Arches are the work of the Byzantine period. The monument was extensively repaired by the Ottomans, especially during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. This double arched structure was designed to bridge the peninsula of Panagia with the massif of the Lekani. It was used to transport water from the springs of the mountains to today’s «Old Town». The main water source is located at an altitude of 400 m. Finally, today  the Arches have lost their vital importance. However, they retain the beauty and their prestige, because they are the symbol of the beautiful city of Kavala. The monument is distinguished from every corner of Kavala and is known throughout Greece.

Source: http://www.kavala.gov.gr/web/guest/cityofkavala/sites   

                                                                                    Tania@Stella, C1

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