Families of Old Xanthi

The route is about 2 km long, lasts about 80 minutes and is of moderate difficulty. In it you will meet the families of old Xanthi, which in various ways contributed to the history of Xanthi, but also to the form that the old town has today. Touring the residences of old families of Xanthi, unknown aspects of their family stories will unfold and important personalities of the city will be pulled out of oblivion.

Some of the most important Christian families are: Chasirtzoglou, Stalios, Sigalas, Valixoglou, Michaloglou, Metaxas, Leontaridis, Blatsios, Angelos, Alexiou, Kalevras, Kougioumtzoglou, Kaloudis, Adamides, Christidis, Karadimoglou, Alatas. Also important were the families of Ottoman officials, such as Hamdi Bey, Muzaffer Bey, Hilmi Pasha and Memet Pasha, as well as the Jewish families of Moses and the Cohens.

Thus, the population composition of the city, the religions combination that existed and exists until today, the economic and social stratification in relation to the type and form of residence and the type of professions that found fertile ground to develop will be revealed. Many names, marking streets in old Xanthi, will come alive through this route.

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85. Matsinis Square

Brief documentation:

This public space was shaped as a square in an unknown period. It bears the name of the local noble and elder of Xanthi, Michael Matsinis.
The tobacco merchant Michael Metaxas Matsinis (1789-1873) is one of the great benefactors of the city. He founded in 1860 the Matsinis School, which is located in Mitropoleos Square and operates until today as the 1st Primary School of Xanthi. Matsinis made sure to endow the school with permanent income from shops and tobacco warehouses that he donated and with a bequest mentioned in his will.
It is also reported that he contributed a sum of money for the construction of the Greek Community Club of the city. Matsinis died in Odessa, Ukraine, where he was professionally active.
The beneficence in Xanthi, where there were many merchants who became rich from the tobacco trade, is manifested, among other things, in the creation of schools for the Greek community of the late Ottoman period.
This triangular square is dominated by a large and old plane tree in its middle, while around there are various houses, either of folk architecture or mansion houses, such as that of Menandros Chasirtzoglou.
In Matsinis Square during the Old Xanthi Festivals the Cultural Association "Vistones" sets up its hangout.

Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST

History:

This public space was shaped as a square in an unknown period. It bears the name of the local noble and elder of Xanthi, Michael Matsinis.
The tobacco merchant Michael Metaxas Matsinis (1789-1873) is one of the great benefactors of the city. He founded in 1860 the Matsinis School, located in Mitropoleos Square and operates until today as the 1st Primary School of Xanthi. Matsinis made sure to endow the school with permanent income from shops and tobacco warehouses that he donated and with a bequest mentioned in his will.
It is also reported that he contributed a sum of money for the construction of the Greek Community Club of the city.
Matsinis died in Odessa, Ukraine, where he was professionally active.
The beneficence in Xanthi, where there were many merchants who became rich from the tobacco trade, is manifested, among other things, in the creation of schools for the Greek community of the late Ottoman period.

Elements of architecture:

The triangular square is dominated by a plane tree in the middle, while around there are various houses, either of folk architecture or mansions, such as that of Menandros Chasirtzoglou.

Description of other elements:

In this square, during the Old Town Festivals, the Cultural Association "Vistones" sets up its hangout.

Purpose - Use: Public space

Characterization: Government Gazette 612B/30-4-1976 and Government Gazette 661/Β/17-5-1976 - Government Gazette 1097 D/14.12-1995

Dating (period): Unknown

Year of constructionς: Unknown

Location of the monument: 41.145126, 24.887593

Bibliographic references:

• Evlambia Avramidou, Vasilios Aivaliotis. "Streets and place names of Xanthi". Xanthi, PAKETHRA, 2003.

Address: Matsinis Square

Visitable: Yes