Families of Old Xanthi
This route is about 2 km, lasting about 60 minutes and of moderate difficulty. In it you will meet the families of old Xanthi, who 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, rather 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 families of the Greek Orthodox community 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 commanders, such as Hamdi Bey, Muzaffer Bey, Hilmi Pasha and Memet Pasha, as well as the Jewish families of Aaron Moses and the Cohens.

Through this route, the population composition of the city will be revealed, the religions combination that existed and exists until today, the economic and social stratification in direct correlation with the type and form of residence and the type of professions developed. Many names, marking streets in old Xanthi, will come alive and will be understood through this route.

84. Pygmalionos Christidis Street

Brief documentation:

Main road that crosses a large part of the traditional settlement, from Antikas Square to the northern end of old Xanthi. The street was named after Pygmalion Christidis after the war, to honor the former Mayor of the city (during the periods 1934-1935, 1936-1941, 1951-1955), who lived for a while on this street in the Kotsioudis mansion (at number 36).
During the Ottoman period the road was called Uzun Sokak, which means "long road". Due to this name and its special characteristics, some researchers identify it with the Byzantine "middle or royal road", a main road that may have existed before and led through the settlement to the interior of the fortress facilities, located on the acropolis north of the old city.
The road crosses the city from Antikas Square, where it has been assumed that the area of the main gate of the walls of Byzantine Xanthia was located, to the fortifications of the Acropolis, where the center of power would be located, serving defensive functions.
During the Ottoman period the road was used for commercial transport from the region of Xanthi to the mainland to its north.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST


History:

Main road that crosses a large part of the traditional settlement, from Antikas Square to the northern end of old Xanthi. During the Ottoman period the road was called Uzun Sokak, which means "long road". Due to this name and its special characteristics, some researchers identify it with the Byzantine "middle or royal road", a main road that may have existed before and led through the settlement to the interior of the fortress facilities, located on the acropolis north of the old city.


Elements of architecture:

This road crosses the city from Antikas Square, where it has been assumed that the area of the main gate of the walls of Byzantine Xanthia was located, to the fortifications of the Acropolis, where the center of power would be located, serving defensive functions.
During the Ottoman period the road was used for commercial transport from the region of Xanthi to the mainland.


Description of other elements:

After the war, the street was named after Pygmalion Christidis, who served as mayor during the periods 1934-1935, 1936-1941, 1951-1955 and lived for a period on this street in the Kotsioudis mansion (at number 36).


Purpose - Use: Road network


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


Dating (period): Byzantine period


Year of construction: Unknown


Location of the monument: 41.14242333550977, 24.887073091994104


Bibliographic references:

•    Evlambia Avramidou, Vasilios Aivaliotis. "Streets and place names of Xanthi". Xanthi, PAKETHRA, 2003.
•    Ch. Melkides, "The Muslim monuments of Xanthi". Athens: Technical Chamber of Greece, 2007, p. 90.


 Address: Pygmalionos Christidis Street


Visitable: Yes

 

Print
image
Terms Of UsePrivacy StatementCopyright 2024 by Municipality of Xanthi
Back To Top