In the neighborhood of Kavaki

The route is about 1 km long, lasts about 50 minutes and is of moderate difficulty. It gives the visitor the opportunity to explore the so-called Kavaki, a picturesque district at the southeastern end of old Xanthi, located in the immediate vicinity of the river Kosynthos.

The district was named after a poplar tree (kavaki) that is said to have existed in the courtyard of the church of Pammegistoi Taxiarchs, a three-aisled basilica inextricably linked to the area. Starting from the homonymous square, the traveler will be able to see small and large traditional buildings, which coexist in narrow streets and compose the landscape of a neighborhood, which was created by tobacco workers and small professionals.

Alongside these buildings, however, other impressive ones coexist, such as the Mega Kin Cinema, the Karadimoglou Mansion and the Xenia Hotel, where the route ends. Thus, the visitor can explore the harmonious coexistence of traditional and modern architectural elements, which characterize the city of Xanthi and are perfectly expressed in the district of Kavaki.

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57. Vardalis House

Brief documentation:

This building belongs to the old Xanthi family Vardalis and its construction took place around 1870.
According to testimonies during the Bulgarian occupation, the building was requisitioned to accommodate the Bulgarian Mayor of the city, who left in 1919 trying to escape with the family's furniture but was arrested.
It is a large, folk traditional architecture building with an extensive sachnisi on the first floor, on Orfeos Street and in the lane. The ground floor consists of stonework, a solid and robust construction, with intermediate wooden frames that help the antiseismicity of the building, while the first floor is made of wooden construction (tsatma). There are windows on the ground floor, with guardrails, and on the first floor, with simple wooden frames. These are two consecutive residences with entrances on Orfeos Street and the lane. In the corner, the characteristic detachment of the building, the beveled corner, is formed to protect the wall from carriages.
Decorated ceilings are observed inside the building.

Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST

History:

The building belongs to the old Xanthi Vardalis family and its construction dates back to around 1870.
According to testimonies during the Bulgarian occupation, the building was requisitioned to accommodate the Bulgarian Mayor of the city, who left in 1919 tryinh to escape with the family's furniture but was arrested.

Elements of architecture:

It is a large, folk traditional architecture building with an extensive sachnisi on the first floor, on Orfeos Street and in the lane. The ground floor consists of stonework, a solid and robust construction, with intermediate wooden frames that help the antiseismicity of the building, while the first floor is made of wooden construction (tsatma). There are windows on the ground floor, with guardrails, and on the first floor, with simple wooden frames. These are two consecutive residences with entrances on Orfeos Street and the lane. In the corner, the characteristic detachment of the building, the beveled corner, is formed to protect the wall from carriages.

Description of other elements:

Decorated ceilings are observed inside the building. A member of the family was on the committee of the Taxiarchs Monastery, while Miltiadis Vardalis was among the distinguished Xanthians taken by the Bulgarians fleeing as hostages after the end of the 1st Bulgarian occupation of Xanthi (November 1912 – July 1913), for reasons of their personal safety. During the 1920s, a Greek athlete from Xanthi is recorded with the surname Vardalis.

Purpose - Use: Residence

Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/108/5352, Government Gazette 91/90

Dating (period): Second half of the 19th century

Year of construction: Second half of the 19th century

Location of the monument: 41.14383, 24.88851

Bibliographic references:

• D. Mavridis (ed.). Xanthi, the city with a thousand colors. Xanthi, PAKETHRA 2008

Address: Orfeos 40-42

Visitable: No