In the neighborhood of the Akathist Hymn

The route is about 900 meters long, lasts about 40 minutes and is of low difficulty. It concerns the northern part of Old Xanthi and the district of the church of the Akathist Hymn.

The visitor can tour the upper part of the Old Town and see luxurious mansions built by the tobacco merchants of Xanthi, such as the M. Chasirtzoglou Mansion and the Kotsioudis Mansion. Starting from Mitropoleos Square, the visitor will head uphill in order to reach the center of the route, the Temple of the Akathist Hymn.

This church was inaugurated in 1861 and is the only one in Greece dedicated to the Akathist hymn. At the end of the route at the Ahrian Mosque you will have a wonderful view of the river of Xanthi, Kosynthos, and the district of Samakov on the opposite bank of the river.

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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