In the neighborhood of the Metropolis

The route is about 2 km long, lasts about 60 minutes and is of low difficulty. The visitor is located in the heart of the Old Town and has the opportunity to explore the most central part of the traditional settlement, as it developed around the Metropolis of the city.

Starting froms Antika Square, he will walk through the most famous and picturesque streets of old Xanthi, the streets of Mayor Filippos Amoiridis and Orfeos to meet on his way, among others, the triptych of mansions of Kaloudis, Kougioumtzoglou and Kalevras, located next to the Folklore and Historical Museum of F.E.X.

The route will end at Mitropoleos Square, which was identified with the Greek Orthodox community of the city, as around and near it were built the Metropolitan Mansion, the Matsinis School and the House of Photiadis, which also served as the Greek Consulate, in the late Ottoman period.

18. Ecclesiastical Library

Brief documentation:

The building was built between 1870 and 1890, probably initially as a residence, and was later donated to the local church. The building belongs today to the Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou and was restored by the Cultural Development Center of Thrace (P.A.KE.THRA.) of which it was the headquarters from 1993 to 2005.
Today it operates as the Ecclesiastical Library of the Metropolis, with approximately thousands of volumes of ecclesiastical and historical content. The Library is open to the public during the morning hours, but only after consultation with the Metropolis. It is a two-storey building, in which neoclassical elements can be distinguished. It has an iron balcony, iron bars on the windows and the arched skylight above the entrance. The pilasters of the entrance, the frame of the skylight as well as the simple frames of the windows are made with the local stone of Mandra. The coating on the exterior of the building mimics an isodomic building system.
Inside the building there is a central hall, around which the rooms are arranged.

Category of thematic interest: ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST

History:

The building was built in the period 1870-1890 probably initially as a residence, and later it was donated to the local church. The building belongs to the Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou and was restored by the Cultural Development Center of Thrace (P.A.KE.THRA.) of which it was the headquarters from 1993 to 2005. Today it operates as the Ecclesiastical Library of the Metropolis, with approximately thousands of volumes of ecclesiastical and historical content. The Library is open to the public, only after consultation with the Metropolis.

Elements of architecture:

It is a two-storey building, in which neoclassical elements can be distinguished. It has an iron balcony, iron bars on the windows and the arched skylight above the entrance. The pilasters of the entrance, the frame of the skylight as well as the simple frames of the windows are made with the local stone of Mandra.
Inside the building there is a central hall, around which the rooms are arranged.

Description of other elements:

The coating on the exterior of the building mimics an isodomic building system.

Purpose - Use: Residence, Ecclesiastical building

Characterization: Preserved, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/11/63051, Government Gazette 73/Β/28-2-86

Dating (period): Last quarter of the 19th century

Year of construction: 1870-1890

Monument location: 41.14382, 24.88778

Bibliographic references:

• Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou https://im- xanthis.gr/ekklisiastiki-vivliothiki/
• PACKETHRA https://pakethra.gr/edres/

Address: Antikas 14

Visitable: No