Educational visit to Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

Evangelia Argyropoulou, student of the 1st grade of 1u GEL Trikala

The children of the 1st grade of the 1st General Lyceum of Trikala spent a very beautiful three days in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace from which we gained a lot creating unforgettable memories.

The first stop of this trip was at the Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis where we saw many vases, figurines, jewelry and other finds from prehistoric times to the Byzantine period, covering 2500 years of Greek history. Amphipolis was founded as a colony of the city-state of Athens in 437 BC. and was a thriving commercial center. of the Macedonian state Our tour was given by an experienced tour guide with passion for her work who informed us about the history of ancient Amphipolis and its wider area, highlighting aspects of the life and culture that developed there. We also visited the tomb believed to be that of the general Brasidas, who was buried outside the walls by the Amphipolitans in 422 BC.

The second stop was the Ancient Theater of Philippi which is located in the regional unit of Kavala. in the area formerly called Krinides. The city of Philippi was founded in 360 BC. Philip II occupied it in 356 BC. The city of Philippi developed into one of the most important cities in Macedonia. The passage of Egnatia Street through Philippi contributed to the development of the city and its return to the forefront of history. 49-50 AD passed from here. the Apostle Paul and founded the first Christian church on European soil. The first phase of the ancient theater dates back to this era, where the orchestra, (the outdoor central space where the actors play), was shaped like a horseshoe. This theater continued to be used by the Roman colonists, after it was remodeled to adapt to the new spectacles of Roman society and to receive numerous spectators. In the 2nd century AD, the theater acquired a typical Roman form. In the 3rd century A.D. the theater was turned into an arena for animal fights. In the early Christian years (5th-6th century AD) the theater ceased to function as a venue for performances.

In the afternoon of the same day after our arrival at the hotel for relaxation and rest we went for a tour of the old town of Xanthi where we visited the house where Manos Hatzidakis was born, the old Town Hall and the Folklore Museum.

The tour started from Democracy Square, where the old clock dominates. We walked up the cobblestone that leads to the old town. The old town was built in 1829 by Epirotian and Macedonian craftsmen and is full of inns, shops, Macedonian-style houses and neoclassical mansions where the tobacco merchants lived. In 1976 the city was declared a protected settlement. In one of these mansions, a representative example of architecture, the Folklore Museum of Xanthi is housed,

Later in the evening we went to an excellent tavern with live music. We were quite pleased with the food and the time passed nicely with much dancing and laughter.

The next day we started our journey to Alexandroupoli. Very impressive town with its harbor and the lighthouse built on top of it. From there we will be left with our visit to the neoclassical ethnological museum from which we gained a lot in a creative and enjoyable way. Then we toured the city and a little later we started to go to Komotini. It was necessary to get an idea since it is a student town and in two years many of us may spend there. Our visit to the Karatheodoris museum was also profitable, where we saw photos, personal items and archives of this great mathematician and felt proud to learn that he helped Einstein to accomplish his work. At the end of the day we returned to Xanthi where we sat down to eat in an excellent tavern with very good service and great food.

On the last day of the excursion, we visited the Multi-Thematic Energy Park “Iron” at the University of Xanthi, where we were guided by Mr. Pantelis Botsaris, a professor at the Technical University of Xanthi, and his partner, Mr. Paschalis Kalitsis. We were informed about the renewable forms of energy, with which they meet the needs of the community. We got a lot in a pleasant way as they did not give us simple information and theory but the tour also included experiments. Later we moved towards the impressive city of Kavala. Although we didn’t have much time there, we managed to admire it and we definitely included it as a special holiday destination now that summer is approaching. Finally we started the return journey. It was a very beautiful and quiet three days and despite the inconvenience of the trip we returned to Trikala full of new experiences and moments that will accompany us for the rest of our lives.

Argyropoulou Evangelia