Alexandroupolis, the capital of Evros, possesses the leader position in the geographical area of E. Macedonia and Thrace, as it composes the connection’s basic gate among the European Community’s countries and the Mediterranean countries, Asia’s and Black Sea’s zone. It has been distinguished as the major internal border comb of the European Community.
Alexandroupolis is build by the sea and has a coast line, which is 35km long. The town is accessible by airplane, train, car and ship.
It is 840km far away from Athens, 350km from Thessaloniki, 43km from the border and 300km from Konstantinoples.
You can travel by train to Athens, Thessaloniki, Konstantinoples and Orestiada. Five trains are traveling daily to Thessaloniki, three local trains (9 hours and 30 min) and two intercity (5 hours and 30 min).
There are four flights daily from here to Athens and the trip takes nearly 50 min. By ship you can reach all the east Aegean island and there is daily connection for Samothraki as well.
The city of Alexandroupolis follows quick rhythms in the financial development. The harbor and the rail station compose the important centers in the transit trade. After the new cottages placing in and the “I.Kapodistrias” plan put into practice, the Municipality of Alexandroupolis was distinguished in a very important tourist center, which offers the ability to combine the sea tourism with the spa tourism and also the Eco tourism.
Not only the shores cottages of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis - such as Macri, Mesimbria, Dicella - but also the mountainous cottages - such as Potamos, Avantas, Aisimi, Leptocaria, Kirki, Sikorachi - offer to their visitors the courses of a unique natural beauty. Furthermore, Alexandroupolis, is being located very close to Dadia, which is a very important place - from ecological side -, Delta of Evros river and the spa of Traianoupolis.
The city of Alexandroupolis, which is populated of 50,000 dwellers, offers a high quality of life, ensured the environmental balance and the continuous cultural upgrade, disposed live artistic and spiritual life and offering a lot of entertainment’s choices. The lighthouse, which is considered to be the most characteristic symbol of Alexandroupolis, was built by the French company ‘Faron and Faron’ for the Ottoman Empire. It was constructed almost simultaneously with the introduction of the railway system into the city and the creation of the small harbour.
The Lighthouse:
It began functioning on June 1, 1880. It has a height of 27 meters above the sea and includes a rotating light beam.
Visibility under normal weather conditions reaches 23 miles. It is entirely manufactured by boulders and in the interior there are stone covered stairs.
Until 1973, the Lighthouse functioned with a combination of air and petrol. The older system was replaced by a newer one including gas and electricity.
One of the most important and oldest neo-classical buildings in Alexandroupolis, as well as an important monument is the Zarifeios Pedagogique Academy, which was named after its founder, George Zarifis, a wealthy businessman from Constantinople.
In its 60 years of education, thousands of students have graduated from the Academy under the guidance of top instructors, including the well-known professor Evangelos Papanoutsos. The graduates have entered various fields. Some have stayed in Alexandroupolis while others have established themselves in other parts of Greece.
The tasteful instruction room with its glass roof and crystal floor remind one of the birth-place of its founder, Constantinople. A statue of George Zarifis with a marble bust, created by the sculptor Nikos Perantinos can be found in the courtyard of the Academy.
Holy Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Nicolas:
The cathedral of St. Nicolas was first in stimulating the development of Alexandroupolis. Initially in 1850 a similar church was built in the same area with the contributions of the few navymen and fishermen of the coastal settlements.
In the construction of today’s large church, the citizens of Ainos of Alexandroupolis for its aesthetic improvement transferred from the beautiful gate of the city of Ainos valuable icons, the gold-plated Sacred Icon which is used in the formal procession on Good Friday and other sacred items which today are located in the Ecclesiastical Museum. The Church was completed in 1900 and the formal inauguration occurred in 1901 by the Metropolitan Bishop Germanos of Ainos.
In 1908, with the contribution of Vlassios Souchour of Samos, consul of Austria-Hugary in Alexandroupolis, the construction and the raising of the two belfries took place. The church was renovated in 1947 under the auspice of Metropolitan Bishop Ioakim Kaviris.
The Church is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Saint Nicolas. It is tree-portioned with a dome, two belfries and other assorted architectural elements.
All the local people and also the visitors, can rest and enjoy the nature in any of the big natural parks of Alexandroupolis.
Alexandroupolis is build by the sea and has a coast line, which is 35km long. The town is accessible by airplane, train, car and ship.
It is 840km far away from Athens, 350km from Thessaloniki, 43km from the border and 300km from Konstantinoples.You can travel by train to Athens, Thessaloniki, Konstantinoples and Orestiada. Five trains are traveling daily to Thessaloniki, three local trains (9 hours and 30 min) and two intercity (5 hours and 30 min).
There are four flights daily from here to Athens and the trip takes nearly 50 min. By ship you can reach all the east Aegean island and there is daily connection for Samothraki as well.
The city of Alexandroupolis follows quick rhythms in the financial development. The harbor and the rail station compose the important centers in the transit trade. After the new cottages placing in and the “I.Kapodistrias” plan put into practice, the Municipality of Alexandroupolis was distinguished in a very important tourist center, which offers the ability to combine the sea tourism with the spa tourism and also the Eco tourism.Not only the shores cottages of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis - such as Macri, Mesimbria, Dicella - but also the mountainous cottages - such as Potamos, Avantas, Aisimi, Leptocaria, Kirki, Sikorachi - offer to their visitors the courses of a unique natural beauty. Furthermore, Alexandroupolis, is being located very close to Dadia, which is a very important place - from ecological side -, Delta of Evros river and the spa of Traianoupolis.
The city of Alexandroupolis, which is populated of 50,000 dwellers, offers a high quality of life, ensured the environmental balance and the continuous cultural upgrade, disposed live artistic and spiritual life and offering a lot of entertainment’s choices. The lighthouse, which is considered to be the most characteristic symbol of Alexandroupolis, was built by the French company ‘Faron and Faron’ for the Ottoman Empire. It was constructed almost simultaneously with the introduction of the railway system into the city and the creation of the small harbour.
The Lighthouse:
It began functioning on June 1, 1880. It has a height of 27 meters above the sea and includes a rotating light beam.
Visibility under normal weather conditions reaches 23 miles. It is entirely manufactured by boulders and in the interior there are stone covered stairs.
Until 1973, the Lighthouse functioned with a combination of air and petrol. The older system was replaced by a newer one including gas and electricity.
One of the most important and oldest neo-classical buildings in Alexandroupolis, as well as an important monument is the Zarifeios Pedagogique Academy, which was named after its founder, George Zarifis, a wealthy businessman from Constantinople.
In its 60 years of education, thousands of students have graduated from the Academy under the guidance of top instructors, including the well-known professor Evangelos Papanoutsos. The graduates have entered various fields. Some have stayed in Alexandroupolis while others have established themselves in other parts of Greece.
The tasteful instruction room with its glass roof and crystal floor remind one of the birth-place of its founder, Constantinople. A statue of George Zarifis with a marble bust, created by the sculptor Nikos Perantinos can be found in the courtyard of the Academy.Holy Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Nicolas:
The cathedral of St. Nicolas was first in stimulating the development of Alexandroupolis. Initially in 1850 a similar church was built in the same area with the contributions of the few navymen and fishermen of the coastal settlements.
In the construction of today’s large church, the citizens of Ainos of Alexandroupolis for its aesthetic improvement transferred from the beautiful gate of the city of Ainos valuable icons, the gold-plated Sacred Icon which is used in the formal procession on Good Friday and other sacred items which today are located in the Ecclesiastical Museum. The Church was completed in 1900 and the formal inauguration occurred in 1901 by the Metropolitan Bishop Germanos of Ainos.
In 1908, with the contribution of Vlassios Souchour of Samos, consul of Austria-Hugary in Alexandroupolis, the construction and the raising of the two belfries took place. The church was renovated in 1947 under the auspice of Metropolitan Bishop Ioakim Kaviris.
The Church is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Saint Nicolas. It is tree-portioned with a dome, two belfries and other assorted architectural elements.
All the local people and also the visitors, can rest and enjoy the nature in any of the big natural parks of Alexandroupolis.
