Sidirokastro
Encyclopedia
Sidirokastro is a town and a former municipality in the Serres regional unit, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sintiki
, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built near the fertile valley of the river Strymonas
, on the bank of the Krousovitis River. Sidirokastro is situated on the European route E79
and the main road from northern Greece (Thessaloniki
) to Bulgaria
. It has interesting sights, such as the medieval stone castle, Byzantine
ruins, natural spas and beautiful nature.
, between the Vrontou and Angistro mountains (to the north) and the river Strymonas (to the west). According to the 2001 census, the municipality's population is 10,598 and its total area is approximately 50,000 acres (197 km²). The town is crossed by the Krousovitis River, one of the Strymonas' tributaries, which divides the town into two sections. These sections are connected by two bridges: Stavrou and Kalkani. The landscape is made even prettier thanks to the Maimouda rivulet and its miniature bridges. Sidirokastro's population is a blend of indigenous people and descendants of the early 20th century waves of refugees from Asia Minor
(people who sought asylum in Greece from the wars and conflicts of that period). Sidirokastro took in refugees from Melnik
in 1913; from East Thrace (European Turkey) after the 1922 onslaught that followed the Greco-Turkish Wars in Asia Minor; from Pontus, Vlachs and people from all over Greece. The Kerkini, Angistro and Orvilos mountain ranges form natural boundaries of the greater area and of Greece with neighbouring Balkan countries. The area around Sidirokastro is rich in minerals (marble, lignite, manganese, copper, pyromorphite, iron, chromite, dolomite, uranium) and geothermal springs.
tribe, after which Sintiki
Province is named. Sintiki
is one of the provinces of the Serres Prefecture
, of which Sidirokastro is the capital.
On September 20, 1383, Sidirokastro was overtaken by Ottoman forces and remained under their rule for 529 years. Its name was changed to "Demir Hisar" (Also called "Timurhisar"). Demirhisar was kaza centre in Serez
sanjak of Selanik Province
before Balkan Wars
. In 1912, Sidirokastro was captured by the Bulgarians under general Georgi Todorov
, but some months latter it came under Greek control when the Balkan Wars ended. In 1915, during World War I
, it came under the control of the Central Powers
, but it remained part of the Greek state when the war ended (1918). In April 1941, after the surrender of the Roupel stronghold and the German army's invasion of Greece, the Bulgarian army occupied Sidirokastro, as part of the triple Axis occupation of Greece. The Bulgarians left in 1944 with the rest of the retreating Axis powers.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sintiki
Sintiki
Sintiki is a municipality in the Serres regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Sidirokastro.-Municipality:...
, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built near the fertile valley of the river Strymonas
Struma River
The Struma or Strymónas is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. Its ancient name was Strymōn . Its catchment area is 10,800 km²...
, on the bank of the Krousovitis River. Sidirokastro is situated on the European route E79
European route E79
European route E 79 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Miskolc, Hungary and ends in Thessaloniki, Greece, also running through Romania and Bulgaria...
and the main road from northern Greece (Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
) to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. It has interesting sights, such as the medieval stone castle, Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
ruins, natural spas and beautiful nature.
General information
Sidirokastro is located 25 km to the northwest of the town of SerresSerres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
, between the Vrontou and Angistro mountains (to the north) and the river Strymonas (to the west). According to the 2001 census, the municipality's population is 10,598 and its total area is approximately 50,000 acres (197 km²). The town is crossed by the Krousovitis River, one of the Strymonas' tributaries, which divides the town into two sections. These sections are connected by two bridges: Stavrou and Kalkani. The landscape is made even prettier thanks to the Maimouda rivulet and its miniature bridges. Sidirokastro's population is a blend of indigenous people and descendants of the early 20th century waves of refugees from Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
(people who sought asylum in Greece from the wars and conflicts of that period). Sidirokastro took in refugees from Melnik
Melnik, Bulgaria
Melnik is a town in Blagoevgrad Province, southwestern Bulgaria, in the southwestern Pirin Mountains, about 440 m above sea level. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments...
in 1913; from East Thrace (European Turkey) after the 1922 onslaught that followed the Greco-Turkish Wars in Asia Minor; from Pontus, Vlachs and people from all over Greece. The Kerkini, Angistro and Orvilos mountain ranges form natural boundaries of the greater area and of Greece with neighbouring Balkan countries. The area around Sidirokastro is rich in minerals (marble, lignite, manganese, copper, pyromorphite, iron, chromite, dolomite, uranium) and geothermal springs.
History
Sidirokastro's history reaches a long way back in time. There are Palaeolithic ruins here, and references to the area are found in Homer and Herodotus. Its ancient inhabitants migrated to Sidirokastro from the island of Limnos. The area's first inhabitants were of the SintianSintians
The Sintians , "the Raiders, the Plunderers", from ancient Greek sinteis, "destructive") were known to the Greeks as pirates and raiders; they are also referred to as a Thracian people who once inhabited the area of the nowadays Sintiki province of Greece and the island of Lemnos The Sintians ,...
tribe, after which Sintiki
Sintiki
Sintiki is a municipality in the Serres regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Sidirokastro.-Municipality:...
Province is named. Sintiki
Sintiki
Sintiki is a municipality in the Serres regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Sidirokastro.-Municipality:...
is one of the provinces of the Serres Prefecture
Serres Prefecture
Serres is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Region of Central Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Serres. The total population reaches just over 200,000.-Geography:...
, of which Sidirokastro is the capital.
On September 20, 1383, Sidirokastro was overtaken by Ottoman forces and remained under their rule for 529 years. Its name was changed to "Demir Hisar" (Also called "Timurhisar"). Demirhisar was kaza centre in Serez
Serres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
sanjak of Selanik Province
Salonika Province, Ottoman Empire
The Vilayet of Salonica was an Ottoman province from 1867 to 1912. In the late 19th century it reportedly had an area of .The vilayet was bounded by the Principality , of Bulgaria on the north; Eastern Rumelia on the northeast ; Edirne Vilayet on the east; the Aegean Sea on the south; Monastir...
before Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
. In 1912, Sidirokastro was captured by the Bulgarians under general Georgi Todorov
Georgi Todorov (general)
Georgi Stoyanov Todorov was a Bulgarian General who fought in the Russo-Turkish War , Serbo-Bulgarian War , Balkan Wars and First World War .-Biography:At the age of 19 he volunteered in the Bulgarian Corps during the Russo-Turkish...
, but some months latter it came under Greek control when the Balkan Wars ended. In 1915, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, it came under the control of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
, but it remained part of the Greek state when the war ended (1918). In April 1941, after the surrender of the Roupel stronghold and the German army's invasion of Greece, the Bulgarian army occupied Sidirokastro, as part of the triple Axis occupation of Greece. The Bulgarians left in 1944 with the rest of the retreating Axis powers.
Sights
- There are quite interesting sights to be found in Sidirokastro, such as the ruins of the Byzantine castle, the Agios Dimitrios church that is carved in rock, and the quaint bridges over the Krousovitis River.
- The Issari Fort, built by Emperor Basil II. Standing 155 metres tall, it towers over the town's northwest side. The town owes its name to this fort: "Sidirokastro" means "iron castle" in Greek, as does "Demir Issar" in Turkish.
- The beautiful wetland habitat of the artificial lake Kerkini, created by a dam on the Strymonas RiverStruma RiverThe Struma or Strymónas is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. Its ancient name was Strymōn . Its catchment area is 10,800 km²...
. This singular habitat, protected by the RAMSARRamsarRamsar is a city in and the capital of Ramsar County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 31,659, in 9,421 families....
Convention on Wetlands, is Greece's natural frontier with Bulgaria. It is one of the richest fowl habitats in Greece: home to more than 300 species.
- The Sidirokastro Hot Springs have a temperature of 45°. They are just outside the town to the north, near the Strymonas River railway-bridge, on a hill that offers panoramic views of the area. Thousands of people go to these hot springs every year, both for recreation or therapy, especially since the recent renovation of the area's tourist facilities. There are more hot springs in Thermes and in Angistro.
- Roupel Fort, which was a stronghold against the German-Bulgarian army in WWII.
- The botanic forest-park and the aquarium at Vyronia.
- The ski resort in Lailia, one of north Greece's finest, is open all year and can accommodate a large number of visitors. It is great for winter sports and a place of natural beauty.
- The town's greatest annual festival is on 27 June, celebrating the area's liberation from Ottoman rule in 1913. It is an anniversary the locals celebrate with reverence, emotion and pride.