The Colorful Old Town of Xanthi

Nestled in the heart of Western Thrace, northeastern Greece, the capital city of Xanthi shares its name with the surrounding regional unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. It lies on the foot of the Rhodope mountain chain, and the river Kosynthos divides it into the western part, where the old and the modern town rest, and the eastern part, which boasts a rich natural environment. The colorful Old Town of Xanthi features a distinctive architecture that combines Byzantine Greek churches with 18th and 19th-century Greek merchant estates and Ottoman-era mosques. It is a charming maze of cobblestone streets, neoclassical mansions, and hidden courtyards that whisper secrets of eras past to the inquisitive traveler.

Left: The Hasirtzoglou Mansion (late 19th century). The Hasirtzoglou family was one of the most prominent textile merchants in Xanthi. The ground floor was used for textile trading, while the upper floor served as a residence. The family of Dimitrios Hasirtzoglou lived on the premises until 1914. In 1925, the Bank of Athens used the ground floor as a branch until 1953. From March 1, 1934, to April 6, 1941, the upper floor housed Xanthi’s Provincial Office, followed by the Prefecture of Xanthi offices. During the Bulgarian occupation (1942), the building was requisitioned. In February 1955, the National Bank of Greece transferred the property to the Greek state for 362,000 drachmas. As a public building, it accommodated the Hellenic Post on the ground floor and the Municipal Library on the upper floor. Later, ownership of the building passed to the Municipality of Xanthi. Since the early 1990s, it has housed the Lyceum Club of Greek Women of Xanthi. In 2004, the municipality decided to restore the building and reuse it as the headquarters of the Lyceum Club and a folklore museum. The restoration was completed in 2008.

Right: The Memet Pasha Mansion (early 20th century). The building belonged to Mehmet Pasha, a wealthy Ottoman landowner. The ground floor of the building has always operated as a commercial store, while the two upper floors were a residence. In 1925, Mehmet Pasha’s heirs sold the building to Georgios Chalavatzis, Bishop of the Catholic Church in Greece. An Armenian timber merchant, Avedis Menedian, purchased it later on. It is a grand two-story urban residence built according to Western European standards and modeled after Central European apartment buildings. The ground floor is clad with brick and features decorative faux capitals. The exterior is symmetrical, with two balconies on the upper floors featuring iron railings of local craftsmanship—a style rarely found outside of Xanthi. A particularly unique feature of the building is the elimination of the corner at the street intersection, which is built instead as a three-part prismatic end, giving the impression of a circular finish. The two-story residence above the ground-floor shop includes six rooms and two large main halls.

Covering an area of 380,000 square meters/4,090,282 square feet, it is one of the largest traditional settlements in Greece, which has remained unaffected by modern time ravages and maintains its nobility and grandeur. It is a living museum of different eras. Strolling through its narrow streets, you’ll notice the architectural influence of the Ottoman period, the neoclassical grandeur of the 19th century, and a bit of vibrance of current times. The well-preserved mansions of wealthy merchants, many of which now house museums, boutique hotels, or charming cafés, reflect the city’s history as a tobacco trading hub.

A Walk Through Time

The Old Town of Xanthi was rebuilt in 1830 after two destructive earthquakes in 1829. It flourished from the mid-19th to the early 20th century, when the tobacco trade, involving a major part of the population, experienced great prosperity. Attesting to the city’s prosperity and European path was the presence of four consulates (Italian, Austro-Hungarian, French, and Greek), along with banks, a Chamber of Commerce, insurance offices, a cabaret, two cinemas, a theater, numerous shops, inns, clubs, associations, and, of course, tobacco factories. Its mansions belonged mainly to tobacco merchants, who lived a bourgeois lifestyle with private horse-drawn carriages, imported European furnishings, and home frescoes painted by foreign artists.

The Old Town has been a designated traditional settlement since 1976 and is one of the best-preserved architectural ensembles in Macedonia and Thrace. A 1994 law prohibiting any external intervention in the houses has further preserved the merchant estates and the homes of middle-class professionals, artisans, and tobacco industry workers. Eclectic architecture, Belle Époque style, and influences from the Italian Renaissance, German Romanticism, and Greek Neoclassicism permeate the town. Visitors walking along the cobbled alleys can admire the masterful buildings nowadays dedicated to religion, education, and art that convey a sense of the wealth and beautiful life once lived by those who resided here in past centuries. And whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or a timid wanderer, they will surely offer an unforgettable experience!

Left: The Kalévra Family Mansion (second half of the 19th century). The house of Vasileios and Chrysoula Kalévra from Constantinople stands at the corner of Orfeos and Pindarou streets. It was initially inhabited by the owner’s son, who divided it into two residences in 1895 for family reasons. During the Balkan Wars, the owners abandoned the house and never returned. In 1995, the municipality purchased the property and began its restoration with a core principle of preserving its traditional style and maintaining its original lines and elements. It became the first-ever Municipal Art Gallery of Xanthi in 1997.

The Metropolis Square

The square where the main roadways converge is the center of the traditional settlement and home to some of the area’s most important buildings. The focal point is the 1839 Metropolitan Church of Saint John the Baptist, the city’s patron saint. It is a stone-built, three-aisled basilica with a three-story bell tower and elaborate roof woodwork. Next to the church, the 1897 Metropolitan Mansion houses the offices of the Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheorio. The square also features the 1st Primary School of Xanthi, built in 1840 and funded by Michael Metaxa Matsini, a renowned tobacco merchant.

Why You Should Visit

• Rich History & Architecture: A blend of Ottoman, Balkan, and neoclassical influences.
• Authentic Local Flavors: The Old Town is a paradise for food lovers. Be sure to try kavourmas, a slow-cooked meat delicacy, and kazan dibi, a unique sweet treat influenced by the city’s multicultural past.
• Cultural Festivities: Xanthi is widely known for its Carnival. Every February and/or March, the entire city transforms into a lively spectacle of parades, music, and costumes, attracting visitors from all over the country. Also, the Old Town Festival in September celebrates local heritage through music, art, and gastronomy.
• Hidden Courtyards & Cozy Cafés: Perfect spots to relax and soak in the atmosphere.

How to get there

A few kilometers outside Xanthi, the Egnatia Motorway unites the region with Macedonia, Epirus, and the rest of Thrace. The Xanthi Bus Station runs daily services to several cities throughout Greece (206 km/128 mi from Thessaloniki and 704 km/437.5 mi from Athens). The Agios Konstantinos border crossing point (51 km/31.7 mi from Xanthi) between Greece and Bulgaria opened in 2010, linking the nearby village of Thermi with the town of Zlatograd. A link road between the A2 motorway and the Bulgarian city of Rudozem is in the works, but hasn’t opened yet. Xanthi does not have an airport. It is mainly served by the Kavala Airport, 42 km/26 mi away, and secondarily by the Alexandroupolis Airport, 112 km/69.6 mi away.

Left: The Kougioumtzoglou Mansion. The mansion belonged to tobacco merchant Vasilios Kougioumtzoglou. He built it around 1870 for his two sons, Pantelis and Dimitrios, so it has two identical sections. The right part of the building was donated by Anna Kougioumtzoglou-Kaloudi (daughter of Pantelis) to the Municipality of Xanthi in 1971, while Dimitrios’s heirs sold the left part to the F.E.X. Cultural Center. Since 1974, it has housed the Folklore & Historical Museum of Xanthi. It is a large two-story building with a semi-basement, distinguished for its eclectic architecture and absolute symmetry. Its main features are the many openings and the facade’s decorative elements featuring solid red bricks and Mandra quarry stone. The openings/windows on the ground floor have triangular pediments, while the corresponding first-floor ones are curved. Its gable roof features two triangular dormers with hexagonal skylights. The cast ironworks of local craftsmanship protect the ground floor windows, make the balconies of the first floor, and frame the small garden in front of the building. The courtyard at the back of the mansion includes two small hammams, essentially the mansion’s men’s and women’s baths.

Μπαίνει οσονούπω η άνοιξη – κι ας επιμένει λίγο ακόμα ο χειμώνας; Μπαίνει! Ήρθε η ώρα να εκδράμουμε ανά την Ελλάδα; Ήρθε! Ντυθείτε καλά, φτιάξτε βαλίτσες και πάμε Ξάνθη! (Για το καρναβάλι και όχι μόνο).

Η Παλιά Πόλη της Ξάνθης

Χτισμένη σε ύψωμα στο βόρειο τμήμα της Ξάνθης, αποτελεί τον ιστορικό της πυρήνα και καλύπτει έκταση 380.000 τ.μ. Είναι ένας από τους μεγαλύτερους παραδοσιακούς οικισμούς της Ελλάδας, που διατηρεί την αρχοντιά και τη μεγαλοπρέπειά του.

Η Παλιά Πόλη ξαναχτίστηκε το 1830 μετά από δύο σεισμούς το 1829. Ήκμασε στα μέσα του 19ου αιώνα μέχρι τις αρχές του 20ου, περίοδος κατά την οποία έφτασε στο απόγειο του το καπνεμπόριο με το οποίο ασχολούνταν το μεγαλύτερο μέρος του πληθυσμού της. Χαρακτηριστικά αυτής της ακμής και της ευρωπαϊκής πορείας που ακολούθησε η Ξάνθη, ήταν τα τέσσερα προξενεία (Ιταλικό, Αυστροουγγαρίας, Γαλλικό και Ελληνικό) που έδρευαν στην πόλη, ενώ υπήρχαν ακόμα τράπεζες, εμπορικό επιμελητήριο, ασφαλιστικά γραφεία, καμπαρέ, δύο κινηματογράφοι, θέατρο, καταστήματα, χάνια, λέσχες, σωματεία, σύλλογοι και βέβαια, καπνεργοστάσια.

Χαρακτηρίστηκε παραδοσιακός οικισμός το 1976 και είναι ένα από τα καλύτερα διατηρημένα αρχιτεκτονικά σύνολα σε όλη τη Μακεδονία και τη Θράκη. Αρχοντικά και κατοικίες εργατών διασώζονται χάρη σε νόμο που ψηφίστηκε το 1994 και απαγορεύει οποιαδήποτε εξωτερική επέμβαση στα κτήρια που αποτελούν ένα σύνολο εκλεκτικιστικής αρχιτεκτονικής, Μπελ Επόκ, και επιδράσεων από την Ιταλική Αναγέννηση, τον Γερμανικό Ρομαντισμό και τον Ελληνικό Νεοκλασικισμό! Ο επισκέπτης στην Παλιά Πόλη θα περπατήσει σε πλακόστρωτα δρομάκια, θα θαυμάσει αριστοτεχνικά οικήματα και μικρές πλατείες και θα υποψιαστεί λιγάκι πώς ήταν η ζωή όσων έζησαν εδώ τους περασμένους αιώνες…

*All info from wikipedia / ktirio.gr / cityofxanthi.gr / pinakothiki.cityofxanthi.gr
Images by Athina D. Pantazatou for Kicking Back the Pebbles