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| Chestnut | ||
| region | East Macedonia and Thrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 427 (2011) | |
| height | unknown | |
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| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
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Chestnut is a village in Greece and an archaeological site.
background
Maroneia, probably the Homeric one Ismaros, was one of the richest cities of ancient times along with the nearby ones Abdera (Near Xanthi) and Mesimvria. Nowadays it is a village appreciated for the surrounding beaches (Profitis Ilias, Alkyona, Mesi, Kageles and Molyvoti). The Maronia settlement extends over a large area at the foot of Mount Ismaros. The settlement of ancient Maronia extended over a wide area, from Mount Ismaros to Lake Ptelea. Several ancient monuments can be visited, but others are still tucked away in the olive groves and mountainous landscapes of Ismaro as excavation is scarce. Worth seeing are the fortress of Agios Georgios (the megalithic gate), the complex of Roman times, the walls of the citadel of Agios Athanasios (the walls had an estimated length of over 10 km!) And the huge old carved granite wine press.
history
Maroneia was founded in the middle of the 7th century BC. Founded on the slopes of Ismaros and soon developed into a wealthy and densely populated center. Maroneia was near the ancient city of Ismaros, mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey. Some archaeologists consider Maroneia to be identical to Ismaros. Homer lets Odysseus sack the city, but spare Marron, the priest of Apollo. Marron thanks Odysseus with a gift of wine, as well as gold and silver. The strong wine was later used by Odysseus to stun the Cyclops. During the classical period the city had a strong fortification wall, 10 km long, from the coast to the tip of Ismaros. Maroneia was the largest and most important of all the ancient Greek colonies of western Thrace. In the centuries that followed, under various rulers (Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines), it flourished and was an important port city, but eventually lost its importance in the late Byzantine and Ottoman periods.
getting there
In the street
Leave the Thessaloniki - Alexandroupolis motorway at the Komotini East exit and follow the signs for about 30 km.
By boat
The small harbor is a good anchorage for sailing boats.
mobility
The sights are not so far apart that you cannot walk to them, but a car or motorcycle is a great help, especially in hot summer.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Ancient theater. The theater was built in the Hellenistic period and rebuilt in the Roman period. It has been partially renovated in recent years. Several rows of stone seats are still visible. If you follow the dirt road for another 2 km, which leads past the theater, you come to a landscape with strange, large round rocks that are reminiscent of boulders. The landscape and the view from there are worth the bad way.
- 2 Temple of Dionysus. only the foundation walls of the temple have been preserved.
- 3 Megalithic gate of ancient Ismara. There is no marked road, but a 4x4 vehicle can drive about 700 meters near the site. Following the signs, it is a three-minute walk to the megalithic gate with its monolithic representations. If you go another 15 minutes to the right and follow the signs you will reach the ancient wine press.
- 4 Hadrian's Gate. Erected in honor of the Roman Emperor Hadrian when he called Maronia in 124-125 BC. visited.
- 5 Maronia castle ruins. The Byzantine city near the sea and the fortress was limited to a small part compared to the ancient Roman city. Only one tower of the fortress is visible. The original Roman fortress was used for many centuries, at least until the 13th century.
- 6 Maronia Cave (Cyclops Cave). You need a guide to visit this cave mentioned by Apollonio in his work "Argonauts". It is 350 meters long and 15-20 meters wide and is closed to the public. There are stalactites and stalagmites in the cave, as well as rare animal species.
- 7 Western wall of old Ismara (Ίσμαρος).
Hidden between olive trees in beautiful surroundings; It is worthwhile to drive along the few kilometers of bad gravel road. - 8 Acropolis of Petrota (Πετρωτά Έβρου, Agios Georgios castle ruins).
A prehistoric citadel on the rocky hill of Saint George that rises above the village of Petrota, where the remains of a Byzantine wall and two round towers are located. The chronology of the Byzantine fortress is uncertain, most likely late Byzantine (13th or 14th century), but it is possible to be much older (6th or 7th century). On the hill there is a modern church of St. George. - 9 Mesimvria Tower. A small photogenic watchtower built on a rock over the sea in the 15th century by Genoa.
- 10 Mesimvria (Μεσημβρία-Ζώνη).was a colony of the inhabitants of the island of Samothraki, built at the end of the 7th century BC. The city flourished in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. BC, but began to decline in importance during the time of Macedonian and later Roman rule, as the construction of roads in the hinterland reduced the importance of the coastal city. The remains of the fortress wall with the towers, private houses, a road network, public buildings, a sanctuary of Demeter and a temple of Apollo were found on the excavation site. The most important monuments of the excavation site are: The Sanctuary of Demeter. Inside the building, silver, gold, silver-plated and gilded panels with relief representations were found, all of which were associated with the Demeter cult. Dated to the 4th century BC. The archaic temple of Apollo. It was part of a larger building complex (35 x 45 m) with a central paved courtyard surrounded by a stoa. Many ceramic fragments with incised inscriptions were found inside the temple from the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Found.
activities
- Swimming. of Fanari in the west up Platanitis at Maronia there are endless, beautiful, uncrowded sandy beaches. The harder-to-reach beaches between the ports of Maroneia and Petrota are good as Nudism-Beaches, but can only be reached with 4WD.
shop
The area was once famous for its wine in ancient times, but there is still wine production today so don't miss out on trying the local wine.
kitchen
- 1 Fish Tavern "Gianna and Roula". simple tavern near the port.
- 2 Stratos tavern. Restaurant on the harbor, with beautiful views of the sea.
- 3 Maronia village square. There are several nice restaurants around the central square, in the shade, under large trees.
- 4 Idria tavern (Ταβέρνα "Υδρια"). Located directly by the sea on Platanitis Beach.
nightlife
The best places to have a drink in a relaxed atmosphere are the aforementioned restaurants by the harbor or one of the beach bars all the way to Krioneri village.
accommodation
health
The closest major hospitals are in Komotini and the best in Alexandropolis
Practical advice
trips
- Anastasopolis - worth seeing ruined city at the Vistonia lake
- Komotini - Muslim university town
- Alexandroupolis: Port city with ferry connection to Samothraki
- Samothrace - small, mountainous green island, hardly touristy
- Dadia National Park - Forest landscape with a high density of birds of prey
