Kavala is the second largest city in northern Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia

Macedonia (Greece)

Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...

 and the capital of Kavala peripheral unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across from the island of Thasos

Thasos

Thasos or Thassos is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea, close to the coast of Thrace and the plain of the river Nestos but geographically part of Macedonia. It is the northernmost Greek island, and 12th largest by area...

. Kavala is located on the Egnatia motorway and is a two-hour drive to 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...

 (160 km west) and forty minutes drive to Drama

Drama, Greece

Drama , the ancient Drabescus , is a town and municipality in northeastern Greece. Drama is the capital of the peripheral unit of Drama which is part of the East Macedonia and Thrace periphery. The town is the economic center of the municipality , which in turn comprises 53.5 percent of the...

 (37 km north) and Xanthi

Xanthi

Xanthi ; is a city in Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the Xanthi peripheral unit of the periphery of East Macedonia and Thrace.-History:...

 (56 km east). As you enter Kavala, you will admire the panoramic view of the town that is nestled between the slopes of the surrounding hills and the northern coast of the Aegean Sea.

Antiquity

The city was founded by settlers from Thassos in about the 6th century BC, who called it Neapolis (Νεάπολις; "new city" in Greek).

Neapolis was a town of Macedonia

Macedonia (region)

Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...

, and the harbor of Philippi

Philippi

Philippi was a city in eastern Macedonia, established by Philip II in 356 BC and abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest...

, from which it was distant 14 km. It probably was the same place as Datum , famous for its gold mines (Herod. ix. 75; comp. Böckh, Pub. Econ. of Athens, pp. 8, 228, trans.), and a seaport, as Strabo

Strabo

Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...

 (vii. p. 331) intimates: whence the proverb which celebrates Datum for its good things. (Zenob. Prov. Graec. Cent. iii. 71; Harpocrat. s. v. .)

Scylax does, indeed, distinguish between Neapolis and Datum; but, as he adds that the latter was an Athenian colony, which could not have been true of his original Datum, his text is, perhaps, corrupt in this place, as in so many others, and his real meaning may have been that Neapolis was a colony which the Athenians

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 had established at Datum.

Zenobius

Zenobius

Zenobius was a Greek sophist, who taught rhetoric at Rome during the reign of Emperor Hadrian .-Biography:He was the author of a collection of proverbs in three books, still extant in an abridged form, compiled, according to the Suda, from Didymus of Alexandria and "The Tarrhaean"...

 (l. c.) and Eustathius

Eustathius

Eustathius or Eustathios may refer to:* Eustathius of Antioch, Patriarch of Antioch * Eustathius of Sebaste * Eustathius of Cappadocia Neoplatonist, orator, and diplomat...

 (ad Dionys. Perieg. 517) both assert that Datum was a colony of Thasos; which is highly probable, as the Thasians had several colonies on this coast. If Neapolis was a settlement of Athens, its foundation was, it may be inferred, later than that of Amphipolis

Amphipolis

Amphipolis was an ancient Greek city in the region once inhabited by the Edoni people in the present-day region of Central Macedonia. It was built on a raised plateau overlooking the east bank of the river Strymon where it emerged from Lake Cercinitis, about 3 m. from the Aegean Sea. Founded in...

.

Neapolis was a member of the Athenian League

Second Athenian Empire

The Second Athenian Empire or Confederacy was a maritime confederation of Aegean city-states from 378 BC-355 BC and headed by Athens primarily for self-defense against the growth of Sparta and secondly, the Persian Empire.-Origins:...

, as a pillar found in Athens mentions a contribution of Neapolis to the alliance. Neapolis also minted coins in antiquity.

Roman Era

It became a Roman

Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...

 civitas

Civitas

In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...

in 168 BC

168 BC

Year 168 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Macedonicus and Crassus...

, and was a base for Brutus

Marcus Junius Brutus

Marcus Junius Brutus , often referred to as Brutus, was a politician of the late Roman Republic. After being adopted by his uncle he used the name Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus, but eventually returned to using his original name...

 and Cassius

Gaius Cassius Longinus

Gaius Cassius Longinus was a Roman senator, a leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar, and the brother in-law of Marcus Junius Brutus.-Early life:...

 in 42 BC

42 BC

Year 42 BC was either a common year starting on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...

, before their defeat in the Battle of Philippi

Battle of Philippi

The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Wars of the Second Triumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian and the forces of Julius Caesar's assassins Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus in 42 BC, at Philippi in Macedonia...

. (Appian

Appian

Appian of Alexandria was a Roman historian of Greek ethnicity who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius.He was born ca. 95 in Alexandria. He tells us that, after having filled the chief offices in the province of Egypt, he went to Rome ca. 120, where he practised as...

, B.C. iv. 106; Dion Cass.

Dio Cassius

Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus , known in English as Cassius Dio, Dio Cassius, or Dio was a Roman consul and a noted historian writing in Greek...

 xlvii. 35.). The Apostle Paul

Paul of Tarsus

Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...

 landed at Kavala on his first voyage to Europe (Acts, xvi. 11).

Byzantine Era

In Byzantine

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...

 times the city was called Christoupolis by the Greeks and Morunets (Морунец) by the Bulgarians

Bulgarians

The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...

. In the 6th century Byzantine emperor Justinian I

Justinian I

Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...

 fortified the city in an effort to protect it from barbaric raids. In the 8th and 9th century Bulgarian

First Bulgarian Empire

The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...

 attacks forced the Byzantines to reorganize the defense of the area, giving great care to Christoupolis with fortification and a notable garrison. Due to the location of Christoupolis, the city experienced an economic flourish. During the Norman

Normans

The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...

 raid in Macedonia (1185), the city was captured and was burned.

Ottoman Era

Kavala was part of the Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...

 from 1387 to 1912. In the middle of the 16th century, Ibrahim Pasha

Pargali Ibrahim Pasha

Pargali Ibrahim Pasha , also known as Frenk Ibrahim Pasha , Makbul Ibrahim Pasha , and referred to him as Maktul Ibrahim Pasha after his murder in the Topkapı Palace, was the first Grand Vizier in the Ottoman Empire appointed by Suleiman the Magnificent...

, Grand Vizier

Grand Vizier

Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...

 of Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...

, contributed to the prosperity and growth of Kavala by the construction of an aqueduct

Kavala aqueduct

The Kavala aqueduct, popularly known as the Kamares , is a well-preserved aqueduct in the city of Kavala, Greece, and is one of the city's landmarks.While the aqueduct is "probably of Roman origin", the present structure dates to the 16th century...

. The Ottomans also extended the Byzantine fortress on the hill of Panagia. Both landmarks are among the most recognizable symbols of the city today.

Mehmet Ali

Muhammad Ali of Egypt

Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha was a commander in the Ottoman army, who became Wāli, and self-declared Khedive of Egypt and Sudan...

, the founder of a dynasty

Muhammad Ali Dynasty

The Muhammad Ali Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Egypt and Sudan, from the 19th to the mid-20th Century. It is named after its progenitor, Muhammad Ali Pasha, regarded as the founder of modern Egypt. It was also more formally known as the Alawiyya Dynasty...

 that ruled Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

, was born in Kavala in 1769. His house has been preserved as a museum.

Modern Kavala

Kavala was captured by the Bulgarians

Bulgarians

The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...

 in First Balkan War

First Balkan War

The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...

 in 1912 and Greek Navy

Hellenic Navy

The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...

 during the Second Balkan war

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 1913. After the Greco-Turkish War of 1919, the city entered a new era of prosperity because of the labour offered by the thousands of refugees that moved to the area from Asia Minor. The development was both industrial and agricultural. Kavala became greatly involved in the processing and trading of tobacco. Many buildings related to the storage and processing of tobacco from that era are preserved in the city.

It was occupied again by 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...

 between 1941–1944 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

In the late 50s Kavala expanded towards the sea by reclaiming land

Land reclamation

Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...

 from the area west of the port.

In 1967, King Constantine II

Constantine II of Greece

|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....

 left Athens for Kavala in an unsuccessful attempt to launch a counter-coup against the military junta.

Monuments and landmarks

• Kamares
  Kavala aqueduct
  The Kavala aqueduct, popularly known as the Kamares , is a well-preserved aqueduct in the city of Kavala, Greece, and is one of the city's landmarks.While the aqueduct is "probably of Roman origin", the present structure dates to the 16th century...
  
   (The old Aqueduct): The Old Aqueduct, the Medieval Aqueduct, is work of the Byzantine period, which held extensive repairs during the Ottoman rule, particularly during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent and Legislator (1530 AD approx.) This double arch structure was designed to bridge the peninsula of Panagia with the foot of the mountain of Lekani. It was used to carry water from mountain sources (six kilometers north from the 'Mother of Water "or" Soumpasi "or" The Three Elms") in today's" Old Town "- Panagia, with the main water source situated at an altitude of 400 m and other complementary lower sources of supply. This grand monument has a length of 280 m consists of 60 arches of four different sizes and has a maximum height of 25 meters. The restoration works began in September 1997 with a mild technical assistance.Source: «Medieval Aqueduct of Kavala – Arcs», Publication of 12th Service of Byzantine and Ancient Antiquities, Kavala, 2008

• The Castle of Kavala http://www.castle-kavala.gr/:dominates the top of the peninsula, where the old city is built. During the Byzantine period and later, repeated reconstruction works and fortification repairs were made by the Byzantines, Venetians and Turks. Substantially, all the phases of the Modern History affect the castle and left their traces on its walls. The castle (Citadel) in its current form was built in the first quarter of the 15th century, relying on foundation from the Byzantine period. At the outdoor theatre are organized cultural events

• The Imaret:The Imaret, a big edifice of the late Ottoman period, a classic example of Islamic architecture located on the west side of the peninsula of Panagia (old town). It is one of the last built in this particular period and the only one survived almost intact. Its largest part was built, between 1817-1821 by the founder of the last Egyptian dynasty, Mehmet Ali. For sentimental reasons, the Wali of Egypt wanted to benefit his hometown with this religious, educational and charitable institution. It operated as a Muslim seminary - internship and "workhouse" for all the poor of the city regardless of religion.Since 1922, the Imaret spaces were used to house refugees. In 1931, in order for the adjacent street to be widened, a part of Imaret was demolished. In 1967 the residents (refugees mostly) of Imaret were ordered to leave and the monument was sealed.Until the regulation of the ownership, Imaret remained completely deserted. After the settlement of property issues a part of it operated as bar and restaurant while other parts were used as warehouses. In 2001 it was leased for 50 years to an entrepreneur from Kavala, it was restored and converted into a luxurious and elegant hotel, which maintains something of the ambience of its era.Source: «Neapolis - Christoupolis - Kavala, Travelogue through space and time of the Old City», Publication of Kavala’s Municipalityς, Kavala, 2009

• The house of Mehmet Ali:In the Old Town Square you can find the house that Mehmet Ali, founder of the last Egyptian dynasty, was born. This beautiful building, based on Macedonian architecture, is considered to be the property of Egypt . The "konaki" of Mehmet Ali consists of two parts, the ground floor and first floor. A bronze equestrian statue was built in the centre of the square in 1934 in honour of the Sultan of Egypt, a work of Greek sculptor Dimitriadis. Nowadays, the building is used for the purposes of Mohammed Ali Institutehttp://www.mohamed-ali.org/

• The town hall :The building, a Hungarian miniature tower, was built around 1895 by the Hungarian tobacco trader Pierre Herzog. After his death, the building passed into the possession of the "Limited Liability Company of Tobacco and Overseas". In 1937, under the administration of Mayor Athanasios Balanos, it was purchased by the Municipality of Kavala and has since housed the town hall.

• Adolf Wix Building:The building was built in 1899 by the German Baron Adolf Wix to serve as the centre of commercial activity and as a house. Architecturally speaking, it is very similar to the adjacent building of the current town hall. Today, after several changes in ownership, it belongs to the municipality of Kavala.

• The Lazarists (Vincentians) Convent:The convent of Lazarists is situated in Kipros Str. and was built between 1888-1892. The building has architectural elements mixed with neoclassical influence and was used as a French Embassy. Today it houses the only Catholic church in the city.

• The great Greek community club:The building of «Megali Leschi» of the Great Greek Community Club of Kavala was built in 1909 by the Ladies Philoptochos (Friends of the poor) Sisterhood. It is a typical example of eclectic architectural style with a lot of embedded neoclassical motifs, e.g. Columns, Pediments etc. Located next to the town hall, it is used for secular organization and other social events. While in neoclassical form it has elements of ancient tradition. Today, its partially used by the Municipality for cultural events due to the restoration works that have already started.

• Tokos Mansion:Tokou Mansion was built in 1879 by Dimitrios Tokos a tobacco trader and its architectural style is influenced by romantic eclecticism. During the first years of the 20th century the Mansion was used as Italian Subconsulate and in 1911 it was purchased on behalf of the Ladies Philoptochos Society of Kavala (Friends of the Poor). From 1913 to1937, it housed the town hall and from its terrace in 1929 Eleftherios Venizelos made his speech. After the Second World War it housed the Private School Papassideri. Today it houses the Revenue Department of Byzantine Antiquities.

• Municipal conservatory http://www.dok.gr/:The building of the Municipal Conservatory (along with the adjacent building once owned by Kleon Krantonellis) is the oldest among the houses having been built before 1864.It belonged to the N. and E. Grigoriadis Brothers, two of the first tobacco traders. After the World War One it served as a Bank and since 1987 (it was inaugurated in its present form in 1990) it has belonged to the Municipality of Kavala and houses the Municipal Conservatory. Its strong neoclassical character, its impressive frontons, the columns and the sculptures indicate the architect's attempt to emphasize on the power, wealth and the national pride sourcing from the ancient tradition.

• Municipal Tobacco Warehouse:The Municipal Tobacco Warehouse was built during the two first decades of the 20th century as a tobacco warehouse for the Turkish tobacco trader Kizi Mimin. The building is characterized by architectural and morphological elements of Ottoman-Turkish and Neo-Classical architecture.Today it belongs to the Municipality of Kavala and will host exhibits of the Folk Museum of Kavala, the Tobacco Museum and series of temporary exhibitions.

Museums

• Archaeological Museum of Kavala: The history of the Museum of Kavala, together with that of the Archaeological Service in the region, starts in 1934 with the allocation of the first curator of Antiquities G. Bakalakis in Kavala, who later became a professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. During the occupation of Kavala from the Germans and the Bulgarians, the museum was looted and many antiquities were smuggled or destroyed. In recent years the museum takes its most complete form. Built next to Faliro park and in the left side of the port. Among the finds that it accommodates are objects made of stone and clay from the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age, as well as all the findings of the Dikili Tas settlement. There is also a special room with the findings of Neapolis, such as remnants of the temple of Athena Parthenos (Athina the Virgin), archaic and classical black-figure vases and figurines. The findings from Ancient Amphipolis are also very important.

• Archaeological Museum of Philippi

• Folklore Museum of Kavala: The Municipal Museum of Kavala first opened in 1988 and was housed for about 20 years in a neoclassical building on Filippou street. Recently, its exhibits have been transferred to the building of the Municipal Tobacco Warehouse of Kavala, at Kapnergatis Square, where for the time being only its administrative services are in operation. However, soon the works will have finished and the Museum will start operating again fully at these new premises. The museum is separated under the following departments. (Historical Archives, Ethnographic Collection, Art Collection, Natural History, Library, Museum education)

• Tobacco Museum http://www.tobaccomuseum.gr/:The tobacco museum of Kavala is a thematic museum, which includes objects and archival material for the cultivation and the production of tobacco, its commercial and agricultural processing, its industrial tobacco products and exhibition samples. It not only includes and exhibits the commercial processing of the Eastern Tobacco (not found in any other museum in the world) but it also showcases the social history of Kavala and the rest of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. Its collection is extremely rich. It includes objects used in the cultivation of tobacco, machinery, photographs, rare documents (bank documents, association statutes, etc.). The visitor can also find books on tobacco, publications of the Greek Organisation of Tobacco, archives of the Commercial Tobacco Association, private documents, tobacco maps and drawings, furniture etc.

• Cultural House of Nea Karvali http://www.kavalagreece.gr/en/?page_id=48:Nea Karvali of Kavala is a continuation of the old Kapadokian Karvali (Gelveri) with a long history through the ages. Its glorious course was marked by the presence of Her Holy Child, Gregory the Theologian, one the greatest Fathers of our Church. Since 1981, apart from the agricultural and industrial development, this course was affected by the foundation of the Cultural House of Nea Karvali, which is a continuation of the first educational organisation “Nazianzinos” founded in Istanbul by traders from Kavala in 1884. The Cultural House had a major contribution throughout its 70 year course, through its projects and institutions.

• Maritime Museum of Kavala http://www.nmk.gr:

Beaches

• Toska Beach:Tosca beach is 5 km from Kavala. It has been awarded with the “blue flag” for its clear water and its organisation. It can be reached by taking the coach to Nea Peramos (for more information please call 2510-223593). There is an entrance fee to use the facilities. On the site there is a 4 star hotel, a restaurant and a cafeteria.

• Batis Beach:A bay 4 km from Kavala. Organised beach awarded with the “blue flag”. There is also an organised campsite with 100 designated spots for camping. There is an entrance fee to use the facilities. The visitors will find water sports, swimming pools, a pool bar, a beach bar and a playground. During the summer months it can be reached by bus No. 8 as well as by taking the coach to Nea Peramos

• Kalamitsa Beach:Organised beach of the municipality of Kavala on the west entrance of the city, awarded with the “blue flag” and accommodating a large number of bathers during the summer months. There is no entrance fee. Accessible by buses No. 4, No. 5 and No. 8. On the beach and nearby there are taverns and bars

• Periyiali Beach:On the eastern entrance of the city, 2 kilometres from the city centre. A municipal beach, partly organised and awarded with the “blue flag” every year since 2009. Buses to and from Perigiali are No. 2 and No.3. In various parts of the beach there are fish taverns.

• Rapsani Beach:For those who can’t leave the city, Rapsani is practically at the centre of it. A municipal beach, organised and awarded with the “blue flag” every year since 2009. There is no admission fee and it can be reached by buses No. 1, No. 4, No. 5, No. 8 and No. 10. A tavern and cafeterias are available.

Climate

Kavala has a humid subtropical climate

Humid subtropical climate

A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...

 (Köppen climate classification "Cfa") that borders on an semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification "BSk" or "BSh" depending on the system used) with annual average precipitation of 460 mm. Snowfalls are sporadic, but happen more or less every year.

The absolute maximum temperature ever recorded was 38.0°C, while the absolute minimum ever recorded was −5.8°C.

Education/Research

• TEI of Kavala
  TEI of Kavala
  The Technological Educational Institute of Kavala is a public institute providing education at university level in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The institute has 3 campuses; the main campus in St. Lukas, Kavala, a second campus in the nearby city of Drama and an additional campus in...
  
  : The Technological Educational Institute of Kavala is a public institute providing education at university level in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The main campus of the institute located in St. Lukas, Kavala and is approximately 132,000 m² with buildings covering an area of 36,000 m².The campus is home for 2 faculties (Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Faculty of Business and Economics) with totally 9 departments.

• Fisheries Research Institutehttp://www.fishri.gr/site/: Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I) is one of the five specialized research institutes of N.AG.RE.F, being responsible to conduct research and to promote technological development in the fishery sector. The Institute is located 17 km away from Kavala city, at the centre of a marine area with rich fishery grounds and high biodiversity in the surrounding lagoons, lakes and rivers.

• Institute of Mohamed Ali for the Research of the Eastern Tradition (I.M.A.R.E.T.)http://www.mohamed-ali.org/: I.M.A.R.E.T. is a registered NGO with the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was established several months ago by concerned citizens in Kavala, Greece.Its aims include the study of the Egyptian influence in Greece and vice versa. The intra-cultural exchange and dialogue, as well as the promotion of art as a means of intra-cultural understanding.The first major co-operation partner is Cultnat of Bibliotheca Alaxandrina with the aim of documenting and digitizing the architectural heritage of the Mohamed Ali era in Egypt
  Egypt
  Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
  
   and Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
  . Most important event that take place every year at the institute is the International Roman Law Moot Court Competition.

• Historical & Literary Archives of Kavalahttp://www.ilak.org/en/: It is purely a non-profiteering, public utility foundation. The foundation of the Historical & Literary Archives of Kavala is not subsidized by the Greek State, neither by any other enterprise of the private sector. Its operational cost is covered only by its founders and by infrequent aids of the local self-government.

• Egnatia Aviationhttp://www.egnatia-aviation.com/index.htm: It is a private training college for pilots that started training in Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
   in July 2006. The facilities of Egnatia Aviation mostly located in the former passenger’s terminal of the Kavala International Airport "Alexander the Great".

Festivals and events

For visitors who seek food for their soul, as well as for their spirit, there is a wide array of cultural events, which mostly take place during the summer months. One of the top festivals is the Festival of Philippi

Philippi

Philippi was a city in eastern Macedonia, established by Philip II in 356 BC and abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest...

http://www.philippifestival.gr/banner2011.html, which lasts from July to September and includes theatrical performances and great concerts.Since 1957, it has been the most important cultural event of the city and one of the most important of Greece.

Cosmopolis. It is an International Festival held in the Old Town of Kavala and it constitutes an excellent opportunity for anyone to be acquainted with cultures around the world through dancing and musical groups, traditional national cuisines, cinema, and exhibits at the kiosks of the participant countries.

Giannis Papaioannou’s Festival includes concerts and music seminars.

Ilios ke Petra (Sun and Stone)(July)http://www.dok.gr/festival/index.html: a Festival held in “Akontisma” of Nea Karvali. The event is of folkloric character, with the participation of traditional dancing groups from all over the world.

Wood Water Wild festivalhttp://www.woodwaterwild.gr/: Wood Water Wild is an outdoor activities festival, inspired by nature. Add live bands & dj sets, body&mind activities, book fair, outdoor theatre, ecology, camping, debates and you have a recipe for a great weekend in nature!

Besides, various cultural events are held in all municipalities of Kavala during the summer months.

Cuisine

Fish and sea food, as well as the products of the local livestock breeding and agricultural sectors are the prevailing elements of Kavala courses. In Kavala, the traditional local recipes have been influenced by the cuisine of the refugees from Pontos, Asia Minor and Kappadokia.
Fresh fish and sea food, salted food, mackerel "gouna" (sun dried mackerel on the grill), sardine pantremeni, mussels with rice, herring saganaki, anchovies wrapped in grape leaves, Stuffed eggplant: these are some very renowned recipes in Kavala and the coastal settlements of the region. The grapes, wine and tsipouro produced in the area, as well as the kourabiedes (sugar-coated almond biscuits) from Nea Karvali are particularly famous.

Municipality

The municipality of Kavala was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 2 former municipalities, that became municipal units:

Municipal unit	Population
Kavala	63,293
Filippoi Filippoi Filippoi , is a village and a former municipality in the Kavala peripheral unit, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kavala, of which it is a municipal unit. The 2001 census reported a population of 10,827 for the municipal unit...	10,827

The population of the new municipality is 74.120 and the area

Area

Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...

 is 350,61 km^2. The seat of the municipality is in Kavala.
Some of the most important communities inside new municipality are:

Community	Population
Kavala	60,802
Krinides Krinides Krinides or Crenides is a town and an ancient site that includes the archaeological site of Philippi in the Kavala Prefecture in eastern Macedonia. Krinides is the seat of the municipality of Filippoi south of the Pangaion hills...	3,295
Nea Karvali	2,301
Zygos Zygos Zygos : Ζυγός; is a village, part of the municipality of Kavala in the Kavala peripheral unit, Greece. Population 3,827 .-Location:...	2,101
Amigdaleonas	1,697

Subdivisions

Kavala is built amphitheatrically, with most residents enjoying superb views of the coast and sea. Some of the regions inside Kavala are:

Agia Varvara	Agios Athanasios	Agios Ioannis	Agios Loukas	Chilia
Dexameni	Kalamitsa	Kentro	Neapolis	Panagia
Perigiali	Potamoudia	Profitis Ilias	Timios Stavros	Vyronas

Transport

Highway Network

European route E90

European route E90

European route E 90 is an A-Class West-East European route, extending from Lisbon in Portugal in the west to the Turkish-Iraqi border in the east.-Itinerary:...

 runs through the city and connects Kavala with the other cities. The Egnatia Motorway (A2)

Egnatia Odos (modern road)

Egnatia Odos is the Greek part of the European route. It is a motorway in Greece that extends from the western port of Igoumenitsa to the eastern Greek–Turkish border at Kipoi. It runs a total of...

 lies north of the city. One can enter the city from one of two Junctions; 'Kavala West' and 'Kavala East'.Kavala has regular connection with Interregional Bus Lines (KTEL) from and to Thessaloniki and Athens.

Airport

The Kavala International Airport "Alexander the Great" (27 km from Kavala) is connected with Athens by regularly scheduled flights and with many European cities by scheduled and charter flights.

Port

Kavala is connected with all the islands of the Northern Aegean Sea with frequent itineraries of various ferry lines.

Sports

• Kavala F.C.: AO Kavala (Greek: Athlitikos Omilos Kavala, Αθλητικός Όμιλος Καβάλα), the Athletic Club Kavala, is a professional association football club based in the city of Kavala, Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
  .The club plays in the Municipal Kavala Stadium
  Kavala Stadium
  The Anthi Karagianni Municipal Stadium , formerly the Kavala National Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Kavala, Greece. It is the homebase of Kavala F.C. . The stadium was built 1970, and currently has a seating capacity of 10,500 . It is named after the paralympic athlete, Anthi Karagianni,...
  
   "Anthi Karagianni".
• Kavala B.C.: Enosi Kalathosfairisis Kavalas is a Greek professional basketball
  Basketball
  Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
  
   club that is located in Kavala, Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
  . The club is also known as E.K. Kavalas. The club's full Greek
  Greek language
  Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
  
   name is Ένωση Καλαθοσφαίρισης Καβάλας. Which means, Kavala Basketball Union or Kavala Basketball Association in English
  English language
  English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
  
  . The club competes in the Greek League
  A1 Ethniki
  The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
  
  .
• Kavala Chess Club http://www.chesskavala.gr/: Chess
  Chess
  Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
  
   is very popular in Kavala and the local chess club ranks top in Greece, enjoying plenty of success both domestically and internationally. The highlight has to be the club's annual International Open, that takes place every August in Kavala and attracts the biggest names in chess from all over the globe

Twin towns – Sister cities

Kavala is twinned with:

Gabrovo, Bulgaria (1975) Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...  (1994) Nuremberg Nuremberg Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...  (1998)

Partnerships

Agadir Agadir Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:... , Morocco Morocco Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...  (2001) Martuni Martuni Martuni is a province of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. It consists of the branch of Nagorno-Karabakh which juts out farthest to the east, almost reaches Stepanakert on the west, and goes a little past Karmir Shuka on the south... , Armenia Armenia Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...  (2001) Tekirdağ Tekirdag Tekirdağ , the ancient Bisanthi , is a city in Eastern Thrace, in the European part of Turkey. Tekirdağ is the capital of Tekirdağ Province, felt by the local people to be a quieter and more pleasant town than the industrial centre of Çorlu, which it administers. The city population as of 2009 was... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...  (2003) Gotse Delchev Gotse Delchev Georgi Nikolov Delchev was an important revolutionary figure in Ottoman-ruled Macedonia and Thrace at the turn of the 20th century... , 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...  (2003) Vranje Vranje Vranje is a city and municipality located in southern Serbia. In 2011 the city has total population of 82,782, while the urban area has 54,456... , Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...  (2009)

Postage stamps

Between 1893 and 1903, the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 post office

Post office

A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...

 in the city issued its own postage stamp

Postage stamp

A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...

s; at first stamps of France overprint

Overprint

An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...

ed with "Cavalle" and a value in piasters, then in 1902 the French designs inscribed "CAVALLE".

Historical population

Year	Town population	Municipality population
1961	44,517	–
1971	46,234	–
1981	56,705	–
1991	56,571	60,187
2001	58,663	63,293

Notable Figures

• Muhammad Ali Pasha of Kavala
  Muhammad Ali of Egypt
  Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha was a commander in the Ottoman army, who became Wāli, and self-declared Khedive of Egypt and Sudan...
  
  , the Albanian
  Albanians
  Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
  
   Wali
  Wali
  Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
  
   (governor) of Egypt
  Egypt
  Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
  
   between 1805–1848 and founder of the modern state of Egypt
• Theodore Kavalliotis
  Theodore Kavalliotis
  Theodore Kavalliotis was a Greek Orthodox priest, teacher and a figure of the Greek Enlightenment. He is also known for having drafted an Aromanian-Greek-Albanian dictionary.-Early life:...
  
  , Greek Orthodox priest, teacher and a figure of the Greek Enlightenment
• Vassilis Vassilikos
  Vassilis Vassilikos
  -Biography:A native of the northern Greek island of Thasos, Vassilikos grew up in Thessaloniki, graduating from law school there before moving to Athens to work as a journalist....
  
  , Greek writer and diplomat
• George Georgiadis, Greek footballer
• Giorgos Heimonas (1938–2000), writer and translator
• Arit Iliev (1888-?), Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) volunteer and revolutionary - Vodena Division
• Nikos Karageorgiou
  Nikos Karageorgiou
  Nikos Karageorgiou is the manager of Greek sports club Ergotelis.As a football player he was a member of Eratino Kavala , AO Kavala , PAOK , Panathinaikos and Skoda Xanthi...
  
  , (b. December 9, 1962) Manager of Greek football team Ergotelis, based in Heraklion, Crete
  Crete
  Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
  
  
• Anthi Karagianni
  Anthi Karagianni
  Anthi Karagianni is a Paralympian athlete from Greece competing mainly in category F13 long jump events.She competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece where she won silver medals in the T13 100m, T13 400m and F13 long jump. She also competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in...
  
  , silver medalist in the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games; the city's Municipal stadium is named after her
• Vasilis Karas, Greek singer
• Nikos Kourkoulis, Greek singer
• Paskal Nikolov, Macedonian IMRO volunteer and revolutionary - Adrianople division
• Antigone Valakou, actress
• Despina Vandi
  Despina Vandi
  Despina Malea , known by her stage name Despina Vandi , is a Greek singer. Born in Tübingen near Stuttgart, West Germany, Vandi's family returned to Kavala, Greece when she was six years old and she later enrolled at the University of Thessaloniki, but eventually dropped out to begin a career in...
  
  , a Greek singer
• Stojan Velev, Macedonian IMRO volunteer and revolutionary - Veles
  Veles
  Veles may refer to:*Veles , Slavic deity*Veles , in the Republic of Macedonia*Veles municipality, in the Republic of Macedonia*Veles, singular of velites, a class of infantry in the early Roman Republic...
  
   Division
• Anna Verouli
  Anna Verouli
  Anna Verouli is a retired Greek javelin thrower. She was born in Kavala.She won the gold medal at the 1982 European Championships in Athletics, and a bronze medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics....
  
  , 1982 Gold Medalist, European Championship, javelin thrower
• Zisis Vryzas
  Zisis Vryzas
  Zisis Vryzas is a former football player, and had been the vice president of PAOK FC for the past 3 years. He was born 9 November 1973 in Kavala, city of northern Greece, located in the region of Macedonia . He played as a striker for various teams in Greece and abroad, as well as the Greek...
  
   (b. November 9, 1973), former footballer, currently vicepresident of PAOK FC
  PAOK FC
  P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
  
  
• Theodoros Zagorakis
  Theodoros Zagorakis
  -Kavala:Zagorakis was a defensive midfielder who usually operated on the right hand side of midfield. He started his career with Kavala, the club that also produced Zisis Vryzas, with whom he became close friends...
  
   (b. October 27, 1971), former footballer,captain of national team of Greece-European champion 2004, currently president of PAOK FC
  PAOK FC
  P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
  
  
• Anna Gerasimou
  Anna Gerasimou
  Anna Gerasimou is a Greek tennis player. When she was young, she moved from Kavala, Greece to Athens, Greece in order to pursue a career in tennis. She competed in the women's doubles at the 2008 Summer Olympics with partner Eleni Daniilidou, and lost in the first round to the Swiss team of...
  
  , a Greek tennis player
• Kleon Krantonellis, Αrchitect

External links

• Official website (in Greek, English and Russian)
• The official website of the prefecture of Kavala – online since 1996