Komotini is the capital of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace region and the main city of western Thrace, with about 54,000 inhabitants. It lies on the plain at the foot of the Rhodope mountains, about twenty kilometres from the sea. It is Greece's most multicultural city: about a third of its inhabitants belong to Thrace's Muslim minority, partly Turkish-speaking and partly Pomak or Roma, and in the centre mosque minarets rise beside Orthodox bell towers. It is also a university city, seat of the Democritus University of Thrace, and its cafés are busy at all hours with thousands of students.
History
Komotini began in Roman times as a station on the Via Egnatia and was fortified by Emperor Theodosius in the 4th century: a stretch of the Byzantine walls can still be seen in the centre. The Ottomans took it in 1361, among the first Balkan cities to fall, and called it Gümülcine; for over five centuries it was a trading centre on the road between Constantinople and Thessaloniki. After the Balkan Wars it was briefly Bulgarian and, in 1913, the seat of a short-lived autonomous republic; in 1920 it passed definitively to Greece. As in Xanthi, the Muslim population was excluded from the 1923 exchange and still lives in the city and villages, with its own schools, mosques and associations. See the history of Greece.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Old bazaar | Lanes of craftsmen's workshops, tailors, spice sellers and traditional cafés |
| Yeni Cami mosque | The city's largest and finest mosque, from the 16th century, with ceramic decoration |
| Clock tower | A 19th-century Ottoman tower in the heart of the old centre |
| Byzantine walls | A stretch of Theodosius's fortifications, with a church inside |
| Archaeological Museum | Finds from ancient Thrace, including the gold bust of Emperor Septimius Severus from Plotinopolis |
| Folklore Museum | Costumes, textiles, embroidery and everyday objects from Thrace |
| Museum of Ecclesiastical Art | Icons and sacred objects, in the monastery of Agios Georgios |
| Irinis Square and park | The centre of city life, with cafés and trees |
The archaeological museum
The Archaeological Museum of Komotini is one of the most interesting in northern Greece and a way to discover ancient Thrace, a land of warrior peoples, horsemen and gold seekers that the Greeks considered both barbarous and fascinating. Its rooms display finds from prehistory to the Byzantine era from across the region: Neolithic pottery, Thracian weapons and jewellery, sculptures and inscriptions from the Greek coastal cities such as Abdera and Maroneia, Roman mosaics and early Christian objects. The most famous piece is the gold bust of Emperor Septimius Severus, from the 2nd century AD, found at Plotinopolis near Didymoteicho: a portrait embossed in gold sheet, a rare surviving example of a type of work carried in processions as images of the emperor.
Festivals and traditions
Komotini's festivals reflect its dual soul. Christians celebrate Orthodox Easter with Good Friday processions and the night of the Resurrection, and the city's patron saint with a fair. Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan and the Feast of the Sacrifice with family gatherings, sweets and visits to relatives in the villages. In summer the Rhodope villages hold festivals with traditional music, wrestling and big open-air meals, open to visitors too.
A city of coexistence
Walking through Komotini means crossing different cultures a few steps apart. In the bazaar you hear Greek, Turkish and Pomak, pastry shops sell Ottoman sweets beside Greek ones, traditional cafés serve Turkish coffee and people play tavli. The mosques are active and welcome worshippers on Fridays, while Orthodox churches fill on Sundays and at the great feasts. Coexistence has not always been easy, but today Komotini is a unique example in Greece of a plural city. See the Orthodox Church.
Food
Komotini's cooking combines Greek Thracian tradition with Ottoman and Balkan influences: grilled meat, kebabs and köfte, pies, yoghurt, cheeses, pulses and stuffed vegetables. Komotini's sweets are famous, of eastern tradition, made with filo, syrup, nuts and chocolate, sold in the historic pastry shops of the centre. See Greek cuisine.
Around Komotini
| Destination | Distance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maroneia | 30 km | An ancient seaside city with theatre, sanctuaries and mosaics; in the Odyssey Maroneian wine helped Odysseus get the Cyclops drunk |
| Porto Lagos and St Nicholas monastery | 25 km | A monastery built on two islets in the lagoon, joined by wooden bridges |
| Lake Vistonida | 25 km | Lake and lagoons with flamingos, herons and pelicans |
| Nymfaia castle | 10 km | Ruins of a Byzantine castle in the woods, with trails |
| Rhodope villages | 20-50 km | Muslim and Pomak villages in the mountains |
| Sea | 25-35 km | The beaches of Fanari, Arogi and Imeros, sandy and uncrowded |
See Odysseus and the Odyssey.
University and evenings
The Democritus University of Thrace, founded in 1973, has its main seat in Komotini, with faculties of law, political science and more. Students from all over Greece keep the city young: the cafés of the central square and pedestrian streets are full into the evening, and nightlife is surprisingly lively for a provincial city.
Getting there
Komotini lies on the Egnatia Odos motorway, about 270 km from Thessaloniki (3 hours) and 60 km from Alexandroupoli. The nearest airports are Alexandroupoli and Kavala. There are KTEL buses and a station on the Thessaloniki-Alexandroupoli railway.
Where to stay and when to go
The city has hotels and guesthouses at moderate prices, also suitable as a base for exploring Thrace. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; summer is hot but the sea is close, and winter can be cold, with snow on the Rhodope. During Ramadan and Muslim holidays the city has a special atmosphere, as it does at Orthodox Easter.
Tips
- Walk through the bazaar in the morning, when the workshops are open.
- Respect the mosques: enter without shoes and appropriately dressed, outside prayer times.
- Komotini and Xanthi can be visited together in two days, with a trip to the sea and Porto Lagos.
See also Thrace, Xanthi, Alexandroupoli and Greek cities.