Komotini

By car

From Athens, 745 km (7 hours and 2 minutes)

From Thessaloniki, 246 km (2 hours and 26 minutes)

From Kavala, 102 km (1 hour and 2 minutes)

From Alexandroupoli, 57.8 km (40 minutes)

KTEL Komotinis (Buses)

By train www.trainose.gr

Athens - Komotini in 11 to 14 hours

Thessaloniki - Komotini in 5 hours and 20 minutes to 6 hours

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• Antiquity

Komotini has existed as a settlement since the 2nd century AD. That is confirmed by archaeological finds of that era up until the 4th century. It is also confirmed by an inscription on the ruins of the 4th-century Byzantine wall, that are visible at various sites in the city, which reads "Theodosiou Ktisma" = Building of Theodosius. The inscription was discovered by the Komotini-born Prof. Stilponas Kyriakidis and the then mayor Sofocles Komninos. It is said that the township 'Komotini' originates from the 5th century and is linked to the daughter of the painter Parrasios from Maroneia. During the Roman age it was one of the several fortresses along the Via Egnatia highway which existed in the Thrace area. The most important city of that period was neighbouring Maximianopolis, former Thracian Porsulis or Paesoulae (which was renamed to Mosynopolis in the 9th century). Komotini was a Via Egnatia hub on its northern route through the Nymphaea Pass which lead to the Ardas Valley, Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv) and Byzantine Berroe (modern Stara Zagora).

• Eastern Roman/Byzantine Era

The city's history is closely connected with that of Via Egnatia, the Roman trunk road which connected Dyrrhachium with Constantinople. The Roman emperor Theodosius I built a small rectilinear fortress on the road at a junction with a route leading north across the Rhodope Mountains toward Philippopolis. During the Byzantine period, the city belonged to the Theme of Macedonia, whilst from the 11th century it could be found within the newly founded theme of Boleron. For most of its early existence the settlement was overshadowed by the larger town of Mosynopolis to the west, and by the end of the 12th century, the place had been completely abandoned. In 1207 following the destruction of Mosynopolis by the Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan, the remnant population fled and established themselves within the walls of the abandoned fortress. Since then the population had been increasing continuously until it became an important town within the area. In 1331 John Kantakouzenos referred to her as Koumoutzina in his account of the Byzantine civil war of 1321–1328. In 1332 Andronikos III Palaiologos set camp in Komotini to face Umur Bey of Smyrna at the Panagia village close to the Panagia Vathirryakos (Fatirgiaka) monastery. However, Umur departed without a battle. In 1341 the historian Nikephoros Phokas referred to the town with its current name. In 1343, during the civil war between John VI Kantakouzenos and John V Palaiologos, Komotini along with the neighbouring forts of Asomatos, Paradimi, Kranovouni and Stylario joined Kantakouzenos' side. John VI Kantakouzenos escaped to Komotini to survive from a battle with the army of the Bulgarian brigand Momchil near the already ruined Mosynopolis.

• Ottoman Era

In the Ottoman Era, Komotini was known as Gümülcine or Ghumurdjina. The city continued to be an important hub connecting the capital city of Constantinople with the European part of the Empire, and grew accordingly. Many monuments in the city today date to this era. In 1361, Gazi Evrenos conquered the town and thus a long period of Ottoman rule began. Many local families fled at that time to Epirus and founded the Koumoutzades village (modern Ammotopos, Arta). Even there they were persecuted and some of them found refuge in Tropaia of Gortynia. The bond between the inhabitants of Komotini, Ammotopos and Tropaia exists to this day.In Ottoman times, Komotini belonged to the Edirne Eyalet and was the seat of the Komotini kaza. After the end of the Ottoman rule, the town extended its boundaries beyond its walls. Komotini maintained its mostly Greek profile up to the end of the 16th century. In 1548 the French tourist Pierre Bellon stated that "the city is inhabited by Greeks and a few Muslims". Mass relocation of Yoruks from the depths of Asia Minor and the islamisation of the Pomaks were required to reinforce the Muslim population of the city. A Jewish community has also been described. During the Ottoman rule many armed insurgent Greek groups existed in the area, which forced Ahmed III to order their dissolution with poor results.During the Greek War of Independence Komotini's inhabitants contributed substantially with Ioannikios (later bishop), Aggelis Kirzalis and Captain Stavros Kobenos (members of the Filiki Eteria organisation). During the following decades Komotini progressed financially due to the processing and trade of tobacco. Greeks took advantage of the religious liberty granted by the Ottomans and completely controlled the economic activity of the city. The mansions that can be found today in the streets of Komotini (such as Stalios, Malliopoulos, Peidis) were built in that era. After the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, a new wave of Muslim refugees arrived in Komotini. During that period the area found itself under Bulgarian pressure which originated in the rise of Bulgarian nationalism. In 1880 a Girls School and a Boys Urban School were functioning. In 1885 the cultural association 'Omonoia' was founded and it contributed in the cultural life of the city by presenting theatrical plays and concerts. Great benefactors such as Nestor Tsanaklis (builder of the Tsanakleios School, Dimitrios Sintos etc. rose during that era. Remarkable people that were born in Komotini include Alexandros Symeonidis (Professor of Medicine at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Victoria Margaritopoulou (one of the first Greek female doctors).

• Balkan Wars

During the First Balkan War, Bulgarian forces captured the city, only to surrender it to the Greek army during the Second Balkan War on July 14, 1913. In this period, a short-lived independent state, the Provisional Government of Western Thrace, was established in Western Thrace. Komotini was declared as capital city of that state. The Treaty of Bucharest, however, handed the city back to Bulgaria. The city was part of Bulgaria until the end of World War I. During this period, the city had the Bulgarian name Гюмюрджина Gyumyurdzina. In 1919, in the Treaty of Neuilly, Komotini was handed Greece, along with the rest of Western Thrace.

• Modern Days

Komotini is, nowadays, a thriving commercial and administrative centre. It is heavily centralised with the majority of commerce and services based around the historical core of the city. Getting around on foot is therefore very practical. However, traffic can be remarkably heavy due to the daily commute. In the past, a river used to divide Komotini into two parts. In the 1970s, after repeated flooding episodes it was eventually diverted and replaced by the main avenues of the city.

source: www.wikipedia.org