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Tourism-Modern Life Touristic Substructure Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Prefecture of Rodopi Municipality of Iasmos

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Political Tourism
Type of Tourism
Executive Subsumption
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Accomodation
Touristic Substructure
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LOCATION
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
Municipality of Avdera
Municipality of Aigiros
Municipality of Alexandroupolis
Municipality of Arrianes
Municipality of Vistonida
Municipality of Vissa
Municipality of Didimotihos
Municipality of Doxato
Municipality of Drama
Municipality of Eleftheroupolis
Municipality of Eleftheres
Municipality of Thasos
Municipality of Iasmos
Municipality of Kavala
Municipality of Kalabaki
Municipality of Kato Nevrokopi
Municipality of Keramoti
Municipality of Komotini
Municipality of Kyprinos
Municipality of Maronia
Municipality of Metaxades
Municipality of Myki
Municipality of Neo Sidirohori
Municipality of Nikiforos
Municipality of Xanthi
Municipality of Orino
Municipality of Orestiada
Municipality of Orfano
Municipality of Orfeas
Municipality of Pangeo
Municipality of Paranesti
Municipality of Piereon
Municipality of Prosotsani
Municipality of Samothraki
Municipality of Sapes
Municipality of Sitagres
Municipality of Soufli
Municipality of Stavroupolis
Municipality of Sosto
Municipality of Topiros
Municipality of Traianoupolis
Municipality of Trigono
Municipality of Tihero
Municipality of Pheres
Municipality of Philippoi
Municipality of Philira
Municipality of Chrisoupolis
Commune of Amaxades
Commune of Thermes
Commune of Kehros
Commune of Selero
Commune of Sidironero
Prefecture of Drama
Prefecture of Evros
Prefecture of Kavala
Prefecture of Xanthi
Prefecture of Rodopi
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10/03/2007
Tourist Destination of Municipality of Iasmos

Baira Kleio
Source: C.E.T.I.
© Region of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace
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The Municipality of Iasmos is situated in the western section of the Prefecture of Rodopi. To the northwest it borders with the Prefecture of Xanthi, to the northeast with Bulgaria and to the southwest with Vistonida lake. The municipality covers an area of 200 km2 and has a population of …. inhabitants. The Municipality consists of the villages: Iasmos, Amvrosia, Paladio, Mikro Paladio, Salpi, Glykoneri, Dialambi, Koptero, Mosaiko, Galini and Ipiko. It is seated at Iasmos, which is 20 km from Komotini and 28 km from Xanthi and communicates with the Egnatia highway through a special interchange; it is built on the foothills of the Rodopi mountain range, at a unique site that combines the fertile plain with the magic of the mountain. Here Christians and Muslims co-exist in harmony and their main occupations are agriculture and livestock farming. It is speculated that Iasmos was created as a result of the resettlement of the inhabitants of Anastassioupoli following its conquest by the Turks in 1360-1400. There is an abundance of mythological material in connection to Vistonida lake (a refuge for over 200,000 aquatic birds). It is said that its name originates from the Vistonians, the ancient people of Thrace. Hercules came to this area during his eighth labour, which was to kill the man-eating horses of Diomedes. But in spite of Euresthene’s hope that he would get rid of Hercules, Hercules killed the horses but lost his friend Abderus; in his honour he then founded Abdera, the hometown of Democritus, the philosopher of atomic theory.
Anastassioupoli was one of Thrace’s most important towns and it was built by Emperor Anastasius I (491 – 518 A.D.) at the Vistonida inlet. The town walls, which are almost in tact, never fail to impress the visitors. The town’s aqueduct, built under Justinian, was an important work.
At Iasmos visitors may admire the wonderful small churches, the small traditional houses, the lanes leading uphill to the mountain’s slopes and the magnificent nature of Thrace. The lowlands and the forested mountainous areas compose the beautiful natural environment of the Municipality of Iasmos, where many forms of life survive. Visitors have the opportunity to admire monuments, such as the three-aisled Early Christian church at Polyanthos, the ancient Thracian settlement at Lino, the ruins of Maximianoupolis – Mosynoupolis, the fortified enceinte of Anastassioupolis – Perithorion and the magnificent Byzantine bridge at Kompsato. Visitors will find the route – pilgrimage to Mount Papikion, the second most famous monastic state after Mount Athos, unforgettable. Mount Papikion is a cone-shaped mountain of moderate altitude at the borders between Greece and Bulgaria. Its two tallest peaks in Greek territory have an altitude of 1,483 m and 1,460 m. At 1,000 m there are deciduous oak forests and species of pine trees. Eastern beech forests dominate above 1,000 m. The upper zone of Mount Papikion is one of Greece’s most important habitats, as it includes rare flora species.
Today the cultural society of Iasmos has an archive of old photographs and is attempting to collect and record customs, traditions, folk songs, anecdotes and stories. The society organises photography, painting, skiing, chess and Byzantine music and dance classes, and runs a lending library. At the Fanari junction, the Sarakatsanoi of Iasmos have set up a model Sarakatsan settlement and every year during the “Kalogiannia” the fires of Klidonas are re-lit and at evening prayer the settlement’s church comes to life again.
The people of this area, people of tradition who are renowned for their enthusiasm and the excellent tsipouro they produce, are sure to enchant any visitor fortunate enough to arrive at this beautiful place.