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02/12/2007
Disymoteicho

Aikaterinh Balla
Source: C.E.T.I.
© Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
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Didymoteicho was built in the 8th-9th centuries on a rocky hill next to Erythropotamos river and is the biggest well-preserved Byzantine city in Greek Thrace. Located almost in the centre of the modern prefecture of Evros, it controlled the estuary of two rivers, i.e. the spot where Erythropotamos flew into the Evros river, as well as the route that linked Traianoupolis with Andrianoupols. It also had the support of the neighbouring Roman city of Plotinopolis, founded by the Roman emperor Trajan on a nearby hill (117-98 BC).

The wider area enclosing Didymoteicho and Plotinopolis has provided historical evidence on the existence of continuous habitation from the Neolithic Age throughout the ancient, Byzantine and modern times, as it is attested by the pottery and the stone tools found here.

In the past, the relation between Didymoteicho and Plotinopolis was disputed by scholars. Now most of them agree that Didymoteicho did not existed during the antiquity, since the earliest reference to the city is found during the Byzantine times, and it is also assumed that the two cities coexisted for a period of time as neighbouring fortified positions. The city is considered to have succeeded the ancient city of Plotinopolis, which was refortified, like Didymoteicho, by emperor Justinian. The more recent coins found at the hill of Aghia Petra date from the times of Heraclius (610-641). Therefore, it seems that the city of Plotinopolis did not persist after the late Antiquity and that it “was replaced” by Didymoteicho. The name “Didymoteicho” probably signified the two fortified cities lying opposite to each other, like twin towers.

The city of Didymoteicho is mentioned as a bishopric seat in the 9th century and it constituted twice the imperial seat of the Byzantine Empire. The city was the birthplace of Ioannis III Vatatzis (1222-1254), emperor of the state of Nicaea and this of Ioannis V Palaiologus (1341-1347). According to the sources, Ioannis VI Cantacuzenus was crowned emperor here in 1341 and Charles XII, king of Sweden was imprisoned by the Turks in 1713. The Ottoman Turks finally occupied the city in 1361, thus forming their first capital on European soil. Didymoteicho was liberated from the Turkish rule in 1920.

The Byzantine city-castle of Didymoteicho on the hill of Kale, at the western edge of the city, is bordered by the extensive city walls. It was one of the greatest castles in Byzantine Thrace. It played a key role throughout many centuries on account of its strategic importance as well as because it served as a great defensive bridgehead for those that had designs against Constantinople and due to the fame it had acquired for being a place of exile and imprisonment for Byzantium’s conspirators. Both foreign and Byzantine writers highlighted this important city, like the French Geoffroi de Villehardouin who wrote in 1205 that Didymoteicho “was the most powerful and one of the richest Romanic cities”.

The castle experienced long and hard sieges and suffered severe damages from time to time, like those provoked by the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan in 1206 or by the Crusaders, who finally occupied it.

During the systematic excavations that began in 1985, two gates were uncovered along with a tower, part of the circuit wall and a section of the rampart.

Of special interest are hundreds of artificial rock-cut subterranean cavities and caves fashioned by the Byzantine inhabitants of the castle, who used them as basements or other auxiliary rooms (cisterns, pitheons, and storage rooms) of their houses. Some of these two- or even three-storey basements date back to the period before Justinian. These cavities were essential to the inhabitants, since they could deposit water during the sieges.

Both in and outside the city, a group of churches and imperial chapels is found that form an important part of the city history, like the small church of St Catherine of the 14th century AD or the Metropolitan Church of Aghios Athanasios, from which a part of the Byzantine funerary chapel is preserved on its northern side. Other churches in the area are the late Byzantine church of Christ the Savior or the Armenian church of St George (Sourp Kevork), built on the site of the earlier Byzantine church of St George Palaiokastritis. The late Byzantine church of the Dormition of Theotokos built in 1839 is also interesting, and a part of its wood carved iconostasis survives along with numerous icon paintings and votive gifts. Finally, the small church of Aghia Marina is preserved near Erythropotamos river, where the faithful hang pieces of textiles on a tree in the courtyard in order to get healed. The church of St Blaise is famous for that tradition associates it with many legends related to the fall of Didymoteicho as well as for the horse races that were held in honour of the saint.