Didymoteicho (or Didimoteixo), (Greek, Modern: Διδυμότειχο, Ancient/Katharevousa: -on meaning twin walls from didymo twin and teicho wall) is a town located in the eastern part of the prefecture of Evros. It is the seat of the municipality and the province of the same name. It is located around 12 km from Turkey and the western banks of the Evros. In the west, much of the land is mountainous and forested, while farmlands are located in the central and the northern part. It is linked with GR-51 (Alexandroupoli - Orestiada - Edirne in Turkey and Svilengrad in Bulgaria). The town sits on a plain and located south east of Svilengrad, south of Edirne, Turkey and Orestiada , west of Uzunköpru , about 20 km north of Soufli and about 90 km north of Alexandroupoli.

Communities

• Pythio

Nearest places

• Pythio, north
• Petrades, east

Historical population

Geography

Forests dominate the banks and parts of the plain. Much of the area is used for farming. The main produce is cattle, fruits and vegetables and some flowers. The hills dominate further west.

History

Didymoteicho was first mentioned in the 9th century. A castle was later built.

Didymoteicho was sacked by the Romans in 1204. In 1915, Didymoteicho was sacked and looted especially along with the villages in the Malgara area by the Turks. After the 1920s, it became entirely a part of Greece. The Second World War devastated Didymoteicho. In December 2001, illegal immigrants entered Didymoteicho, they were later arrested by the police. On July 17, 2004, the Olympic flame reached Didymoteicho and was lit in the castle.

The town were rare affected by the Evros river flooding of February 17 to 22, 2005. Flood warnings were reported that time. It devastated much of the town on Wednesday March 2, 2005 and continued for several days. On Friday March 4, flood waters plummeted slowly. It amounted up to 5 m or 5,000 mm of rainfall causing the rover to overflow its banks. It flooded buildings, properties and stores, leaving people stranded in their homes and buildings. It was the worst flooding in nearly 50 years. The rail south of Didymoteicho and near the station were also flooded and was closed that time.

Sites of interest

• Castle, situated in the northwestern part of town
• Didymoteicho Folklife Museum
• International Centre of Young Artists of Eastern Europe , Website
• Central Square Kentriki Plateia, next to the town hall
• Military Museum
• Municipal Theatre, on Georgios Street

Other

The ancient city of Plutionpolis is near Didymoteicho.

The song Didymoteicho blues by Giorgos Dalaras was sung in Didymoteicho.

Didymoteicho has a school, a lyceum, a gymnasium, churches, banks, a police station, a water tower, a post office, a library, and a square (plateia).

External links

• http://thesaurus.duth.gr/english/moredata.asp?Perioxh_ID=43&Subj=255
• Evros floods
• Didymoteichon
• The Great Temenos
• http://www.culture.gr/2/21/212/21212a/g212la09.html
• http://www.ota.gr/didimoteixo/
• http://alex.eled.duth.gr/Htmlfiles/paratir/paratir332000_1.htm
• Writer Dimitra Nalmpati (Nalbati) in Didymoticho
• http://www.asxetos.gr/article.aspx?i=263

See also

• Communities of Evros