25th part of Drama cultural routes – ARΕA OF THE HAGIA VARVARA WATER-SPRINGS - Greece

25th part of Drama cultural routes – ARΕA OF THE HAGIA VARVARA WATER-SPRINGS

2500 YEARS OF HISTORY IN ONE HOUR

Drama Cultural route

25th part of Drama cultural routes – ARΕA OF THE HAGIA VARVARA WATER-SPRINGS

ARΕA OF THE HAGIA VARVARA WATER-SPRINGS

AS A TOWN, Drama owes its origin to the springs of Hagia Varvara, an all-time landmark for its permanent residents and visitors of the town alike. In the mid 17th century, Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi made an idyllic depiction of the springs. It was the water of these springs that attracted prehistoric nomads and that inspired their initial settlement on its banks. For centuries, this area was for the inhabitants of Drama the center of their economic life, and today it is the most popular recreational center both for locals and visitors. In the area there are two ponds built by craftsmen from Epirus. It is said that in this location there used to be a small Byzantine church. When the Turks occupied the town, they tore down the small church and attempted to build a mosque in its place. Suddenly, however, the building was flooded and the Turks’ plans failed. In the center of the lake, one can see the foundation of this mosque, the construction of which could never be completed.

The vicinity of the lake has tobacco warehouses which are monuments of Drama’s history. Indeed, for a long time the town’s economy hinged on the processing and commerce of tobacco.

Today this location is the center of the town’s cultural life, with the headquarters of DEKPOTA (the Municipal Enterprise for Social, Cultural and Tourist Development), the “Melina Hall” (which houses occasional painting exhibitions), the openair theater, the offices of the “Short Film Festival” and the municipal library.