Edessa – Pella – Giannitsa – Aravissos – Mandalo

48 kilometres west of Edessa is Ancient Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great and his father, King Philip II of Macedonia. According to Xenophon, it was the “Greatest of the cities in Macedonia,” a view not shared by Demosthenes, who considered it a small and insignificant Village.

Perhaps it was indeed a small fishing village at that time, but at the end of the 5th century BC its fate changed when the Macedonian king Archelaus chose to establish the new capital of Macedonia in this place, moving it from Aigai. From that moment, Pella began to develop into one of the most important centres of Greek civilisation.

Since then, Pella holds a special place in history and is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece.

Leave Ancient Pella behind and enter the national road, following the west direction towards Edessa. Pass Nea Pella and the first junction towards Agrosykia. A little further down, at the next junction, turn right (north) to reach the Village of Messiano.

From there, turn left (northwest) to reach the Village of Archontiko, where archaeological excavation has revealed that the area was first inhabited during the Neolithic Age.

Continue westwards along the plain towards Giannitsa. After the first houses of the town, you will see the bronze Black Statue, which was created in 1926 as a commemoration of the Battle of Giannitsa in 1912, standing imposingly in a small tree-lined square.

The crowded and bustling city of Giannitsa retains elements of its Ottoman history. This is evident in the magnificent architectural monument of the Mausoleum of Gazi Evrenos, which dates from the early 15th century and is located at the southern entrance of the city.

Also, the Clock Tower, from which the Ottoman soldiers monitored the traffic and transactions, is another important monument of the Ottoman period. There is also a ruined Muslim mosque in the city, which is now located in the precinct of the Giannitsa camp. The interior decoration of the mosque still bears the characteristic Ottoman art, thus preserving the cultural heritage of the era.

The city is built in the middle of the plain of Giannitsa, which extends south, reaching the Thermaikos Gulf. Until the inter-war period, the area was a vast swamp, known for the presence of mosquitoes and high rates of malaria that affected the inhabitants of the surrounding Villages.

It should be noted, however, that until the 5th century BC, the sea reached as far as Nea Nicomedia and Ancient Pella. The coastal location of Pella was the main reason why it was chosen as the new capital of Macedonia. According to the sources, Ancient Pella was built on the cove of the ancient Thermaikos Gulf.

Four major rivers flow into the area: the Aliakmon, the Loudias, the Axios and the Gallicus. The continuous siltation of these four rivers and their tributaries, which created an endless net of water, blocked the exit to the sea. The result was the formation of a lagoon in the first century AD.

400 years later, the lagoon, which had been completely cut off from the sea, created Lake Loudias or Giannitses, as the famous swamp later became known. At the end of the 14th century, the swamp was inhabited when Sultan Murat II relocated Yurouk Turks from Asia Minor there. These populations lived in the extensive marshes of the lake, suffering from malaria, until the Greek-Turkish population exchange in 1923.

The life of the refugees and the need for better living conditions led, in 1928, to the decision to carry out drainage and reclamation works in the area. The swamp of Giannitsa was drained, revealing new arable land, which was distributed to the landless refugees.

Before departing from historic Giannitsa, stop for coffee at the town’s tourist kiosk with its beautiful view. There you will have the opportunity to contemplate the swamp and study its history and secrets.

From Giannitsa, follow the asphalt road westwards, towards Aravissa, enjoying a pleasant route through peach tree plantations. A little further south of where Aravissos is today, there was Ancient Cyrus. The ruins of this city will be found after you pass a beautiful little river with plane trees, ducks and running water. It is a city whose history dates back to the Neolithic Age and was known for its wealthy inhabitants and great goldsmiths.

From Aravissos, continue west towards Mandalos, passing through the Villages of Plagiari and Lakka, where the homonymous monastery is located. In Mandalo you can visit another prehistoric Village. The route to the Village is beautiful, as it passes through the foothills of Pikos.

From Mandalo, head south to Skydra, which is the largest processing and export centre for fruit and vegetables. The area is known for its excellent quality peaches. Then, return to Edessa, completing this unique route.