A bus to Phillipi

Kevala is home to the ancient state of Macedonia, best known for Greece's one expansionist ruler, Alexander the Great. He is honoured by the city of Alexandropolous, but his father, Phillip, was also an important leader who worked to unify Greece rather than allow it to remain a collection of city states. Phillip was asked by the state of Thassos to protect their new colony near Kevala. Phillip did that by conquering the town and naming it after himself, hence Phillipi. We took the bus to the ruins of Phillipi, about 17km out of Kevala.

Overview of the site at Phillipi

Old stones, old stones, a view of the Roman Forum

Greek Corinthian plinth

Phillipi is interesting due to the conflux of classical Greek, Roman and early Christian influences.  The photo's above show a roman style forum (or marketplace), with the classical square bounded by two major roads. The photo's below show a Greek temple, with classical columns.

Greek temple at Phillipi

Gorgeous colour in the stones

There is plenty of evidence for the high culture at the time. Lots of carving and artwork, along with decorative mosaics and tiling.

Shield and spear carved into the stone

Megan with pediment

Decorative stone tiling on pathway

The other claim to fame for Phillipi is as the 'landing place' for Christianity in Europe. St Paul was the first apostle to land on Greek soil, and he did so at Phillipi. It was the early 'breeding ground' for Christianity in Europe and around 300 AD, Christianity was proclaimed the state religion. The early worship structure (predating more traditional church designs) is called the Octagon, for its shape. It was built over an earlier Macedonian tomb.

Colonade leading to the Octagon

Wall of the first European church

Mosaic floor of the Octagon church 

Megan recovering from the heat near the underground Macedonian tomb

Over the road, there were more Greek ruins, and a road that lead around to the museum, holding finds from the site.

More Greek ruins

Path to the museum

The museum held some beautiful remains, from neolithic and bronze age dwellings, down to Greek and Roman statuary and glassware. Some photo's from the museum follow.

Early Greek pottery

A bust of Phillip II

Bronze mask fragment

Beautiful drapery carving

The minor deity, Pan. Note the hairy goaty legs.

Testament to the high culture of this settlement

Unknown bust

Fine stone work on Corinthian pediment

More decorative carving

Museum displayed the pieces well, unusual for Greece.

Delicate Greek glassware, early AD

More pottery

and some large outdoor amphorae

A view of the museum, just above the site

It was an interesting day well spent, but to balance the bout of antiquity, we're off to a 'Blues and Bike Festival' held at a beach resort down the coast on Friday. So here's boogie to ya!

Big city lights

It still takes my breath away, that we can take 3 steps out of our little womblike capsule and be in the middle of a buzzing vibrant city. Its a bit like stepping out of your bathroom and being in the middle of Pitt Street. We are in Kevala, in Macedonia, on the Greek mainland.

The port of Kavala

Pavlov, lucky to find a berth in the middle of the inner port

Kevala is a large industrial port, with a commercial fishing fleet, numerous bulk carrier movements and a small fleet of charter yachts. We were very lucky to find the one vacant berth in the inner harbour, otherwise we would have been consigned to the outer wall to fight it out with bulk carriers and other big scary ships. Negotiating the jumble of floating lines and old mooring buoys while getting close enough to the 3m high wall to get a line through a ring is always a challenge, and we find few in Greece who are willing to take a line for us. Megan has become adept at enticing the locals; or if her charms fail, leaping perilous distances to get a line onto the dock.

Inner harbour dock, looking up to the old castle on the top of the hill

Kevala is a surprise. We were attracted here by the lure of shopping and a Lidl. Lidl is a chain of German discount supermarkets beloved by cruisers everywhere. Not only do they stock much cheaper bulk goods, but their beer and wine is half the price of elsewhere. We like to pay homage to Lidl when reprovisioning the boat, and Kevala has two Lidl's. We were unprepared then, for the more cultural assets of Kevala. Our first day ashore took us up the hill, past the most impressive aqueduct I've seen, built by the Turkish sultan, Suleiman the Great.

Turkish aqueduct 

Four different size arches comprise the structure

Interesting terracotta bird houses inlaid into the structure

The old town within the old city walls contains some stunning examples of Ottoman architecture.

An early Ottoman mosque

Timber lathe and plaster Ottoman house

Ottoman Romanesque architecture

Ottoman Pasha's house, a luxury residence

Another Ottoman facade

Old quarter Ottoman street frontages

Statue of an Ottoman conquerer

Derelict bones of an Ottoman house: Lathe and plaster construction

Kavala is also interesting historically in that it has overlay's of Greco-Roman temples, Ottoman mosques and Christian churches, more evidenced when we travelled down to Phillipi. Here's another example of a charming Greek Orthodox church built just after independence from Turkey.

Charming Ottoman church

with a stunning view of the Mediterranean

Early Greek Orthodox

Dome of the church

Candelabra

The old town is located on a rocky peninsula jutting out from the coast. The aqueduct was constructed to bring water to this barren outcrop. There were charming walks around the headland and panoramic views of the Aegean.

Staircase down to the headland

The headland itself.

A moslem madrassa (teaching mosque)

Walkways on the headland

View of the aqueduct from the headland.

We're enjoying a more modern Greece, without all the evident dysfunction of Athens and the Attiki district. Its good to see that not all is doom and gloom in this once glorious nation. The buses are sparkling new and plenty, the shops are vibrant and full of customers, the city has a glow of health missing from other mainland locations. It's also a very different vibe to the island; it feels as if we've stepped from the nineteenth into the twentieth century. All the more surprising since Thassos, only 10 km away and connected by hourly ferry, once ruled this region, and its council gave birth to the town of Kevala.

Thassos, seen from the headland.

A view of the headland and castle from across the inner port. Pavlov is to the left.

We've found a bus that will take us inland to Phillipi, home to some ancient Greek, Roman and early Christian ruins, so tomorrow, its off to look at more old stones. Till then....