Kavala, widely known port that connects the mainland of Greece with the islands in the north of the country, is especially famous among travelers heading to the island of Thassos.

If you are planning to pass by Kavala on your way to your summer destination this season, we recommend that you stop here and discover why this destination has always been a resting place for great travelers like Philip II of Macedon, Mark Antony, Apostle Paul, and remains a popular stop for numerous tourists today.

West of the town of Krinides, just 15km from Kavala and 21km from Drama, lies the archaeological site of Philippi, located on the road connecting these two cities. The site can be reached within a 20-30 minute drive from Kavala by regular bus service (KTEL), taxi, or private transport. Moreover, excursions to this culturally historical landmark can easily be found in the offer of numerous tourist agencies from Serbia and Greece.

Why are more and more tourists visiting Philippi?

At the beginning of the new era, Philippi was a large city and despite its relatively small population, an important trading center located on the main road between Rome and its provinces in the Middle East.

In recent years, especially after being listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in Europe in 2016, it has become very interesting for tourists. Since the remains of the ancient city of Philippi are located in the mainland of Greece, they are not primarily of interest to tourists who come to this country for the sea and sun. Nevertheless, they can definitely become part of your summer vacation in the form of a pleasant excursion or a kind of attraction outside the summer season, in spring or autumn.

For lovers of cultural events, every summer from July to the end of August, the Philippi Festival has been organized for 59 years, showcasing performances of ancient and modern theater, classical dance, musical evenings, concerts, and much more. Some visitors are interested in this place because of archaeology and the fact that remains from several different historical epochs can be found here. Recently, there has been a great interest from Christians from various parts of the world who increasingly come here for baptism in the stream where the Apostle Paul performed the baptism of a European woman for the first time, known as Saint Lydia of Thyatira.

The long and glorious history of the city

The ancient city of Philippi, considered the most significant archaeological site in eastern Macedonia, lies on the edges of the marsh covering the southeastern part of the Drama plain. Noticing the abundance of noble metals, wood, and agricultural products, the site was initially colonized by people from Thasos founding the city of Krinides in 360 BC. Soon after its founding, Krinides became a target of the Thracians (365 BC), which led King Philip II of Macedon, aware of the economic and strategic potential of this place, to embark on a conquest campaign, fortify, and rename the city after himself.

Hellenistic Philippi had a fortification, theater, several public buildings, and private houses. The construction of the Via Egnatia road through the city, in the second century BC, made Philippi an important regional center.

The dramatic battle in Philippi, fought outside the western walls of the city in 42 BC, was a turning point in the history of the city. The city was conquered by the Roman Emperor Octavian Augustus and renamed Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis, which then developed into a financial, administrative, and artistic center.

The Christian heritage of Philippi

Another important event marked the history of this city just a century later.

Saint Paul founded the first Christian church on European soil in Philippi in 49-50 AD.

Three magnificent basilicas and the Octagon complex, as well as the cathedral dedicated to Saint Paul, were built in the center of the city between the fourth and sixth centuries AD.

After a series of earthquakes and Slavic invasions, the lower city was gradually abandoned at the beginning of the seventh century.

Philippi survived in the form of a fortress during the Byzantine period until its final collapse in the 14th century, after the Turkish conquest.

What you can see when visiting Philippi

The most important monuments of the site are

  • city walls (Fortress),
  • Acropolis,
  • Theater,
  • Forum,
  • Basilica A,
  • Basilica B, and
  • Octagon.

The 3.5km long walls start at the fortified Acropolis on the top of the hill and surround the base of the hill and part of the plain (first phase of construction: Philip II, mid-4th century BC; second phase of construction: Justinian I, 527-565 AD).
Within the acropolis stands a tower from the late Byzantine period.

The Theater, probably built by King Philip II in the mid-4th century BC, was completely redesigned in the second and third centuries AD to adapt to the Roman Empire.

The Roman Forum, the city’s administrative center (square) in the Roman period, represented a unique complex of public buildings arranged around a central square, with two luxury villas in the northeast and northwest.

The great paved road leading north from the Forum has been identified as the ancient main Roman road Via Egnatia.

Basilica A (end of the 5th century AD) is a large three-aisled basilica, 130 meters long and 50 meters wide, with a transept, square atrium, gallery over the aisles, narthex, and an unusual dome with impressive frescoes located in the vestibule of the chapel.

Basilica B (around 550 AD) is a three-aisled basilica with a narthex and annexes to the north and south (dome and sacristy). The nave is rectangular with large columns, and the altar is covered by a vault. The sculptural decoration is influenced by Byzantine art.

The so-called Octagon represents the Cathedral Church. It was built in three phases, at the end of the 4th, beginning of the 5th, and middle of the 6th century AD. It replaced an earlier smaller church dedicated to the Apostle Paul (early 4th century AD) and was built on the site of the tomb of a temple from the late Hellenistic period (heroon). The complex includes a dome, baptistery, two-story residence, and a monumental passage to the Via Egnatia road.

A rectangular building (27x10m) was discovered south of the Forum of the Roman city, with a gallery consisting of a colonnade with six Corinthian columns recognizable for its architecture and inscriptions, as well as for the ancient Roman market (Macellum). The complex consists of an inner courtyard with columns - peristyle on the right side and shops on the left side. It is separated from the Forum by a wide street (9m). The building dates from the Antonine period (second half of the 2nd century AD). In the middle of the 6th century AD, most of the complex was destroyed to the ground to make way for the construction of Basilica B. Only its northern part has been preserved with six stone colonnades, which a Byzantine architect attached to the Basilica forming a monumental entrance from the north.

Excavations in Philippi began in 1914 by the French School of Athens and continued by the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Athens Archaeological Society after World War II. Excavations at the site are now carried out by the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the French Archaeological School. All excavations are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Philippi.

Archaeological Museum of Philippi

The building of the Philippi Archaeological Museum consists of two levels of exhibition rooms for the permanent display of finds and excavations from the ancient city. The museum includes four main collections of finds from the prehistoric settlement of Dikili Taş, from the Hellenistic, Roman, and early Christian city of Philippi.

The working hours of the site during winter are from Monday to Sunday from 08:00-15:00, and during the summer (from April 1) from 08:00-20:00. The site is closed for visits on January 1, March 25, Good Friday and Saturday from 12:00-15:00, Easter, Christmas, and December 25.

The regular ticket price in Philippi is 6e, and the discounted one is 3e. Entrance to the site is free on March 6, April 18 and May 18, the last weekend in September, and on official state holidays.

Those entitled to the discount price are persons with a pass, guardians (companions) of children, and teachers on organized educational visits. Citizens of Greece and other European Union member states over 65 years of age with an ID card or passport for age verification and country of origin, owners of a special membership card of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), official guests of the Greek state, after the approval of the General Director for Antiquities and Heritage, young people up to the age of 18, with an ID card or passport for age verification, officials of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Archaeological Fund, students of higher education institutions and students of schools for tour guides in EU member states, as well as students of higher education institutions outside the EU with a student ID card, members of museum and archaeological site friends companies and associations with a certified membership card are entitled to free entry.

After visiting Philippi, it is essential to visit the Church of St. Lydia located near the Zigakti River, and then the city of Drama, where the St. Barbara Park is located, one of the most beautiful parks in the Balkans, with lakes, rivers, and ancient bridges. Near Drama is the Alistrati Cave, which abounds with rare untouched stalactites and stalagmites.

Finally, about 1.5km east of Philippi, on a 16m elevation, we recommend stopping by the prehistoric settlement of Dikili Taş where evidence of life in this area from the Neolithic period has been found.

If you have visited Philippi, send us your impressions and photos, we will gladly share them with our followers.

We are always here to help you explore Greece! Follow us for the latest information, useful tips and authentic experiences to spend an unforgettable vacation in Greece!

We offer over 3,000 accommodations. Choose the right one for you and your family HERE.

Follow us on social networks where we regularly share exclusive offers, discounts and special arrangements for vacations in Greece as well as information, advice and useful news.

Facebook:Nikana.gr
Instagram: @nikana.gr
Tiktok: nikana.gr
Facebook grupa: Live from Greece
YouTube kanal @NikanaTravel
Write to us at e-mail: nikana@nikana.gr
 
Our site nikana.gr is the leading source of information about Greece.