..3000 years history.. |
Edessa city of waters |
... ancient-byzantine-industrial history......... | |
| Pella - Macedonia - Hellas | |||
| Edessa 3000 years of history & culture | |||
| Alexander the Macedonian |  |
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| The name Edessa is related
to the ancient Phrygian and means tower in the water or town on the water. In 814 BC
Heraklides "Karanos" makes it the first kingdom of Macedonians and the fate of
the city is identified with the history of Macedonia. Ancient, byzantine but also
industrial finds, testify the town's history. Romans, Slavs, Ottomen as well as
occasionals pass from its history. On 18th October 1912 the town was liberated and incorporated to the Hellenic State as capital of the prefecture of Pella. In 1923 it is supported by Greeks-refuges from Asia and only after the '50s - '60s when the "white coal" (=water) becomes useless which for centuries had moved mills, workshops, industries and factories. This was the end of the indrustry and industrial history of the city. Many people of 'culture' have their name connected with the town. Edessa .... city with 3000 years history |
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| Stages in the history of Edessa | |||
Prehistorical times 4000-3000 BC |
In the area of "Loggos" and "Paradisos" they have discovered archelological finds | ||
Historical times |
The settling of the Macedonians -Hellenic civilization - the use of the name Edessa (derived from Fed- which is also a lingual type of hyd-(issa) which is derived from the word hydor(=water) and means watertown. the town of waters. Edessa becomes the capital city of Macedonian State. | ||
Ancient times |
Edessa is built on two levels - The Acropolis (the persent place) and the main town (place "Loggos") | ||
168 - 130 BC |
The conquest by the Romans - The via Egnatia passes through Edessa | ||
27 BC - 249 AC |
There is a mint in the town | ||
The first Cristian Period |
The dissemination of Cristianity begins after the journeys in Macedonia of Apostle Paul | ||
4th cent AC |
The establishing of the Edessian Episcopate which is part of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki. Both areas are part of the Roman Pope's authority. | ||
end 4th cent AC |
Edessa belongs to the region of 'Macedonia the first' as part of the eastern Roman Empire (afterwards the byzantine empire) | ||
691-692 |
The first well-known bishop Isidoros of Edessa takes part in the ecumenical synod and signs as the bishop of the town of Edessa | ||
731-733 |
The emperor Leon III Isavros detaches the area from church's authority belonging to the Pope of Rome | ||
913-959 |
Edessa is mentioned in the writings of Constantinos VII as an area of the byzantine empire | ||
989 |
The bulgarian occupies Edessa and it becomes the seat of his temporary state and the bulgarian residence. | ||
10th cent |
The beginning of the use, name "Vodena" instead of Edessa (Slavic word for water=voda which means watertown. the town of waters | ||
1003 |
The emperor Vasilios II "the bulgar stayer" liberates Edessa and set ups byzantine garissons in the town while he sends the bulgarians to exil | ||
1015 |
The town recaptured by the bulgarians but the emperor Vasilios II campaigns and sets up new garissons | ||
1019 |
The episcopate of Ochrid is established to which Edessa is part of | ||
1204 |
After the 4th crusade Edessa was part of the Latin Kingdom of Thessaloniki under Bonifate ole Monferance | ||
1218-1219 |
Theodorus of Ipirus liberates Edessa from crusaders and the town at this time is part of the domain of Ipirus | ||
1239-1252 |
The establishing of the Vodena domain with the Theodorus if Ipirus | ||
1252-1254 |
Edessa was corporated to the empire of Nikea later under the after emperor Michael VII Paleologos | ||
1327-1328 |
During the civil war between the emperors Edessa is taken over by Ioannis Katakouzinos VI who became later emperor | ||
1341 |
Edessa was besieged by the Serbs under Stefan Dusan. The byzantine generals Thomas and Andronikos Paleologos raise the siege | ||
1342 |
The serbs of Dusan succed in occupying the town. In the end Dusan gives the town over to the emperor Katakouzinos | ||
1343 |
The occupation of Edessa by the Serbs | ||
1351 |
Temperaly recapture of the town by the byzantines | ||
1351-1395 |
The town's occupation by the Serbs. The city walls and many public and private buildings are being destroyed. The citizens are enslaved. The town begins to be built at the present place | ||
1389 |
The town is occupied by the Ottomans | ||
1395 |
A completely destruction of the town by a powerful earthquake | ||
1750 |
Monks who were educators start the first schools | ||
1767 |
The upgrading of the Episcopate of Edessa and becomes Metropolis | ||
1782 |
The first secondary school named "Hellinomuseon" is established | ||
1789 |
The metropolitan bishop Meletius together with many citizens of Edessa takes part in the revolution of Lefkadian "Louizi" against the second Russian-Turkish war. | ||
1821 |
Many inhabitannts of Edessa take actively part in the revolution of 1821 (Naum, Gatsos, Trupkos etc) | ||
1862 |
The first hospital opens by the "Fraternity of Youths" | ||
1862 |
A 'Boys' school was open | ||
1872-1877 |
The "Educational society of Vodena(Edessa)" was set up and the "Maiden School" was built for the young girls in Edessa | ||
1877 |
A memorial of Edessa inhabitants was sent to the conference in Constantinople where they declare their willingness to fight for the rights of Hellenism. | ||
| 1891 | The first regulation for the local "Hellenic Orthodox community of Vodena(Edessa)" was written | ||
1892 |
Edessa is connected by railway with Monastiri(Bitola-FYROM) | ||
1895 |
The first textile factory was founded. The driving force, the power, is the "White Coal"(=water). The begining of an industrial development in Edessa. | ||
1900 |
The mosque "Geni Tzami" and the clock of the city was built | ||
1904-1908 |
The inhabitants of Edessa take part in the Macedonian fight for the liberation of Macedonia and its incorporation to Hellas | ||
| 1907 | The textile factory "KATO ESTIA" at "Loggos" district was founded | ||
1912 |
Edessa was liberated from the Turks | ||
1915 |
The first Hellene Mayor is appointed and parliamentary ellections were accomplished. Edessa ellects debuty at the Hellenic Parliament. | ||
| 1921 | After the first excavations from Proffessor Evstratios Pelekidis, the site of Ancient Edessa was showed | ||
1922 |
The gymnasium "Perikalles" is founded and the Culture Assosiation "Alexander the Great" is established. | ||
1935 |
A conflagration and floods destroys a large part of the town | ||
| 1936 | The first Edessian was take part at Olympic Games in Berlin. Was named Dimitrios Jakas. | ||
1925-1940 |
A great industrial growth. Edessa is called "Manchester of the East" (12000 inhabitants - 2500 industrial workers) | ||
1940-1944 |
The town is occupied by the Germans(Nazi). They destroy a big part of the traditional quarter "Varosi", the boys school and many other buildings | ||
1946-1948 |
The civil war | ||
Decades '50-'60 |
The end of industrial growth - Immigration | ||
| 1962-1968 | The waterfalls area is menaced by the public electricity service. The citizens of Edessa stand out with unexpected for the age ecological assertions. | ||
Decades '70-'80-'90 |
Town planning. Touristic - Cultural - Athletic - and intellectual development. | ||
1982 |
The town hall was founded | ||
1991 |
The population of the city is 17.128 inhabitants | ||
The facts are from Constantinos Stalidis - Writer |
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| Watch the 3000 years history of the city through its monuments | |||
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Ancient Edessa at "Loggos" district | ||
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Byzantine monuments - The church of Virgin Mary | ||
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"Maiden School" (1875) - Nowadays hallw of arts | ||
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The mosque "Geni Tzami". From Ottomans period. | ||
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The monastery of "Agia Triada" | ||
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Open Air Water Museum - A tour to industrial history of the city | ||
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The clock of the city and behind the building of Cultural Association "Alexander the Great" |
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| Travellers they passed from Edessa | |||
| 1668 Evliya Tselempi | |||
| 1806 W.Leake | 1820 Cousinery E.M. | ||
| 1842 A.Boue | 1859 M.Delacoulonche | ||
| 1890 V.Berard | 1900 M.Paillares | ||
| 1904 Tsorbatzoglou | 1904 Paul Lindenberg | ||
| Edessa ... city of waters | |||
