I have visited many cities and villages in the Western Thrace part of Greece lately. There are still addresses waiting to be visited and discovered.. However, if you ask me about my favorite places among the places I have visited, I can write Xanthi (Greek Xanthi) at the top of Places to visit in Greece.. Among the places to visit in Xanthi , my first choice is the historical old city Ahiryan Mahallesi (Xanthi Old Town).
Ottoman still 14. century, Muslims settled in this neighborhood.. However, Pontus Greeks were settled here as in all Turkish cities during the Greek period.. Now Turks and Greeks live together in this charming town with narrow streets.. This is an address that is both a church and a mosque and photographers will want to get lost in its streets.
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Places to See in Ahiriyan Mahallesi
My advice would be to take the road that passes above the neighborhood and do a panoramic work from there, then get lost in the streets down.
Ahiriyan Mahallesi Mosque
As you descend from the top, a cute little mosque attracts your attention. Ahiryan Mahallesi Mosque, located in the upper part of the quarter, 17. It was built in the 19th century, but it was rebuilt by Mehmet from Drama in 1850.. In 1997, it was completely renovated by the residents of the neighborhood.. There is an old cemetery in the courtyard of the mosque.
Akathistos Hymn Church
This is one of the churches from the Ottoman period. However, this place, too, was damaged by earthquakes and was later rebuilt.
How Does Ahiriyan Quarter Get Its Name?
The neighborhood takes its name from the Pomaks living here.. Also called Muslim Bulgarians because their mother tongue is similar to Bulgarian, another name for Pomaks is Ahriyans.. However, although the language spoken by the Pomaks is similar to Bulgarian, it is a different language that is not a written version.. Another rumor is that they were Cuman Turks who stayed in the Rhodopes in 1091.
The Mufti of Xanthi, one of the two mufti of Turkey in Western Thrace, is also in this regard. It is located in the neighborhood.
How to go to Ahiriyan Mahallesi?
From Istanbul to Greece every evening buses are leaving. Thessaloniki buses stop in cities such as Komotini and Xanthi.. Ulusoy, Metro Tuzim, Alpar Turizm are the first to come to my mind among the companies that organize expeditions here.. If you get on one of these companies and get off in Xanthi, you can then walk to Ahiriyan District.. I went with Alpar Tourism last time. You can read about my experiences and details about bus travel in this article.. You also need a Schengen visa to go to Xanthi.
