The visitor of Kilkis region in Macedonia has many things to see, as the place is full of museums and monuments. Take a look at the most interesting...
The Axioupoli Museum of Natural History
The museum was opened to the public in 1997, making its contribution to the cultural development of the general area. It is housed in a renovated school building, first erected around 1930, occupying an area of 800 square meters.
The Archaeological sites of Toumba
The area includes a settlement with noteworthy burial monuments that indicates the most probable site of
ancient city of
Gortynia. The excavation of the tombs brought to light several details pertaining to the burial process, as well as vessel shells and pieces of human bones.
The Archaeological site of Gynaikokastro
The village of
Gynaikokastro owes its name to the ruins of the
Byzantine castle, built during the 14th century A.D. by the Emperor Andronicos Paleologos for the protection of the settlements against barbarian raids.
Apart from the ruins of the Byzantine castle, a cemetery of the Early Iron Age was discovered. It covers an area of about 350 square meters. During the excavations were found also a crematory, vessels containing human ashes and various objects accompanying the deceased in the grave such as small iron knives and swords for males and copper jewelry for females. There have been found also objects dating to the later Roman period.
The Archaeological site of Palatiano
The excavations started in 1960 in the
Palatiano vicinity, 4 marble statues were unearthed, followed by a complex of tombs and the dwellings of a two-chamber tomb. The cult of Dionyssos in the area is also verified as well as the importance of the area geographically.
The Archaeological site of Evropos
The ancient city of Evropos is located in the district of Paeonia about 1km. southwest of the present village. In the excavations in the area performed in 1989, a necropolis was discovered, confirming the ancient place-name as being the one in use today. The earliest indications that the old city had been inhabited come from the prehistoric settlement at the heart of modern municipality. The area witnessed great prosperity during the Roman and early-Christian periods. The prize finding of the archaic period would be Kouros dating to the 6th century B.C. (The Kilkis
Archeological Museum).Byzantine / Post-
Byzantine Churches
The fall of Gynaikokastro to the Turks in 1383 signaled the beginning of the Ottoman occupation in the territory. Thirty-eight churches remain form this period, three of them in ruins. These churches bear witness to an important past.
Holy Monastery of Osios Nicodemus in Pentalofos, Goumenissa
It is built on one of the most beautiful slopes of Mount Paiko 7km. far from the town of
Goumenissa. They belong to the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras which is located on the Holy Mountain of Athos. Construction first began in 1981. In fact, the church is divided in two levels. The upper level is dedicated to
Hosios Nicodemus and the ground level to Saints Raphael, Eirini and Nikolaos. The
Monastery is famous for its artistic production, namely, its hand-painted icons. The church services and ceremonies are observant of the Holy Mountain rite. On July 14th, as well as the Tuesday after Easter the monastery hosts a fair.
Holy Hermitage of Agios Georgios in Anydro, Goumenissa
It is a women’s convent, home to only ten nuns. This nunnery rests upon the ruins of the old church of Agios Georgios, built between 1800-1830. The church has Byzantine ornamentation, wooden sculptures and contemporary icons on the iconostasis and the ceiling. Holy relics of numerous Saints are safeguarded in the nunnery.
Holy Monastery of Agios Raphael, Nikolaos and Eirini in Griva, Goumenissa
It is founded in 1992. The wooden hand-carved iconostasis in the shrine of the Myrofores is a masterpiece of Serbian priests of the historic Monastery of Detsani (14th century). Relics of three saints are offered for veneration.