Panoramic shot of old Xanthi

Typical photo of the Old Town settlement, with buildings of traditional and eclectic architecture “mingling” in labyrinthine alleys. No other better description of this peculiar urban scenery could be given, than that of Manos Hadjidakis: “I was born on October 23,1925 in Xanthi, the one that was preserved, not the other, horrible one, that was built later by the inland immigrants. At that time, the coexistence of the impact of the belle-époque, with the authentic Turkish minarets, gave color and substance to a society-panspermia from all corners of the Greek land, which coincidentally found itself living in an ultraperipheral area and dancing the Charleston in the public squares”.

Creator: Unknown (early 20th century)
Source: Tasos Tefronidis Private Collection