Drama

Built at the foot of the imposing Falakro Mt, in a verdant area with abundant water sources, Drama is beautiful and hospitable, featuring picturesque neighbourhoods, spacious squares, green areas and well preserved neoclassical mansions.

A very few archaeological finds show that in the area of the modern city there used to be a settlement named Dyrama or Hydrama. This was the place of worship for many Gods of the Greco-Roman Pantheon (Apollo, Artemis, Isis, Hercules, and Dionysus). During the Byzantine years, there was a city possibly named "Draviskos" in the same area. In the middle Byzantine Period (9th-13th centuries) Drama was a fortified city with a castle and it used to be a commercial and military junction. In the late 19th century, tobacco production and trade, the operation of the railway (1895) and improvement of the road network towards the Port of Kavala, led to an increase in the population of the city and to the enhancement of the commercial activity. In the early 20th century Drama was occupied by the Bulgarians and participated in the Macedonian Struggle, but was liberated by the Greek Army on July 1st 1913. It is located at a distance of 650km NE of Athens and 150km NE of Thessaloniki.