Feres, Alexandroupolis, Evros,East Macedonia & Thrace
Theotokos Kosmosteira
| Location: |
| Feres, Thrace, Northern Greece |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| East Macedonia & Thrace Evros | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Alexandroupolis • Feres | |
| Altitude: | |
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Elevation ≈ 45 m (Relative Height≈0 m) |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| 1152 | BYZANTINE  |
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| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Fortified Church |
Relatively Good
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Kosmosoteira today is not a castle, not even a castle-monastery. But it is one of the most important Byzantine monuments in Greece.
The place qualifies for a castle for 2 reasons: a)There a few remains of fortifications in the yard and b) it was used, actually, for the protection of the people of the area against invaders (basically, Turks) in the 14th century.
History
Kosmosoteira was built probably in 1152 by the "Caesar" Isaakios Komnenos, sixth son of the emperor Alexios I Komnenos.
It was a monastery until the middle of the 14th century. In 1355 the local population, seeking refuge inside the fortified walls of the momastery, forced the monks to leave.
Later, it was occupied by the Turks who converted it to a mosque which became the center of a prosprous community.
In 1940 it was restored and operates as a church again.
| First entry in Kastrologos: | May 2013 |
Sources
- Nancy Sevcenko, “Kosmosoteira: Typikon of the Sebastokrator Isaac Komnenos for the Monastery of the Mother of God Kosmosoteira near Bera”, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, D.C., 2000
- Georgi Sengalevich, “Aristocratism and piety along the banks of Maritsa: the case of Komnenos’ monastery of the Mother of God kosmosoteira”, Cities In Southeastern Thrace, ST. KLIMENT OHRIDSKI UNIVERSITY PRESS, Sofia, 2017
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| Access |
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| Approach to the monument: |
| The church is at the center of the small town of Feres, 28km from Alexandroupolis. Feres is on the NR from Alexandroupolis to Orestias (or to Turkish borders) |
| Entrance: |
| The church is usually open. The access is free. |
| Other castles around |
|---|
| Castle of Gimbrena |
