The capital of this prefecture is Edessa, built in the foothills
of Mt. Vermion, with a view over the plain, lush greenery,
flower – filled gardens and plenty of water. Edessa’s celebrated
waterfall is to be found to the northeast of town, in a thickly
wooded area with a stunning view. Under the largest cataract
there is a small cave with a chapel dedicated to the Ascension (Analipsi).
Five kilometers from here is the village of Agras, which took
its name from the Macedonian warrior Tellos Agras. One of
Greece’s biggest hydroelectric plants is located here. The lake
that feeds the plant, which covers an area of 1,000,000 sq. m.,
has become a habitat for wild ducks and swans.
A town famed for its fruit and red peppers is Aridea, while
Skidra is considered among the largest fruit-producing centres
of Greece.
Another town with an abundance of water is Arnissa, built on the
lower slopes of Kaimaktsalan, in front of the lake Vegoritis.
Finally, we have Gianitsa, the biggest city in the prefecture
and an important agricultural and animal breeding center.
The villages of Palia & Nea Pela lie just 4 kilometers away,
with the ruins of ancient Pela spead out between them. It was
here that during the reign of Archelaos (413-399 B.C.) that Pela
became the capital of the Macedonian kingdom. He built a new
palace and invited Zeuxis, the greatest painter of the day, to
decorate it. Both Philip II and Alexander the Great spent some
time here.
By the 4th century B.C., the new capital had become the most
important political, economic and administrative center of the
Macedonian Kingdom.
Excavations here have unearthed portions of the walls, the
palace, the sanctuaries of Aphrodite, Demeter and Cybele, the
marketplace, cemetery and several houses. In two of these
houses, which date to the late 4th century B.C., mosaic floors
of exceptional quality have been found; they are perhaps the
finest examples of the art yet discovered (on display in the
museum). |
