Kilkis

The city of Kilkis, the capital of the prefecture, is a city rich in history. It is built at the foot of the hill of St. George, on top of which stands a post-Byzantine church. Located at a distance of 48 km. from Thessaloniki and 550 km. from Athens, it has considerable industrial development with a highly active industrial area (BI.PE. Stavrohori).
 
In   2011   (National Statistics Agency census), the city had a permanent population of 22.740 and the Municipality had 51.710 residents. The residents of Kilkis are engaged in agriculture and stockbreeding, while the establishment of the Industrial Area in Stavrohori has attracted many young scientists and workers during the recent decades.
 
The name of Kilkis comes from the Roman period (1st century AC), when the Callicum (or Gallicum) was established in this area.
Callicum or Kallikos was the leather sieve which was used to collect the gold from the River Ehedoro or "Gallikos River", a name derived from the same establishment, Kallikos. Today, Kallikos settlement has been equated with the Colchida of Kilkis, where there are ruins of Roman and early Christian settlements.
 
With the establishment of the Bulgarian state during the 10th century, Kilkis was destroyed and its inhabitants migrated to southern Italy. After 1014, with the destruction of the Bulgarian army by the Byzantine emperor Basileio II, the city was rebuilt. During the 14th century, the area belonged to landowners of Byzantium, referred to as "Gallikos property." During the Ottoman rule, the city is known as Kilkisi and in the 15th Century gains political stability and prospers in the fields of textiles and silk. In the early 17th century, it belonged to the manor of Giourouk Hassan Aga, while in 1765 it was incorporated into the manor of Abdul Aga, from the family of landowners Champenteroglou of Doirani. In 1780, the area was offered to Yusuf Bey, of the family Evrenos.

The people of Kilkis participated in the Revolution of 1821 with Zafirios Stamatiadi from Idomeni as the leader, and the Macedonian Struggle (1904-1908) with the Macedonian Fighters M. Sionidis, I. Ramnalis, C. Doitsinis and others. Eventually, the area was released in 1913 (Second Balkan War), after the glorious three-day battle of Lachanas (June 19-21). The population exchanges with Bulgaria (1919), Turkey (1923) and the settlement of the refugees from Eastern Thrace, Anatolia, Cappadocia and Pontos follow. During the Second World War, the area came under the German occupation and faced the Greek Civil War.

These days, Kilkis is a growing modern city with good infrastructure and an ideal size for quality of life, as one can combine the rich and beautiful nature of the area with the urban routine, without dealing with the crippling rhythm of a megacity.

The prefecture of Kilkis is a part of the border zone of the north-Greek region and specifically the region of Central Macedonia.On the north it borders with FYROM, on the south with the prefecture of Thessaloniki, on the east with the prefecture of Serres and on the west with the prefecture of Pella.

The natural limits of the prefecture are the basin of Lake Doirani on the north, the Mount Belles (2,031 m.) on the northeast , the mountains Kroussia (860 m.) and Maurovounio on the east, the Mount Paiko on the west and on the south the Mount Vertiskos and the valley of Thessaloniki.The general slope of the area is to the south and particularly to the Thermaikos Gulf.For this reason, most of the rivers, Axios the most important among them, have a similar time.

The prefecture has an area of 2,519 sq. km, which correspond to 13.8% of the total area of the County.65% of its area is flat, well above the respective percentage of the County and much greater than that of the entire country.

The highest mountains of the county are:

• Paiko, with an altitude of 1,650 meters. Its peaks are: the Gola-Tsuka (1,650 m.) Skra (1,097 m.), Pyrgos (1,494 m.), Voulares (1,408 m.), Tsouma (1,219 m.), Vertopia (1490 m.) and Kantasi or Kantasti (1607 m.).
• The mountain Kerkini or Beles. Located in the eastern part of the prefecture, along the borders between Greece, FYROM and Bulgaria. Its highest peak is the Triethnes (1,888 m.). Only a small portion of it belongs to the prefecture of Kilkis.
• The Dysoro or Kroussia. Its highest peak is at 860 m. and the city of Kilkis lies at its foothill.

The Rivers of Kilkis are:

• Axios or Vardaris, which has a length of 83 km and is flowing through the western part of the prefecture. Its riverines are: Mega Rema, emanating from Paiko; Rema Vourkou,   emanating from the heights of   Gynaikokastro; Stravopotamos; Gorgopis etc.
• Gallikos (or Ehedoros), which emanates from Kroussia and flows into Thermaikos Gulf.

The prefecture of Kilkis is plain in its greatest extent. The lowland soils occupy an area of 1,666 sq. km.

Its lakes are: Doirani (or Prassiada) with an area of 33 sq. km, rich in fish, and Pikrolimni with an area ranging from 3.7 to 4.5 sq. km, of which the water has high salinity (three times greater than the Dead Sea) and because of its rocks, has curative and cosmetic properties.

The climate is continental, bolder in the mountains and northern regions of the prefecture.The winter is very cold winter and the summer is warm.

According to the census of National Statistics Agency (2011), the prefecture of Kilkis has a population of 80.419 inhabitants. It should be noted that the significant population growth of the county over the last decade is mainly due to the city of Kilkis.

Kilkis has significant population gravity and it also presents an impressive rate of population growth. Specifically, according to the 2001 census, the city of Kilkis gathers 19.6% of the total population of the prefecture, showing a population increase of 43.6% compared to the 1991 census.

The prefecture has a total of 166 towns & villages of which 121 (73%) have a size of less than 500 residents.

The area of Kilkis, after the   population exchange   with   Bulgaria   (1919) and   Turkey   (1923) accepted the installation of many refugees coming from   regions like East Thrace,  Anatolia,   Cappadocia   and Pontos.

It is only natural that its population constitutes of a medley of Greeks and it is considered a multicultural region due to the different origins of its inhabitants. In our days, the prefecture of Kilkis is inhabited by Pontians, Thracians, Vlachs, Sarakatsans, Anatolites, Stenimachites, Stromnitsiotes and local Macedonians, who maintain many of the customs and traditions associated with their origin, and make up the multicultural profile of Kilkis.

The nature, which has been extremely generous to this region, is combined with the history of this area. The people, with their customs and traditions have created an excellent specimen of the beautiful and harmonious, traditional, Greek countryside.
 
Mountain villages like those of Mount Paiko and Mount Kroussia, which one can reach through beautiful trails in an amazing natural setting to enjoy a relaxing, healthy environment and fresh water from the springs of the mountains, exude calm, serenity and the excellent uniqueness of the region.
 
Goumenissa, with narrow cobbled streets, old traditional houses, abundant waters, the tradition of superior quality wines and music of '' Halkina '' instruments by impromptu bands.
 
Karpi, built on a plateau with its characteristic black stream running in the southwestern part of the village, the bed of which is actually black.
 
The historic village of Skra, with its few inhabitants and natural beauty at an altitude of 520m., which took its name from the nearby mountain top Skra di Legken that was a key battleground for the Greek state during the First World War.
 
Grivas and Kastaneri, beautiful villages with abundant vegetation, tree fields, livestock, authentic products of the forest and some old buildings with fortresses, which testify to the character of the area the previous years.
 
Megala Livadia, at an altitude of 1200m., a Vlach village with a rich history, which is full of life in the summer.
 
The settlement Koupa, at an altitude of 600 m., with its rare density forests of beech and oak, natural caves, sour healing water, the river, the numerous springs and about 100 inhabitants who are engaged in farming and traditional folk structures.
 
Metalliko, with a lush green natural environment and the unique experience of hearing the song of nightingales in the small creek outside the village, while at the foot of the hill lies the spring named "Ksino Nero” (Sour Water) which is suitable for drinking therapy.
 
The picturesque villages Pontokerasia and Kato Theodoraki on Mount Kroussia, are a mountainous paradise of florid beauty and are equipped with an infrastructure for nature lovers who want to spend a few days enjoying the peace and the excellent local cuisine.
 
Regarding the local flavors, the towns &villages of Kilkis offer unique combinations. Wine in Goumenissa, fish at the lakeside villages of Doirani, pontian cheese and pasta in Vathi, delicacies and preserves in Filiria, homemade bread and traditional pasta in the Fanos, honey in Gerakonas is just a sample of what you can taste here.
 
The villages of Kilkis are ideal, more than anything else, for one to see the rich beauty of nature, enjoy the authentic local flavors and come in contact with the traditional art and old habits of the countryside. To admire the footprints left by other eras, and touches of time, through the customs that are perpetuated in a location both excellent and unique.