Kilkis

General Information on Kilkis

Kilkis is a small provincial city in Central Macedonia. As of 2001, there were 17,430 people living in the city and a total of 24,812 people living in the administrative area of the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital of the prefecture of Kilkis and the capital of one of the two local provinces of its prefecture. A large part of the prefecture lies around the verdant valley of the Axios River, the ancient Amphaxitida.

Its western and northern regions include the sublime and forested mountains of Paiko and Belles, while Krousia on its northeastern side and the Doirani Lake in the north and west, constitute a natural border as well as a splendid aquatic habitat for rare birds and plants. Today, the region is boosted economically and culturally, and gladly embraces its visitors.

History of Kilkis

The region of Kilkis has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as findings in the area reveal. During ancient times, many important cities such as Edomeni, Europos, Atalandi etc. were situated here. Later, the region passed to the Macedonian Kingdom under the rule of Phillip II and even later, became part of the Roman Empire. During the Byzantine Era, the region was frequently attacked by raiders from the north of Europe.

The city of Kilkis along with the rest of the region was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1430 A.D, before being taken by Bulgaria in the First Balkan War of 1912. In the Second Balkan War of 1913, the Greek army captured the city after a three-day battle. Despite the serious casualties of both sides, the Greek victory was a decisive step towards victory in the war. The city of Kilkis was almost completely destroyed during the battle and its 7,000 Bulgarian residents were driven away to Bulgaria as a result of the Treaty of Neuilly. The new town was built closer to the railway to Thessaloniki, around the Greek church of Saint George, and was settled by Greeks from Bulgaria and Asia Minor.

In 1943 the region was taken by the Bulgarians –allies of the Germans during World War II– when the Bulgarian zone of occupation was extended to include the prefectures of Kilkis and Halkidiki. The Greeks claimed that Bulgarians followed a policy of “Bulgarianisation” with considerable brutality and intended to annex the region to Bulgaria, but were forbidden to do so by their German allies, who feared destabilising Greece if Bulgarians proceeded. The region became a major centre of partisan resistance activity before being liberated in 1944.

How to Reach Kilkis

Coach: Kilkis can be easily reached by KTEL coach, as multiple services daily connect the city to Thessaloniki and nearby locations.

Train: Daily train services connect Kilkis to Thessaloniki and Serres.