3rd DAY (27th MARCH) Trikala is a town in northwestern Thessaly, Greece, and the capital of the Trikala regional unit. It holds third place among the towns of Thessaly with respect to cultural and financial activities. The town is built close to the foothills of the Hasia mountain range and is divided into two parts by the Lithaios River . Located in the center of the valley of Thessaly, in the location of the ancient city of Trikki , it is a town with a rather new road plan and well-constructed roads, squares and parks. Trikala is the commercial and processing center for the farm produce of Trikala Prefecture. Infrastructure The General Hospital of the Trikala Prefecture is located in Trikala. The Physical Education and Sport Science Department of the University of Thessaly is also situated here, and was founded in 1994, with the first students being admitted in the academic year 1994-1995; it was originally housed in the Matsopoulos Park facility, but moved to the new Karyes campus in July 1999. Trikala has over 20 schools of secondary education and a modern night technical school. General Information There where myths were born and experiences never cease… Castles, elaborate figurines, ancient sites, byzantine churches and monasteries and beautiful bridges indicate a continuing uninterrupted civilization. Trikala Prefecture provides different majestic scenery at each glance and a different unforgettable experience each moment. The countryside terrain exhibits great variety. One comes across a wide range of customs and traditions and a great cultural heritage. Trikala Prefecture is one of the most fertile regions of Greece with rich crops of grains, cotton, pulses and other agricultural products not to mention the robust animal farming activities. Antiquity The region of Trikala has been inhabited since prehistoric times . The first indications of permanent settlement have been uncovered in the cave of Theopetra , and date back to approximately 49,000 BC . Neolithic settlements dating back to 6,000 BC have been uncovered in Megalo Kefalovriso and other locations. The city of Trikala is built on the ancient city of Trikka or Trikke , which was founded around the 3rd millennium BC. It was named after the nymph Trikke, Penaeus’s daughter, or according to another myth, daughter of the Asopus river. The ancient city was built at a sheltered location between the local hill and the river Lithaios . The city became an important center in antiquity and it was considered to be the birthplace and main residence of the Healing God Asclepius . One of the most important ancient Asclepius’s temples, Asclepieia, can be found in the town. The city is also mentioned in Homer's Iliad as having participated in the Trojan War with thirty ships under Asclepius' sons, Machaon and Podalirius . In the Mycenaean period, it was the capital of a kingdom and later it constituted the main center of the Thessalian region of Estaiotis, which roughly occupied the territory of the modern Trikala Prefecture. BYZANTINE CASTLE of TRIKALA The castle of Trikala is located on the north-eastern side of the town. According to Prokopios, it was built by the Emperor Justinian I (6th century) in the place of the ancient acropolis of Trikki. The exterior wall is polygonal in shape, with five towers and several small turrets. The castle is divided into three baileys. The first one, containing the main entrance with a semicircular stone archway, is on the west side. The east side houses a café and a restaurant. For easier access to and from the city, a flight of stone steps was built in 1960. During Byzantine years, the church of the Archangels was built to the right of the gate in the second bailey; yet, it has not survived until the present day. According to some historians, it was burned down between 1330 and 1332 and was renovated several years later by Bishop Anthony of Larissa. In the same bailey, an open-air amphitheatre was constructed in 1988; it is actually a performance space used for theatrical productions and concerts throughout the summer months. The third bailey is the most important one strategically, since it has a prominent position and visual contact with the surrounding area. It occupies the north-eastern upper end of the citadel and forms an irregular quadrant- shaped ward covering an area of approximately 1,200 sq.m. Local tradition holds that the third bailey contains a secret opening, which functioned as an escape route from the castle in times of hostilities. This opening was a tunnel burrowed under the perimeter wall and followed a northeasterly direction, crossing the southern slope of the hill of Prophet Elias and eventually leading to the church of the Assumption in Kalampaka. THE OLD CITY OF TRIKALA The Old City of Trikala consists of two- districts: Varousi and Manavika . Located on the eastern side of the castle, the old neighbourhood Varousi was an affluent Christian self- governing district. The manors of Varousi and the numerous churches (ten in total dating from the 16th century up to the 19th century) reflect the economic and cultural growth of the 18th and 19th centuries which resulted from the development of merchantry and industry. The glamour of Varousi has been overshadowed by the expansion of the town and the construction of new neo-classical manors in the late nineteenth century. Next to Varousi spreading towards the central square is the part of the city called Manavika , a neighborhood of the old city with a uniform architecture. All buildings are of the same architectural style with solid brick, high ceilings, lofts and large openings. Manavika has evolved through its long history. In the 1920’s, it was the town’s notorious district and was called the ‘stena’ (narrow alleys) with brothels, ouzo bars and tavernas. When the brothels ceased their operation in the neighborhood, the produce market moved into these buildings. Today, they are fully restored and, for the most part, the shops have become traditional tavernas, restaurants and bars which maintain their traditional form and continuity through time. Manavika, with their distinct architecture, continue to attract the attention of Trikala residents and visitors. Visual intervention – Mural Manavika is adorned with a visual intervention. It is a 150m2 mural that was completed on October 4, 2006. It was painted as part of the intra-state program “Integrated Urban Development Interventions in Small-scale Local Zones in Agios Ecoumenios of Trikala” undertaken by the Thessalia Regional Operational Program and the Engineering Department of the Municipality of Trikala for the visual refurbishment of the faces of buildings. The mural was inaugurated by the Mayor of Trikala and the Mayor of the 5th district of Lyon. The project was undertaken by SACVL, the painters of Cite de la Creation and electricians of ΗΤΕ, all internationally recognized for their trompe-l’oeil techniques who have done similar work in Lyon, the Cairo Sofitel, a large surface in Russia, the Castillo de Moro in Cuba, the Ermitage Saint Petersburg and elsewhere. The mural is unique in Trikala and Greece. It presents our daily life in a realistic manner. Scenes from the balconies of houses, a taverna and its musical show, singers in the balconies, the farmer’s market, housewives shopping and children playing carefree in the neighborhood streets can be seen. They are actually simple scenes of everyday life, but truly precious ones. The fantastic work of the painters and careful lighting create a different aura in the neighborhood. The mural is in fact a magnet for the people who walk and hang out in the area and takes them back to yesteryears. It is a true artefact for the town of Trikala. ASKLEPIEION OF TRIKKE The ruins of an old sanctuary of the physician-god, an Asklepieion, or healing place, are located between the central square and the church of Saint Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos) in Trikala. It is the oldest Aesculapium of Greece - a kind of medical centre from which the worship of Aesculapius gradually spread. The archaeological site includes: - Part of a late Hellenistic building which remained in use during the Roman period. The preserved mosaic floors are also dating back to the Roman period. - Part of a late Hellenistic arched gallery - Part of a Roman bath. - A post-Byzantine church. The preserved ancient remains were brought to light during excavations carried out periodically between 1902 and 1992. THE LITHAIOS RIVER AND THE CENTRAL BRIDGE The Lithaios River flows through Trikala and divides it in two parts. According to the historian Stravon, Asclepius, the first doctor of antiquity, was born on its banks. Its name means the river of oblivion. The Lithaios is a point of reference for the residents of Trikala. It is very rare for a Greek city to have a river running through it. The change of scenery with the very tall green trees in the summer and the same trees without leaves in the winter enchant visitors no matter what time of the year they visit Trikala. With its crystal clear waters and the light breeze it causes, the Lithaios creates a romantic atmosphere for those walking along its banks. The banks of the river are connected with many bridges. Visitors can stand on the central pedestrian bridge for a while and feel as if they were standing on the dock of a river travelling down the Lithaios River. One can also sit on the benches and admire the flow of the water from the glass transoms. Looking to the north, across the bridge, is the statue of Asclepius – the work of sculptor Theodoros Vassilopoulos . The waterfall at the base of the statue creates an unprecedented sight, especially at night when the banks of the Lithaios River are lit.