Kastanies


Kastanies is a town located in northern part of the regional unit of Evros, Greece, and is part of the municipal unit of Vyssa. It is situated at the border with Turkey.

Geography

Kastanies is situated in the low plains near the confluence of the rivers Evros and Ardas, on the south bank of the Ardas. The area consists of farmlands, with some forests at the banks of the rivers. There are two road bridges and one railway bridge across the Ardas. Kastanies is 2.5 km south of Marasia, 4 km west of Karaağaç, 5 km northeast of Rizia, 8 km northwest of Nea Vyssa, 8 km southwest of Edirne and 16 km north of Orestiada.

Transport

The Greek National Road 51/E85, which connects Alexandroupoli with the Bulgarian border near Svilengrad passes west of Kastanies. A smaller road connecting the E85 with Edirne in Turkey by way of the border crossing Karaağaç passes through Kastanies.
Kastanies has a station on the Alexandroupoli–Svilengrad railway, served by trains from Alexandroupoli to Ormenio. The Otoyol 3 to Istanbul begins a few km directly north of Kastanies. The O-3 is part of Asian Highway 1 to Tokyo and is also part of the E80 to Lisbon.

Historical population

History

The Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913 affected Kastanies. In the 1920s, it became a part of Greece. Kastanies suffered damage from flooding of the river Evros in December 1996, February 2005 and March 2005.

Tourism

Kastanies is the last village on the Sultans Trail hiking path within the territory of Greece. There are 2 sections ready in Greece one coming from Svilengrad, Bulgaria via Ormenio and other coming from Ivaylovgrad, Bulgaria via Komara and following the river Ardas.