General Information

Samothrace is in the utmost northeastern part of the Aegean sea, in the Thracian sea and abstains 32 naval miles from Alexandroupoli.

Samothrace became worldwide famous from the statue "Niki of Samothrace" found today in the Museum of Louvre, and from the "Kabeiria Mysteries" performed here in antiquity.

A particularity of Samothrace, not seen in any other island is its wild virgin nature with the steep mountains, the rich vegetation, the forests with planes, chestnut trees, arbutus but also the steaming waters, the waterfalls and the beautiful beaches. Characteristic are the plane forests that reach down to the beaches of the island.

Harbor of the island is Kamariotissa and also the secular center of Samothrace with restaurants, graphic taverns, rented rooms and hotels. Five kilometres to the interior is the capital named Chora or Castle or Samothrace. Chora appears to climb to the mountain side with her traditional houses and graphic alleys. Here is the church of The Assumption of Virgin Mary, build in 1875 and inside it are the skulls of the Five Saint Witnesses of Samothrace.

On mountain Saos the climbers and the walkers can enjoy the amazing landscapes of the region.

In Therma you can relax in the spa sources, known since the antiquity for their therapeutic attributes.

History

The island was inhabited from the Neolithic era, but become of great importance when Ionians came to stay and imported in Samothrace the Kaveiria Mysteries and Samothrace became a religious center and due to its geographic position a commercial center too. Samothrace was a holy island through antiquity and the residence of Thetis and other fairies but mainly a centre of sacramental ceremonies. Anyone could take place in these mysteries man or woman, slave or free, Greek or barbarian, adult or child. This is a basic difference with other mysteries (eg Eleysinia). The ceremonies took place at the end of the summer and had an international religious and artistic character with the attendance of eminent personalities from foreign countries. The sanctuaries of the great gods are found today in Palaiopoli, on the edges of mountain Saos next to the sea.

In 357 BC in Samothrace took place a historical meeting. In the Mysteries met Philippos II and Olympiada, and here took place the conception of Alexander the Great who changed the flow of history. Philippos was 25 years old and Olympiada 19. They were both heads of pomps, Philippos for the Macedonians and Olympaida of Molosson. Other important people who were mystics are: Orpheus, Hercules, Jason, Odysseus, Arsinoi, Perseas, Ptolemaios, Irodotos, Lysandros etc.

The importance of the Kaveirian Mysteries remained until the years when the ancient religions fainted with the prevalence of Christianity.