Nostalgic walk in the old quarter of Trikala town
The town of Trikala cherishes a very interesting part which we gladly select for a nostalgic, yet pleasant walk. It is that of the old town which includes the quarters of Varoussi and Manavika. Varoussi constituted the most aristocratic quarter of the city of Trikala during the Turkish occupation and up until 1930 and in our walk we will be able to admire a number of well preserved buildings and mansions dating back to, mainly, the 17th and 18th century.
It is precisely within this part of the town that we will also come across most of Trikala’s churches of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods and one almost next to the other. Worthy to see from close up during our walk in Varoussi, are the church of Ayios Stefanos dating back to 1896, as well as, the church of Panayia Faneromeni built in 1853, Ayia Marina built in 1766, Ayia Episkepsi dating as far back as 1543 and, of course, the Church of Ayios Dimitrios which was constructed in 1580.
It is also worth mentioning that the town of Trikala is the birth place of the famous Greek songwriter and bouzouki player Vassilis Tsitsanis, who wrote more than 500 songs throughout his career and one in particular which actually referred to the quarter of Varoussi. As we continue with our nostalgic walk, we enter the quarter of Manavika which presents countless specimens of a characteristic traditional architecture. This quarter, was once one of the most degraded in town, formerly housing brothels and, at a later date, the vegetable market. Nowadays, is where we head to for the best selection of traditional tavernas, restaurants and cafes to conclude our walk.
Photos by Petros Andronakis
