Xanthi: The carnival history of the city in an impressive 19th century mansion

The in-house has its own special story. In an exhibition are presented uniforms of another era, to remember the old and learn the younger… Some of the most beautiful Halloween costumes of recent years that wore carnivals, who participated in the great parade of the Carnival of Xanthi, are presented in a unique exhibition at the impressive preserved building of the old town hall, Mavromihali Street. The historic building, at the entrance of the old town, in which the town hall of Xanthi was operating until 2013 -so it was closed in order to be maintained and restored deep, opened its doors during this year’s Thracian Folklore Festivals to host an exhibition of carnival costumes and photographs with chariots of the last forty years. The cultural clubs and crews who throughout the previous years participated in the great parade held every year on the last Sunday of Halloween granted some of their most beautiful uniforms. The visitor as he walks around the exhibition travels in the long history of the Xanthiotis Carnival and Thracian Folklore Festivals dating back to 1965. The same exhibition hosts many photographs of the thematic chariots that also parade every year on the last Sunday of Halloween and also photographic moments from the stages of their construction. Young and old visiting the exhibition do not hide their admiration and share the memories of earlier Halloween parades, in which they participated. So more than half a century, Xanthi, during the Halloween season celebrates, entertains, celebrates, brings memories, revives customs and traditions, but mainly reminds everyone that Thracian Folklore Festivals are more than the famous carnival of northern Greece. It is an important cultural institution, a well-known artistic event, a participatory celebration, which is expected throughout the year by both the Xanthiotis and the inhabitants of the neighbouring regions of Thrace and eastern Macedonia. The impressive house of the 19th century At the same time as the exhibition of carnival costumes is given the opportunity to the Xanthiotis and to the thousands of visitors of the city with the thousand colors to admire one of the most beautiful mansions, built in the late 19th century and preserved to this day in excellent condition. Orfanidis mansion or old town hall, as all locals know, was built in 1880 and is an urban mansion of eclectic architecture. Local sandstone was used for its construction by the Mandra quarry and Rodopi granite. Impressive is the double central staircase. The preserved building as a whole features rich interior decoration of irons and plaster decorations as well as carved ceilings. The sides are distinguished for their symmetry and bear neoclassical elements. The openings on the ground floor have arched lintels with elaborate irons, with intensely highlighted entrance, while on the floor they are rectangular. The main gate is a heavy iron structure in Roman style and is located on Mavromichali Street in the middle of the face. The house was built by Austro-Hungarian architects for tobacco merchant Moses, who later sold it to the Orphanides family. In 1926, during the mayorship P. Christidis, it was purchased by the municipality of Xanthi and housed the town hall until 2013. Today, renovated spaces are used to host diverse cultural, intellectual and artistic events.