Just 12 km from the city of Kavala lies the refugee village of Nea Karvali. On the outskirts of the village, on a secluded hill, is the village of Akontisma, named after the Romans who once inhabited the area. Its history dates back to the 4th century BC, during the reign of Cassander, as evidenced by the discovery of silver and gold coins bearing his image. On the western side of the hill, remains of ancient walls and an enclosure can still be seen. Excavations carried out by the 12th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities in Kavala uncovered amphorae from the Thasians, who are thought to have settled in the area and used wood from the surrounding forests. This settlement was later occupied by the Macedonians, with Philip II establishing a military garrison.

 

The hill was also part of the route of the ancient Via Egnatia, which linked the civilisations of the West and East. In Roman times, a station was built north of the settlement along this route, but it was later abandoned with the decline of the Byzantine Empire. The area is also known for its ancient mining galleries. In more recent history, the hill was home to a Turkish-occupied village known as 'Tripride Cinar' or 'Carpandi', which was destroyed by Bulgarian bombing during World War I. Refugees from Cappadocia who arrived after 1924 found rubble from the old village and used it to build their homes. In 1983 the hill became the property of the Cultural Association of Nea Karvali, 'Stegi'. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord and an open-air theatre modelled on ancient Greek theatres were built on the hill. In 1996, with funding from the European Union, the Folklore Village of Akontisma was built, combining architectural elements from the traditional mountain villages of Kavala and Gelveri in Cappadocia. The village bridges the past with the present, preserving historical memory while incorporating modern features.

 

Today, the Folklore Village includes a guesthouse that can accommodate up to 100 people, a restaurant serving traditional wood-fired cuisine with flavours from Cappadocia, and a café-bar with an outdoor swimming pool. There is also a conference hall, rooms for cultural events, an art café, a theatre, an exhibition hall and a video projection room. The design of the village retains elements typical of Greek rural villages, such as cobbled streets, a central square, a church, dense trees and colourful flowers, as well as influences from Cappadocian architecture.

 

The village is home to the Historical & Ethnographical Museum of the Cappadocian Greeks and the Centre for Cappadocian Studies and Historical Archives. Here researchers, scholars, travellers and descendants of the Cappadocian Greeks can explore a wealth of historical and cultural material.

 

Visitors are encouraged to visit the Church of St Gregory the Theologian, an important religious site in Nea Karvali. Be sure to try the traditional kourabiedes (butter cookies), a popular local delicacy.