What I can see

On the Sheikh Sοu Hill and next to the Forest Theatre, is the city’s zoo, an environment properly designed for animals, which covers an area of ​​58 acres. These days, it is not in operation and only some domestic- farm animals live there, such as goats and sheep. In the past, there were animals from the Greek forest, such as deer, bears, wild boars, squirrels and various birds. Regardless of all this, it is a beautiful, green landscape for relaxation and a place to escape from the city’s fast- paced lifestyle.

What I can't see

The municipality decided to auction the site for private development. The original plan was to create a multi-theme park, which would include a botanical garden, a wildlife sanctuary, an agro-tourism park, a cultural park and an environmental education centre. Such a plan, however, would also attract other facilities (e.g. hotels), and this would be against the protection status of Sheikh Sοu. Thus, the municipality decided on a milder approach, a more limited redevelopment, without all of the above. Regardless of the approach, the ethical dilemmas about the usefulness and existence of spaces with animals in captivity remain.

Info

• Address: Kedrinos Lofos
• Phone: 2310 219980

Bibliography