Ladadika district

What I can see

Ladadika is in the city centre, near the port. It is among the areas that were not destroyed by the big fire of 1917. It used to be a wholesale traditional market of olives, olive oil (hence the name “Ladadika”, Ladi in Greek means oil), cereal and “colonial food”, from as early as the 16^th century. Nowadays, it is an entertainment and gastronomy hot spot, with many restaurants that serve Greek and other ethnic cuisines (some with live Greek music in typical tavern style), and clubs (especially ones playing mainstream music) some of which are LGBTQ-friendly. Walking around Ladadika, one can find interesting graffiti, often with a social message, and a rare mix of architectural styles, which testifies to the neighbourhood’s history. After the fire of 1856, Ladadika was rebuilt and Frankish storehouses with characteristic dark-brick and Flemish roofs were erected. Here were also the warehouses of large industries of the time. The wood in the roofs and the frames is gradually replaced by metal constructions, while at the same time, there is an extensive use of brick, which more and more often “frames” the openings. With the opening of Tsimiski and Salaminos streets during the interwar period, several modern, high buildings of that era were constructed. Despite the changes, Ladadika has maintained its two-storey buildings, showing a respect for the district’s old architecture. Buildings by major architects (Rubens, Grekos, Manousos, Andronikos, and others) are mainly found on the eastern side.

What I can't see

The neighbourhood was developed on top of the Byzantine port during the 4^th century AD, following gradual sea embankments. In the Ottoman period, Ladadika was called “Istira” (“iştirak” means participation in Turkish) or the “Egyptian Market” (Misir Pazar/Tarci) with what is today Aegyptou Street as its focal point. During that time, on the current Morichovou Street, there was grain trading, which was a state monopoly. From the interwar period right up to the end of the 1960s, Ladadika was highly disreputable for its many brothels. It is now considered one of the city’s trendiest neighbourhoods.

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