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Peripheral Trench

The Peripheral Trench is a linear route on the eastern side of the city.

  1. Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )


    1950 Constructed.

  2. Ottoman era (1453- 1912)


  3. Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)


  4. Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)


  5. Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)


  6. Classical era (478-323 BC)


  7. Archaic era (800-479 BC)


  8. Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)


  9. Prehistory (-1100 BC)


What I can see

The Peripheral Trench, also known as Toumba Gully, is about 7.5 km long; it starts from Cedar Hill and ends at the beach of Mikra. The about 2.5km long northern part, from Ano Toumba to Nea Elvetia, is densely vegetated and has been shaped like a linear park with paths, which are ideal for walking and running in nature, as is the case with some plateaus, which are the result of unused land and are suitable for relaxation and pick nick. This part is home to many types of trees, with the pine being the most common. The dense vegetation provides shelter to many birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects and mammals. The more daring hikers can walk the entire gully and pass through wider and narrower riverbeds, as well as dark tunnels. Unfortunately, the existence of litter and illegal structures near the riverbed, adds to the degradation of this small ecosystem, without however, reducing its ecological value.

What I can't see

It is an artificial gully, which links natural gullies and courses the water to the sea. It has been an anti-flood project of great importance, because Thessaloniki used to suffer from floods. However, it was not implemented in its entirety and ultimately, nature benefited. At the time the trench was constructed, the bed was designed to be made of concrete, a common practice in those years. Only a few parts ended up with a concrete bed, before the project was abandoned. Thus, the soil that was not covered by cement and -in combination with the materials brought from Cedar Hill- gave birth to a rich flora, which in turn attracted a rich fauna.

Bibliography

Theodoridis P., (2013), Θεσσαλονίκη, διήγηση ενός αιώνα, [Thessaloniki, a narration of a century] Thyrathen

 

Nikoforidis P., (2022), Γραμμική φλέβα πρασίνου η Περιφερειακή Τάφρος, [Peripheral Trench, a linear green vain], in Parallaxi,

https://parallaximag.gr/featured/grammiki-fleva-prasinou-perifereiaki-tafros

Last visit 22/1/2024