Archaeological Site of Longos

The Lower City of ancient Edessa was built in the Archaeological Site of Loggos, at the foot of the Rock of the present city.

Together with the Acropolis on the rock, it was organized as a city around the end of the 4th century BC, at a strategic point where the Egnatia Odos passed, a road connecting Constantinople with the Adriatic coast.

The archaeological site, which can be visited, reveals the urban fabric of the ancient state, with fortified gates, high towers, the paved main street, as well as public buildings such as the warehouse ('Orion'), religious and educational buildings, houses, workshops, and shops.

As the area is characterized by an abundance of water resources, ancient Edessa had a secure water supply and irrigation of its crops, while the water supply and sewage system were particularly well organized.

The ancient city was abandoned at the beginning of the 7th century AD and the inhabitants moved to the citadel for protection against raids.