North Gate
The North Gate of Kavala is an historic entrance on the eastern side of the Panagia Peninsula. Once the main landward gate to the walled city, it connected the Old Town with key points outside the walls, the Kamares Aqueduct and the carnagio (shipyard).
Small in size but big in importance, the gate regulated access and trade and symbolized the city’s transition from inner sanctum to working port. As it opened onto the ancient Via Egnatia which led to Constantinople, the North Gate was one of the city’s most important landward gates. Today it stands as a quiet but powerful relic of Kavala’s layered past.
Below the city walls and facing the Kamares, the North Gate appears as a simple arched passage in the masonry. Built in stone it blends into the surrounding walls but clearly marks a historic entrance. The arch is wide enough to have accommodated carts and pack animals, with remnants of doors or gates. Nearby historians believe a bastion or watchtower overlooked the aqueduct and harbour, reinforcing the city’s defences.
History & Culture
The gate dates back to the 15th century Ottoman rebuilding of Kavala’s walls after the destruction of Byzantine Christoupolis. It became part of the fortified town’s structure especially as the Via Egnatia ran just beyond it, connecting Kavala to Constantinople. During the Ottoman period the North Gate served not only for defence but also for monitoring trade, especially goods passing between the harbour, aqueduct and city markets.
In earlier times a monastery and shipyard operated outside the gate, highlighting its role as a connector of spiritual, maritime and commercial life. By the late 19th century the gate’s military function had diminished but it remained a symbolic entrance to the Old Town and still is today.
Local Interest
You can reach the North Gate by walking up from the Kamares. It’s at Anthemiou 61, surrounded by sections of the medieval wall. There is no signage but the gate is intact and a popular photo spot for those exploring the Panagia area.
Map
Old Aqueduct
Halil Bey Mosque
