Residence of Haji Sakir Omer Bey

Places

5th High School of Kavala

Next to the old city wall and overlooking the port, the 5th High School of Kavala is a relic of the city’s past cosmopolitanism. Built between 1902 and 1907 by Mehmet Ali Pasadzik, a Turkish landowner and tobacco merchant, it was part of the trend among Kavala’s tobacco barons of the time – each trying to outdo the other by building the most impressive mansion.

The big, pale-red building at center (above the quay) is the former Pasadzik mansion, now the 5th High School. It’s just below the city’s medieval walls and stands out as a neoclassical building on the hillside.

The mansion has a symmetrical three-story design with stone masonry, reflecting the wealth of its original owner. Its style is a mix of Ottoman Neoclassicism with eclectic details often compared to Art Nouveau or late Ottoman Baroque. Built during Kavala’s early 20th century “tobacco boom” when rich tobacco traders were competing to build the most impressive houses in the city, Pasadzik’s house was one of the grandest of its time.

History & Culture

This mansion’s story is tied to Kavala’s modern history. Mehmet A. Pasadzik, a Turkish landowner and tobacco merchant, built it as a private house in the early 20th century (completed around 1905). At that time Kavala was a thriving tobacco center and merchants of various nationalities were competing to build the most impressive houses – Pasadzik’s house was one of them.

After the Greco-Turkish population exchange of 1922-1923 the property was confiscated or ceded to the Greek state. The big house was soon used for public and official purposes under Greek administration. In the interwar period it hosted several institutions and offices – the Prefecture (Nomarchía) of Kavala, a Naval command base, a Naval academy and several times a Commercial School and an Economic High School. During those years it was also used as a school: it became the site of a Commercial School and an Economic High School that operated in the building after the exchange. This dual role as administrative center and school made the building a hub of local life in the 1920s and 1930s.

Before World War II the mansion was used by the Greek police and this continued under occupation when Bulgaria took over the region in 1941. Under Bulgarian occupation (1941-1944) the building was the headquarters of the Bulgarian Security Police (Okhrana/Ohrana). During those war years it became notorious as a place of imprisonment and suffering – many local Greek resistance fighters were detained and tortured inside its walls by the occupying forces. The very name “Okhrana” was a synonym of fear in the community and the mansion’s dark role left a lasting mark in Kavala’s memory.

After the war the building was returned to public use and as the years went by it found a new purpose in education. By the late 20th century it was converted into a public school. For about the last 45 years it has been housing the 5th High School (Gymnasium) of Kavala, combining a living educational environment into a historic monument. The fact that the building is used as a school has saved it and kept it grand.

Local Interest

For locals and visitors alike the 5th High School’s building is an iconic landmark of Kavala’s old town. Situated on the slopes of Panagia peninsula, its neo-classical facade (painted in soft earth tones with ornate trim) is visible from the port and waterfront promenades below.

Tourists walking through the old quarter often pass by this site on their way to the Castle or the nearby Halil Bey Mosque and Imaret and many stop to admire the mansion’s architecture and the scenery against the medieval city walls.

Although the interior is not open to the public as it is an active secondary school, the exterior is worth seeing for its historical atmosphere.

Importantly a commemorative plaque at the entrance of the building reminds passersby of its dark past during World War II. The sign says that “in this building Greek patriots were detained and tortured during the Bulgarian occupation (1941-1944)”. This is a point of reflection for the community – it makes sure that what happened here is not forgotten, even though the building is now buzzing with students and teachers.

Visitors interested in history can see the building from outside, imagine its former glory and turmoil, while locals see it as a landmark of their city’s heritage and a living part of their community.