Location information

  Especially significant is the route of Avdera through Byzantine and post-Byzantine times. The town was renamed to Polystylon (because of the many columns), it was the base of the Bishopric it was significant navigational town.
  In the later years the inhabitants of Byzantine Polystylon abandoned the coastal area and moved to the inland where the present village was established (in about 1720). The first settling spread around the church where today there are the beautiful traditional houses as well as the restored school in which the traditional museum of Avdera is housed.
  The archaeological excavation which started in the region in 1950 by the significant archeologist Dimitrios Lazaridis brought to light several parts of the ancient city of Avdera. The walls, the Acropolis of ancient theatre, the classic and Hellenistic cemetery, Byzantine Acropolis "Polystylon" and the Episcopal temple.
  Many of the most valuable findings are exhibited in the newly established Archaeological museum of Avdera where the visitor can admire the great History and Spirit of Avdera.
  Last sopping in the route of Municipality of Avdera and we reach the Minor Asia catastrophe and the exchange of population. The villages of Myrodato, New Kessani, Pezoula and Giona, are inhabited by refugees of east Thrace and east Romilia who were expelled from their countries and headed for the inland of Thrace where with hard work and many difficulties established the present villages. Also the village of Mandra is inhabited by refugees who came from the Serdivan Town. Typical feature of the refugees historical route are the rare heirloom, the books and other items of great value which with great belief and adoration they delivered on the day of the expulsion.
This text (extract) is cited October 2003 from the Municipality of Avdera tourist pamphlet.