Location information

Prehistorical times 4000-3000 BC: In the area of "Loggos" and "Paradisos" they have discovered archelological finds
Historical times: The settling of the Macedonians - Hellenic civilization - the use of the name Edessa (derived from Fed- which is also a lingual type of hyd-(issa) which is derived from the word hydor (=water) and means watertown, the town of waters. Edessa becomes the capital city of Macedonian State.
Ancient times: Edessa is built on two levels - The Acropolis (the persent place) and the main town (place "Loggos")
168 - 130 BC: The conquest by the Romans - The via Egnatia passes through Edessa
27 BC - 249 AC: There is a mint in the town
The first Cristian Period: The dissemination of Cristianity begins after the journeys in Macedonia of Apostle Paul
4th cent AC: The establishing of the Edessian Episcopate which is part of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki. Both areas are part of the Roman Pope's authority.
end 4th cent AC: Edessa belongs to the region of 'Macedonia the first' as part of the eastern Roman Empire (afterwards the byzantine empire)
691-692: The first well-known bishop Isidoros of Edessa takes part in the ecumenical synod and signs as the bishop of the town of Edessa
731-733: The emperor Leon III Isavros detaches the area from church's authority belonging to the Pope of Rome
913-959: Edessa is mentioned in the writings of Constantinos VII as an area of the byzantine empire
989: The bulgarian occupies Edessa and it becomes the seat of his temporary state and the bulgarian residence.
10th cent: The beginning of the use, name "Vodena" instead of Edessa (Slavic word for water=voda which means watertown, the town of waters
1003: The emperor Vasilios II "the bulgar stayer" liberates Edessa and set ups byzantine garissons in the town while he sends the bulgarians to exil
1015: The town recaptured by the bulgarians but the emperor Vasilios II campaigns and sets up new garissons
1019: The episcopate of Ochrid is established to which Edessa is part of
1204: After the 4th crusade Edessa was part of the Latin Kingdom of Thessaloniki under Bonifate ole Monferance
1218-1219: Theodorus of Ipirus liberates Edessa from crusaders and the town at this time is part of the domain of Ipirus
1239-1252: The establishing of the Vodena domain with the Theodorus if Ipirus
1252-1254: Edessa was corporated to the empire of Nikea later under the after emperor Michael VII Paleologos
1327-1328: During the civil war between the emperors Edessa is taken over by Ioannis Katakouzinos VI who became later emperor
1341: Edessa was besieged by the Serbs under Stefan Dusan. The byzantine generals Thomas and Andronikos Paleologos raise the siege
1342: The serbs of Dusan succed in occupying the town. In the end Dusan gives the town over to the emperor Katakouzinos
1343: The occupation of Edessa by the Serbs
1351: Temperaly recapture of the town by the byzantines
1351-1395: The town's occupation by the Serbs. The city walls and many public and private buildings are being destroyed. The citizens are enslaved. The town begins to be built at the present place
1389: The town is occupied by the Ottomans
1395: A completely destruction of the town by a powerful earthquake
1750: Monks who were educators start the first schools
1767: The upgrading of the Episcopate of Edessa and becomes Metropolis
1782: The first secondary school named "Hellinomuseon" is established
1789: The metropolitan bishop Meletius together with many citizens of Edessa takes part in the revolution of Lefkadian "Louizi" against the second Russian-Turkish war.
1821: Many inhabitannts of Edessa take actively part in the revolution of 1821 (Naum, Gatsos, Trupkos etc)
1862: The first hospital opens by the "Fraternity of Youths"
1862: A 'Boys' school was open
1872-1877: The "Educational society of Vodena (Edessa)" was set up and the "Maiden School" was built for the young girls in Edessa
1877: A memorial of Edessa inhabitants was sent to the conference in Constantinople where they declare their willingness to fight for the rights of Hellenism.
1891: The first regulation for the local "Hellenic Orthodox community of Vodena (Edessa)" was written
1892: Edessa is connected by railway with Monastiri (Bitola-FYROM)
1895: The first textile factory was founded. The driving force, the power, is the "White Coal" (=water). The begining of an industrial development in Edessa.
1900: The mosque "Geni Tzami" and the clock of the city was built
1904-1908: The inhabitants of Edessa take part in the Macedonian fight for the liberation of Macedonia and its incorporation to Hellas
1907: The textile factory "KATO ESTIA" at "Loggos" district was founded
1912: Edessa was liberated from the Turks
1915: The first Hellene Mayor is appointed and parliamentary ellections were accomplished. Edessa ellects debuty at the Hellenic Parliament.
1921: After the first excavations from Proffessor Evstratios Pelekidis, the site of Ancient Edessa was showed
1922: The gymnasium "Perikalles" is founded and the Culture Assosiation "Alexander the Great" is established.
1935: A conflagration and floods destroys a large part of the town
1936: The first Edessian was take part at Olympic Games in Berlin. Was named Dimitrios Jakas.
1925-1940: A great industrial growth. Edessa is called "Manchester of the East" (12000 inhabitants - 2500 industrial workers)
1940-1944: The town is occupied by the Germans (Nazi). They destroy a big part of the traditional quarter "Varosi", the boys school and many other buildings
1946-1948: The civil war
Decades '50-'60: The end of industrial growth - Immigration
1962-1968: The waterfalls area is menaced by the public electricity service. The citizens of Edessa stand out with unexpected for the age ecological assertions.
Decades '70-'80-'90: Town planning. Touristic - Cultural - Athletic - and intellectual development.
1982: The town hall was founded
1991: The population of the city is 17.128 inhabitants.
Constantinos Stalidis, ed.

This text is cited Mar 2003 from the Municipality of Edessa URL below, which contains images.

• http://www.edessacity.gr/tourism/ed800-10_en.htm (7 img.)