“Evros is at the heart of the priorities of the Government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. From July 2019 to date, 70,000,000 euros have been invested in Evros in the field of culture. Culture for us is defence, and this is best understood by those who live here on the border, the Evrites. The project at the Bayezid Mosque, which, according to the inscription on its entrance, was inaugurated in March 1420, is progressing at a very satisfactory pace, after several difficult issues that arose during the project were resolved. A monument hides too many contingencies. In the case of the mosque, the unexpectedness was even greater, due to the time of its construction, the fire, the building material, and the way its creators built it. The painstaking work of laying the wood for the roof has already begun. The project will be completed on the timelines set by the Recovery and Resilience Fund. Likely, the first quarter of 2026 will also be required, due to the multiple unforeseen problems that the monument has highlighted, to restore it to the best of its ability. And this is being done,” Greece’s Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, stated in a press release detailing the investment.
Let’s break down the receipts:
- 70 million euros invested in culture across Evros since 2019
- 12.5 million euros earmarked for the Bayezid Mosque restoration
- Funds flowing in from the Ministry of Culture, the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the National Growth Plan
Not to be outdone by Rome or Istanbul, Greek officials have prioritized “strategic interventions” so important that even the scaffolding probably has a management team. Lina Mendoni, always up for a hard hat and photo op, arrived in Didymoteicho leading a battalion of ministry staff, regional heads, and, inevitably, local politicians eager for a slice of that heritage pie.
Works at the Bayezid Mosque
Work at the Bayezid Mosque is a show in itself. For starters, the restoration comes with a strict schedule, presumably so nothing gets done ahead of time. The goal is to finish in the first three months of 2026, although the monument itself seems ready to test everyone’s patience.
This is no run-of-the-mill patch job. The restoration takes historical layering seriously, so visitors might one day marvel at “every single architectural phase ever suffered by this building.” The oldest surprises were supplied free by time, fire, and the kind of construction ingenuity you don’t see on YouTube. After solving difficult technical outbursts and unpredictable discoveries—surprise!—the replacement timbers for the mosque’s massive roof were trucked in from sustainably managed forests in France, Switzerland, and Germany. Why local wood when you can out-import the Eiffel Tower, right?
Next door, the minaret is slowly being deconstructed down to the bones, with whatever wasn’t charred by the 2017 fire pressed back into use, and the rest switched out. An 18-meter climbing contest among politicians is ongoing, but for now, the best view belongs to the workers nestled among the beams.
Didymoteicho Castle: Not Just Another Pile of Rocks
While the mosque receives new wood, the Didymoteicho Castle has its version of the Greek state’s affection: studies, research, and a cascade of management plans that no castle could read. The Ministry, always in search of strategic plans, partnered with Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to develop a roadmap so grand it might even impress the ghosts.
Didymoteicho’s hilltop fortress isn’t just old, it’s perched on chiseled caves and strong enough that even Charles XII of Sweden once sulked here in almost-captivity. The structure’s timeline reads like the greatest hits of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture: walls first built in the 6th century, reinforced for centuries by emperors and generals, and surrounded by 24 towers that once watched over history with what was surely world-weary resignation.
Plans for the immediate future? Restoration starts with the Bridge Gate, Market Gate, and four specific towers (conveniently named P1 through P4 for anyone tired of ancient nomenclature). Even the cobblestones must be restored, presumably so tourists can twist their ankles in historically accurate fashion. The plan features a new viewing area near Tower 1, “Basilopoula’s Tower,” just in case someone needs a selfie with a view—and some expropriations for good measure, so forgotten ruins can finally retire.
Where History Waits for a Permit
The castle and mosque have seen more ministers, bishops, and university professors lately than a Greek wedding. Public presentations, full auditoriums, and plenty of dignitaries guarantee that every restoration phase comes with an audience, applause, and, above all, speeches about strategy. It’s as if Evros is performing its heritage for the future, meticulously and on budget, if the gods are willing.
And underneath the jokes, the seriousness remains: Evros is not just a border to be guarded, but a living showcase for the Greek past—arguably best appreciated while wrapped in scaffolding, scrutinized by professors, and endowed with enough funding to make most regions jealous. Now, if only the walls could applaud.
