By Nikolas Bardis

Kavala is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Northern Greece, with a rich history and special architecture, which defines it and gives it its identity. Among the most emblematic buildings of the city is, of course, Mehmet Ali Pasha’s house, which is one of the best preserved buildings of Ottoman architecture from the 18th century in our country.

And although it received several modifications and changes over the years, it never lost its glamor and nobility. In fact, at the time it was built it was the largest house in the city, and today it is a historical monument and trademark of Kavala. But what is the history of this house?

Mehmet Ali, later governor of Egypt, was born in 1769 in Kavala and lived there until about the age of 30. His father, Ibrahim Aghas, was a civil servant and specifically the head of the city governor’s guard. His paternal uncle Trusun agha was a muteselim of Kavala, while his maternal uncle was the provost Husegin agha. In 1787 he started working in the army and was soon appointed buluk basi.

In 1798 he was appointed deputy leader of the corps of about 300 men sent from Kavala to Egypt, to prevent its occupation by Napoleon.

He then quickly rose through the military ranks and in 1805 was appointed valis of Egypt.

The mansion was built at the end of the 18th century and was then one of the largest mansions in Kavala.

Although the building has undergone subsequent modifications, these have not changed the dimensions of the mansion. As his father did not have the financial surface to build such a large house, this is not the house where he was born, but he settled in it later, probably after 1787, when he acquired wealth from his marriage to the wealthy widow Amina.

At the beginning of the 20th century, some restoration and maintenance work was carried out on the house of Muhammad Ali and its garden, with the funding of the Egyptian state and the support of the royal family of Egypt. The works included turning the harem entrance into a main entrance, installing fireplaces in all rooms, adding glazing to the sofa, a wash basin to the harem, and some walls were rebuilt and reinforced.

This historic building with an area of ​​330 sq.m. it was the biggest house in Kavala at that time. Nowadays, it is considered one of the finest surviving examples of Ottoman architecture in Greece. It has two floors and has a hammam as well as the possibility of heating. Both the hammam and the living, dining, sleeping and entertainment rooms are on the second floor. Another peculiarity is that there are fireplaces in all the rooms, which indicates the special social status and financial prosperity of its owners.

This iconic mansion is built in a privileged position, and has panoramic views from all sides. From its entrance you can see the port of the city, while on the other side it “sees” a picturesque bay.

Finally, the house has a large and particularly well-kept garden, while a square has been created right in front of it since 1935. Today it is a living museum, a meeting point for the locals, but also an attraction for visitors to Kavala. If you are in the area it is worth visiting, and get a small taste of what the city was like in the 18th century.