The contrast between a modern city and its traditional walled part shows us a moment in its history when this change happened, with the one partevolving rapidly and one still carrying traces of the past.
In Greece, the expansions of the most important urban centres outside their walls coincide with the last years of Ottoman rule (from 19th century to early 20th century.). Gradually the walls that enclose them, not having a defensive function anymore, are now an obstacle to the diffusion of the city-whose population is growing-out. The Tanzimat reformations promoted by the Ottoman Empire from 1839 onwards will be the spark and the context within which the cities will expand and grow. The expansion of the city of Kavala outside its walls in the mid 19th century- and of otherTurkish-occupied towns in Greece is the main subject of this work.
The first part presents typical cases of expansions which occurred in Greece during the Ottoman rule. It describes the legal framework that encouraged them, the reasons which have imposed them, the forms they took in the city space and their effects on the city’s structure and life.
The second part is a separate report to the city of Kavala and is organized into three sections representing the respective periods. In the first subsection of each is analyzed the population size of each community and the whole’s city, the social structure of the city and the commercial activity of the residents as a key factor in development. The second subsection describes the architecture and urban form of the city as it is expressed through the organization of its space and its building stock.
The third and last part is a comparison of the two parts and the recording of the conclusions. What were the main reasons why those cities have expanded outside their walls, how this happened, on what factors depended the organization of the new urban space and what was effect is some of the questions that are attempted to be answered.