Ex Military Camp Kodra
Filled with history and narratives

• Here in Karabournaki, the southest point of the coast of Kalamaria, Salonica the municipality organises “Para thin alos”, a versatile celebration with a thirty-year-old history, where people and art come together, interact and evolve.
• The ex military Kodra camp is a green oasis for Kalamaria, Salonica and a rare environment for the Greek artistic activity that connects freely, openly, and in a non-conformist way our society with nature and culture.
• One of the biggest military camps in the Balkans was operating in these premises and its current buildings are dated back to the early 19th century.
• Since 1912, alliance troops moved into the 420 acres of the camp.
• The central square, the parkland, the old headquarters, the dorms, the newer tolls and the entertainment centre were delimited during World War I. The military sheds that were formed at the time hosted refugees in 1915.
• In 1919, the Greek army came in with the Treaty of Versailles.
• In 1928, the refugees were rehabilitated and the camp area was limited.
• In 1994, the last military units left and specified excavations leaded by professor Michalis Tiverios of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki begun. Based on recorded testimonies and archaeological findings, the area must have been a part of the most important settlement of Thermaic, Alias Thermis, before the founding of Thessaloniki. Excavations continue.
• In 1999 all events of the most important cultural celebration of the Municipality of Kalamaria, “Para thin alos” were moved here as from 1983 their original venue was the coast of Aretsou.
• “Action Field Kodra”. The most important non-museum exhibition of contemporary art in Northern Greece started in 2001 as the first meeting of young visual artists.
• From then on, the ex military camp Kodra transforms itself in an art park and transforms its visitors in communicants of an open creative experience.
• Kodra as a venue for “Para thin alos” and a place of reference for Kalamaria, Salonica becomes a meeting point for all friends of contemporary art and a Autumn starting point for the events and cultural festivals of the city.