At a distance of 1 km south of Makrygialos, in the place of Louloudies Kitrou, where according to historians E. Heuzeu and N. Hammond the battle of Pydna took place in 168 BC, the consequence of which was the submission of Macedonia to the Romans, are preserved east of the new railway line Katerinis - Thessaloniki the ruins of a fortified episcopal complex of the 5th-6th c. AD
The Byzantine city of Pydna, which in the 6th-7th century AD was renamed Kitros, was until the 14th century AD the most important city of medieval Pieria.
Ruins of the castle have been excavated in the area, with its interesting fortress architecture and the mid-Byzantine episcopal church.
Impressive is the quadrilateral tower, measuring 80X90m., which was founded on the site of a station on the ancient Thessaloniki-Dion road. The original design of the complex included the fortified enclosure with four towers, within which were built a three-aisled basilica, an episcopal palace and arcades with pesses around the perimeter.
The complex was probably founded in 479 as the seat of the diocese of Pydni. The episcopal palace was built on the ruins of a bath of the 2nd century AD, the mosaic floors of which can be seen under its floors, while to the east of the palace the mosaic floors of a mansion from the time of Constantine are preserved, the foundation of which is probably connected with the installation in this position of a senior civil servant, charged with the collection of taxes.
The four-tower retained its original design until the time of Justinian, when it lost its fortress character and was enlarged by the construction of warehouses, a wine workshop and an olive press. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the middle of the 6th century, so the basilica was rebuilt limited to the central aisle and turned into a cemetery.
The complex must have been permanently abandoned during the Bulgarian raids at the end of the 9th century AD.
Parts of two early Christian basilicas of the 4th and 6th centuries AD were found inside the castle, the latter of which was set on fire during the sacking of the fortress by the Bulgarians, which is placed between the years 913-924 AD. In the location at the end of the 10th century AD, a magnificent basilica of transitional type with a dome and parapet, measuring 23.20X16.60m, was founded, which was decorated with mosaics, frescoes and remarkable sculptures and was the episcopal church of Kitros.
Kitros, which was the seat of a katepaniki (subdivision of administrative divisions of the Byzantine Empire) belonging to the subject (administrative division) of Berea, emerged in the 11th and 12th centuries AD as a pottery production center and an active commercial port, as shown by the excavation of a workshop pottery with oven and inn with bath of the 12th century AD in the area of the port. Its heyday was interrupted by the arrival of the Franks in 1204, who, according to excavation evidence, must have captured the castle after a siege and then set fire to the entire settlement.
Kitros was abandoned due to pirate raids at the end of the 15th century AD, when its inhabitants moved to the current settlement of Kitros.
Today, the visitor can admire the fortification with three of its towers, the basilica, the episcopal palace, the mosaic floors of the 4th century AD mansion, the tombs, the wells, the ceramic kiln and the glass furnaces .
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou