Stathmos Mourion can be explored through three specific themes: the memorial at Mouries railway station, Pontian culture at the Folklore Museum of Ano Sourmenoi, and the hiking trail to the Waterfall of Beles. Culture and nature offer different points of focus. This lets you decide which to prioritize during your stay: the places of remembrance, the collection devoted to regional culture, or the trail and its surroundings.
The Memorial at Mouries Railway Station
The memorial at Mouries railway station has a simple, unadorned design. It consists of a white marble stele on a raised, masonry base with several steps. On the front, the stele bears a relief laurel wreath made of two branches. The simple form and the detailed relief create contrasting accents on the same monument. It commemorates about a thousand fighters from Crete who lost their lives in the Battle of Doiran. Those interested in commemorative culture will find both a specific motif and a clearly stated dedication here.
Pontian Culture at the Folklore Museum
The Folklore Museum of Ano Sourmenoi is located at Mouries Station. It was founded by the Association of Pontians of Ano Souremeni. The exhibits include traditional costumes, household items, tools, photographs and documents. They illustrate the everyday life and culture of the Pontians in the region. Objects from daily life are displayed alongside visual and written materials; together, they form the collection’s thematic framework. The museum complements the place of remembrance with a different perspective on Pontian history and tradition.
Hiking Trail to the Waterfall of Beles
A hiking trail to the Waterfall of Beles begins at Mouries railway station. The waterfall is in the destination’s surrounding area and is also known as Mouries Waterfall or Belas Waterfall. It drops about 18 meters. The trail to the waterfall is approximately 700 meters long and is paved with stone for most of its length. This provides both a named starting point and an approximate trail length to help with orientation. If you plan to take the trail, check current access and trail conditions before setting out.
More Nature Themes in the Wider Destination of Kilkis
The wider destination of Kilkis also has distinct nature themes. In the northeast of Lake Doirani, in the municipal unit of Mouries, lies the Forest of Mouries, also called Chilia Dendra or the Forest of a Thousand Trees. It is designated a natural monument and covers 590 stremmata. Lake Doirani is a wetland characterized by dense reeds and shoreline vegetation. Numerous resident and migratory birds use it as a habitat or stopover. Visitors can follow the lakeside path from the village of Doirani to the Forest of a Thousand Trees.
The Pikrolimni offers a different landscape: a shallow lake beside the village of the same name, which usually dries up in summer. Its clay bed contains sulfur compounds and nitrates, and is attributed with healing and cosmetic properties. Together with the wetland at Lake Doirani, Pikrolimni represents a different natural character within the wider destination of Kilkis. These features complement the local memorial, museum and hiking attractions with other regional highlights.
Discover more destinations: Goumenissa, Drosato, Polykastro, Axioupoli, Doïráni, Agios Markos, Kilkis, Eptálofos.
Back to the wider travel overview: Kilkis.
