Korylovos is a mountain, that has an altitude of about 500 meters, and is the southern end of Mount Falakro. It is located in the prefecture of Drama and the city of Drama was built on its foothills. The city and the flatland can be seen from the top of the mountain, while on its peak are the remains of the Byzantine church of Panagia Koriliotissa, which was built around 1050.
The Forestry Department of Drama has transformed the once barren and bare Korylovo into an important peri-urban forest, by planting thousands of coniferous trees, mainly pine, cypresses and firs. The forest, which is a recreation area and a place for daily walks for the residents of Drama, is filled with pathways and has playgrounds, wooden benches and picnic tables. At the entrance to the Korylovo forest, a monument has been erected for the tens of thousands of victims of the German-Bulgarian occupation in the period 1941-1944. At the top of the mountain, in addition to a hiking trail, is also a paved road that’s 4 kilometers long. Near the top of Korylovo are some sports facilities, a stone open-air theater for summer cultural events, and a cafeteria. A large marble quarry used to operate on the south-eastern slope of Korylovo. It was an activity that has irreparably altered the image of the mountain.
Just before the top of the mountain and towards the right end of the paved road is a huge concrete cross, built to honor the victims of the German-Bulgarian occupation. The cross is also visible from Drama. Its inauguration took place on September 14 1997, on the International Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the 75th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe. The installation of the Cross was done as a donation by Nikolaos Latsistalis, as a tribute to the memory of his father and all the refugees of the Asia Minor disaster. Next to the cross, he also built a small church, where he commemorates the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The church go its name by the Virgin Mary of Icosifinissa, as well as many Saints, following the wishes of the hikers of Korylovos.
The Cross is made of concrete and iron and weighs 100 tons. Its height is 12 meters and has a depth of 3 meters from the base. The total size of the momument is 15 meters. The construction started on 05/04/1997 and was finally completed on 08/14/1997, which was the eve of the Dormition of the Virgin and was lit for the first time. 3 cranes were needed for its installation, and one of them was seriously damaged during the lifting of the cross.
In 2016, after the donation by the Holy Metropolis of Drama, a Greek flag, 150 square meters in size, was placed near the cross and is visible from several kilometers.
Congratulation!