he region of Evros, due to its adjacency with Constatinople, plays a cardinal role during the Byzantine period. At 1151-2, emperor Isaac Comnenus founds the monastery of Panagia Kosmosotira at Feres while during the civil war of 1347-7, John the VI Katakouzinos is crowned emperor to Didymotiho. he Ottomans conquered Thraka at the end of the 14th century and put their own mark on the political and cultural physiognomy of the region. Despite the Turkish conquest, the economy of the Greeks still flourishes with the activities of the guilds, a fact that is obvious by the existence of traditional urban centers like Metaksades, Soufli, Didymotiho.