Saint Barbara’s Springs, Park in Drama, Greece
Saint Barbara's Springs is a park in the center of Drama, a city in northern Greece, where natural springs feed a network of small lakes and streams running through tall trees. Wooden footbridges connect different parts of the park and allow visitors to walk close to the water.
The springs played a key role in the settlement of the area from early times, as water was essential for daily life and farming. The name of Drama is believed to come from the Greek word Hydrama, referring to the flow of water that has always run through the city.
Every year on December 4, children place small foam boats with lit candles on the water as part of the celebration of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of the city. The small lights drifting on the dark water draw families and visitors to gather around the spring.
The park is in the city center and easy to reach on foot from most parts of Drama. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, as the wooden footbridges near the water can be slippery at times.
A traveler from the Ottoman Empire wrote in the 17th century that the springs and small lakes there surpassed many others he had seen across Asia and Europe. Beneath the water, the foundations of the old church of Saint Barbara are said to be still visible, as local legend holds that the springs flooded and saved the building when it was threatened with demolition.
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