The Fortress of Rupel
The Fortress of Rupel

The legendary Fort Rupel in the Serres area was the complex which was the defensive protection of an entire area for the prohibition of passage along the Kresna - Rupel axis. The fortress is essentially a large complex which extends over a front of 2,500 metres. Built at 1,339 metres, it included 123 active parapets during its operation, had 4,251 metres of communication galleries and large underground spaces.
In total, it covered an area of about 6,000 metres and was a well-established fortress for the garrison as well as for the storage of material. Its history dates back to the First World War when it was occupied by German-Bulgarian forces. Later, and in particular in the 1930s, the issue of fortification was taken more seriously.
The total garrison at Fort Rupel reached 1,397 men while there were only eight guns in well-hidden positions around it. This was a small force compared to the German armoured forces. Their equipment was far superior not only numerically but also technologically to that of the Greeks.

Fort Rupel is today a monument and a sight of the bravery and valour of the Greeks who stayed there until the end to ensure the freedom of all Greeks.