From the mid-19th century, when the city of Kavala
developed into the most important tobacco export centre of Greece,
the urban landscape gradually transformed in order to better serve
the needs of the tobacco trade.
Warehouses, designed to host the processing and storage of
tobacco, were constructed for organizational and functional
reasons.
The first warehouses were built close to the sea in order to
facilitate the loading of tobacco in the harbor. Eventually, they
took over the seafront.
Later on, tobacco houses were also built in the internal part of
the city. Occasionally, they even occupied whole blocks,
dominating in the urban tissue with their massive presence. The
assortment, packaging and storage of tobacco took place in them
and therefore their spaces had to be large and unified.
The stone walls ensured coolness during the summer months and
enough warmth in the winter so as to avoid heating systems that
could affect the quality of tobacco.
The tobacco warehouses were solid constructions and this was
proved in time, since many of them are still standing in a very
good condition (although some have not undergone any preservation
work). The quality of the construction is mainly related to
anti-seismic protection.
The total number of tobacco warehouses located in Kavala is 161
buildings with a total of 262 compartments (parts of the warehouse
with independent roofs).
