Komotini (Greek: Κομοτηνή, Turkish: Gümülcine, Bulgarian: Гюмюрджина), is a city in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace, northeastern Greece and its capital.

The presence of the Democritus University of Thrace makes Komotini the home of thousands of Greek and international students and this, combined with an eclectic mix of Western and Oriental elements in the city's daily life, have made it an increasingly attractive tourist destination.

It is also confirmed by an inscription on the ruins of the 4th-century Byzantine wall, that are visible at various sites in the city, which reads "Theodosiou Ktisma" = Building of Theodosius.

The Roman emperor Theodosius I built a small rectilinear fortress on the road at a junction with a route leading north across the Rhodope Mountains toward Philippopolis.

For most of its early existence the settlement was overshadowed by the larger town of Mosynopolis to the west, and by the end of the 12th century, the place had been completely abandoned.

The current settlement dates to 1207, when, following the destruction of Mosynopolis by the Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan, the remnant population fled and established themselves within the walls of the abandoned fortress.

John VI Kantakouzenos escaped to Komotini to survive from a battle with the army of the Bulgarian brigand Momchil near the already ruined Mosynopolis.

Many local Greek families fled at that time to Epirus and founded the Koumoutzades village (modern Ammotopos, Arta).

In the first two decades after its conquest, until 1383, the city was the seat of a frontier march (uç) under Evrenos, confronting the Serbian territories of Macedonia.

The walled city continued to be inhabited by locals, Gazi Evrenos also brought in Turkish settlers to the countryside around the town to stop any riots.

In the 1530 census, the 17 Turkish-named neighbourhoods (mahalle) are mentioned, as well as the existence of one Friday mosque, 16 masjids, 4 zawiyas, 4 schools, and a single church (in the walled city).

[5] In the 1600s, the town was graced by new buildings—a small Friday mosque, a double bath, a mekteb, a madrasah, and an imaret—by the defterdar Ekmekcizade Ahmed Pasha, who sponsored numerous such works throughout Thrace.

[5] When the traveller Evliya Çelebi visited the town in 1667/8, he found "4,000 prosperous, stone-built houses"—likely an exaggeration—in 16 mahalles, with 5 main mosques, 11 masjids, 2 imarets, 2 baths, 5 madrasahs (only one of which survives today), 7 mektebs, 17 caravanserais, and 400 shops.

[5] The town suffered greatly from repeated plague epidemics, which led to entire villages being abandoned, but recovered in the 19th century.

[5] During the Greek War of Independence Komotini's inhabitants contributed substantially with Ioannikios (later bishop), Aggelis Kirzalis and Captain Stavros Kobenos (members of the Filiki Eteria organisation).

In the aftermath of the Second Balkan War, it became briefly the capital of the short-lived Provisional Government of Western Thrace,[8] but the Treaty of Bucharest, however, handed the city back to Bulgaria.

[citation needed] At the heart of the city lie the evergreen Municipal Central Park and the 15 m-high WW2 Heroes' Memorial, locally known as 'The Sword'.

The Old commercial centre is very popular with tourists as it houses traditional shops and workshops that have long vanished from other Greek cities.

[citation needed] Komotini began life as a Byzantine Fortress built by the Emperor Theodosius in the 4th century AD.

The forest is divided by a paved road which leads to the ruins of yet another Byzantine fortress and the historical (WWII) fort of Nymfaia.

According to the 2011 census, the municipality's population amounts to 66,919, a number that does not include approximately 12,000 resident students, trainees and soldiers.

It has rail and bus links to all continental Greek cities as well as Istanbul, and the good provincial road network has been supplemented by the new A2 motorway, also known as the Egnatia Odos.

It is home to the Central Administration and several departments of the Democritus University of Thrace including the following: The Komotini campus has a dynamic population of approximately 5–10.000 students and a major part of social life evolves around it.

The founding of the University of Thrace in 1973 has had a significant positive influence on the entire urban area fuelling the city's expansion and growth.

The Police Academy is located 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Komotini on the road to Xanthi on extensive grounds and with modern facilities.

The Intercity Bus Company of Komotini connects it to many local villages, the coastal areas and major Greek cities.

The city is served by Hellenic Train, with services running regularly at least twice daily westwards to Thessaloniki and Athens and eastwards to Evros and occasionally Istanbul.