Fort Roupel
Roupel Fort on the Metaxas Line, with a military museum and an underground gallery, is open to visitors daily, with free admission and guided tours.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Roupel is the largest complex of forts on the Metaxas Line along the Greek-Bulgarian border, with a total length of shelters of 1,849 metres and of galleries of 4,251 metres. It was built on the western spurs of Mount Tsingeli, beside the Strymon river, and together with the Paliouriones fort it secured the Roupel gap.
On 6 April 1941 its defenders resisted German forces for three days and surrendered after Thessaloniki had already been taken. The Germans found a message written in chalk on a wall: “At Thermopylae the 300 were killed, here the 80 will fall.”
Today the fort remains an active military unit and at the same time a visitable historic site. The fort museum has operated since 2005 in a space above the fort, at an altitude of 307 metres. The guided tour, given by military personnel, includes the hill “Profitis Ilias” with the war memorial and the observation post towards the Greek-Bulgarian border, the Military Museum and the central underground gallery, where the Command Station of the complex was housed.
Highlights
- Central underground gallery with the former Command Station
- Military Museum of the fort
- War memorial and observation post on the hill “Profitis Ilias”
- Largest fort of the Metaxas Line
- Free admission and guided tours by military personnel
Permanent exhibition
- Στρατιωτικό Μουσείο και υπόγεια στοά – The fort museum and the central underground gallery, where the Command Station was housed, present the history of the Metaxas Line and the battle of April 1941.
- Founded
- 2005
- Operated by
- 567 Τάγμα Πεζικού, 10η Ταξιαρχία Πεζικού
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
From the A25 motorway (Lagkadas–Serres–Promachonas axis), take exit 16 towards Roupel, about 115 km from Thessaloniki; a 4.5 km asphalt road leads to the fort. There is an organised car park for cars and buses in the arrival area.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
On site a snack bar and a souvenir shop are open daily, 09:00–13:00.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Photography and video recording are permitted only in the areas open to visitors; recording military personnel must be avoided. |
| Good to know | Organised guided tours are given daily by military personnel. Drivers of private cars and buses hand in their police identity card at the main gate, which is returned on departure. Access to areas not open to visitors, and to underground galleries that are not open to visitors, is prohibited. |
