Fort Roupel

External view

Fort Roupel (Greek: Οχυρό Ρούπελ) is a fortress at the north border of Central Macedonia, Greece, built in 1914. It became part of the fortifications of the Metaxas Line in the 1930s and became famous for its defence during the German invasion of Greece in April 1941.

The Rupel fortifications are not far from the Serres-Promachonas national road, which leads to the Greek-Bulgarian border. They are just a short distance from the border in the narrow Rupel Gorge, through which the Strymon River flows. This place is of strategic importance for entry to Greek or Bulgarian territory and was fortified in 1914.

The fort became famous during World War II, when the advance of the German and Bulgarian armies was stopped in front of this fort. On the eve of World War II, Fort Roupel was incorporated into the Metaxas Line, a new line of defence that was built to repel an invasion into Greece from Bulgaria. For three days the fort held out against German attack and was only abandoned by its men after the surrender of the Greek army in Thessaloniki.

Today one of the fortification's galleries is open to visitors, as is a small museum and the pavilion the visitors, the observatory and memorial of fallen soldiers. In the gallery, the visitor has the opportunity to feel the moments of the battle. Walking the wards and in the side aisles there are dioramas that depict the Greek fighters battle forts (gunner, doctor to doctor's caring for injured, the sergeant in his office and the office of captain and more

 







Model of a sergeant









Entrance of visitable tunnel









Map of the battle for the fort in April 1941

Sources

• The original version of this article was taken from the corresponding article at the Museum of Roupel.

Coordinates: 41°20′46″N 23°22′16″E / 41.346°N 23.371°E / 41.346; 23.371