in a ruinous state sustaining severe damage from various incursions as well as those provoked by the Russians who occupied the city in the course of the two Russo-Turkish wars in 1828–29 and 1877–78. On the evening 10 August 2020 firefighters where called to deal with a large blaze that had broken out within the castle. At around 20:30 Local residents reported smoke and flames emanating from the fortress complex. Over 20 firefighters with 17 vehicles where at the scene to extinguish the fire, that had engulfed an area of 8 acres It was reported that both the Cathedral of Saint Athanasios and Armenian Church had been in real danger of being lost. However only dry vegetation was burned, in part thanks to the good coordination and quick response from firefighters and local volunteers, something Mayor Romylos Hatzigiannoglou, emphasized in his message to those involved. The cause of the fire has not been precisely determined and is being investigated by the fire service. Description The castle is preserved at its longest length, its Byzantine walls are long and reach a height of 12 meters, with 24 towers in total, some of which bear monograms of Byzantine personalities or decorative and symbolic patterns. The two central gates of the fortress, known as the Kale Gates, are flanked by five-sided towers dating to the Justinian refurbishment. The West gate facing Erythropotamos river remains intact and contains a smaller gate next to a tower with pointed arches and a court added in the early Ottoman times. Inside the castle there are scattered carved caves which were used as parts of houses. There are a number of Post-Byzantine building within the walls, notably the church of Aghia Aikaterini comprising tombs, the cathedral of Aghios Athanasios (1834), and the church of the Christ (1846). Current state Today, 24 towers and post-Byzantine buildings are preserved within the Castle. See also Battle of Demotika Gallery References Bibliography , chapter 40 External links Buildings and structures in Evros (regional unit) Buildings of Justinian I Byzantine fortifications in Greece Didymoteicho