Fort Roupel

About

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 Roupel 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 Roupel Gorge, through which the Strymon River flows. This place is strategically important for entry to Greek or Bulgarian territory and was fortified in 1914. During World War I, on 23 May 1916, the royal Greek government of Athens permitted the surrender of the fortress to the Germans and their Bulgarian allies as a counterbalance to the Allied forces that had been established in Thessaloniki.

The German-Bulgarian troops then proceeded to occupy most of eastern Macedonia without resistance. This act led to the outbreak of a revolt of Venizelist Army officers in Thessaloniki and the establishment of the Provisional Government of National Defence under Entente auspices there, opposed to the official government of Athens and King Constantine...