The residents of Serres are proud of their region's natural beauty and rich history, and that not without reason. The city of Serres, which was built on one of the major crossroads in Europe, became a "passage" for many peoples and cultures throughout history. It managed to survive as an amalgam of East and West. The first mention of the city dates back to the 5th century BC and one century later Serres had become one of the greatest cities of the Byzantine Empire. Since then, Serres came under the power of the Frank Crusaders, the Bulgarians, the Serbs and the Turks, until it was liberated in 1913. Thanks to its central geographical position, Serres was a major trade and cultural centre, where education and the written word flourished. The landscape of the region is a combination of stunning images: magical lakes, endless rivers, rare aquatic birds and animals, snow covered mountain peaks, dense forests, caves, steep gorges and thermal springs.