The old town of Xanthi is built at the bottom of the Rhodope Mountain, in a lower level of the remains of the walls of the Byzantine Xantheia. It occupies an area of approximately 77 acres. The old city is surrounded by two valleys (by the west) and the Kosynthos river (by the east). The modern city of Xanthi is located south of the traditional settlement. The east side of the river is occupied by the Samakov settlement, the creation of which dates to more recent times than the old city. The current form of the old town of Xanthi was shaped until 1912. After the Bulgarian occupation (1913-1919) and during the period between 1919-1940, the region had a limited building activity. The prosperity of the settlement dates to the years between 1870 and 1910. During that period and due to the growth of tobacco cultivation, the city was transformed into the commercial, administrative and military centre of the region. The old town of Xanthi is characterised by the diversity of architectural typ