The church of Hagios Athanasios formed the nucleus for the development of the community following the departure of the Ottomans in 1829. Initially there were fewer than 200 residents, soon though the population increased with an influx of immigrants from Epirus, a region that was still under Ottoman rule. The new residents created the necessary conditions for rapid urban growth. The city received a new urban plan, new roads, bridges and a central square. There were even some luxurious coffee houses with Italian and German singers. In 1884, Demetrios Vikelas (the future president of the International Olympic Committee) described Karvasaras as the gateway to a higher civilization.