Larisa

Information about Larisa

This article is about a city in Greece. For other meanings see Larissa (disambiguation).
Larissa  (Λάρισa)
Location
Enlarge picture
Larissa (Greece)

CoordinatesCoordinates:
Time zone:EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (center):67 m (0 ft)
Government
Country:Greece
Periphery:Thessaly
Prefecture:Larissa
Population statistics (as of 2001)
City Proper
 - Population:0
 - Area:[1]122.586 km (0 sq.mi.)
 - Density:0 /km (0 /sq.mi.)
Codes
Postal codes:41x xx
Area codes:2410
License plate codes:Ρ?
Website
www.larissa-dimos.gr


Larissa (Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is the capital city of the Thessaly periphery of Greece, and capital of the Larissa Prefecture. It is a main agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by rail with the port of Volos and with Thessaloniki and Athens. The population of the greater area is around 250,000, and takes in the Municipalities of Nikaia, Giannouli and other smaller suburban communities. According to archaeological evidence, the capital of Thessaly, Larissa, lies atop a site that has been inhabited since the tenth millennium before Christ. A major commercial and industrial center, Larissa sits in the middle of the plain of Thessaly, a few kilometers off the Athens-Thessaloniki National Road. Tradition has it that Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, died here.

Geography

There are a number of highways E75 and the main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki (Salonika) crosses Thessaly. The region is directly linked to the rest of Europe through International Airport of Central Greece located in Nea Anchialos in a small distance from Larisa.

The Larissa Chasma on Dione, an important location in Roman History when Greece was part of the Roman Empire during ancient times was named after Larissa.

History

Antiquity

Traces of Paleolithic human settlement have been recovered from the area, but it was peripheral to areas of advanced culture. The area around Larissa was extremely fruitful - it was agriculturally important and in antiquity was known for its horses. The city finally moved closer to the rest of Greece.

The name Larissa, which pre-dates Indo-European languages, was common to many Pelasgian towns and comes from the Greek nymph Larissa, or from the ancient Greek word larissa, which means "stronghold" in English. Larissa is also thought to be where the famous Greek physician, Hippocrates, and the famous philosopher Gorgias of Leontini died.

When Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage in the late fifth century B.C., it chose local types for its coins. The obverse depicted the local fountain nymph Larissa, for whom the town was named, probably inspired by the famous coins of Kimon depicting the Syracusan nymph Arethusa. The reverse depicted a horse in various poses. The horse was an appropriate symbol of Thessaly, a land of plains, which was well-known for its horses. Usualy there's a male figure; he should perhaps be seen as the eponymous hero of the Thessalians, Thessalos, who is probably also to be identified on many of the earlier, federal coins of Thessaly.

Hellenistic and Roman Era

Larissa, sometimes written Larisa on ancient coins and inscriptions, is near the site of the Homeric Argissa. It appears in early times, when Thessaly was mainly governed by a few aristocratic families, as an important city under the rule of the Aleuadae, whose authority extended over the whole district of Pelasgiotis. This powerful family possessed for many generations before 369 BC the privilege of furnishing the Tagus, or generalissimo, of the combined Thessalian forces. The principal-rivals of the Aleuadae were the Scopadac of Crannon, the remains of which (called by the Turks Old Larissa) are about 14 miles south west. The inhabitants sided with Athens during the Peloponnesian War. The chief city of ancient Thessaly, Larissa, was annexed in the 4th. Century B.C., by Philip II of Macedon and in 196 B.C. became an ally of Rome. Since the 5th century it has been the seat of an archbishop.

Modern Greece Era

It was taken from the Byzantine Empire by Bulgaria and later was held by Serbia, with which it passed in the 15th. Century under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. Larissa was the headquarters of Ali Pasha during the Greek War of Independence, and of the crown prince Constantine during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897. The flight of the Greek army from this place to Pharsala took place on the April 23 1897. Until 1881 it was the seat of a pasha in the wilaya of Iannina. In Turkish, it was known as Yenişehr-i Fenar (New Town in Greece). Its long subjection to Ottoman rule has left little trace of antiquity. It was formerly a Turkish military centre and most of its people were of Turkish origin. In the 19th century, there was a small village in the outskirts of town inhabited by Africans from the Sudan, a curious remnant of the forces collected by Ali Pasha. In the 19th century, the town produced leather, cotton, silk and tobacco. Fevers and agues were prevalent owing to bad drainage and the overflowing of the river; and the death-rate was higher than the birth rate. It was also renowned for the minarets of its mosques (four of which were still in use in the early part of the 20th century) and the Muslim burial grounds. A considerable portion of the Turkish population emigrated in 1881. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Turkish troops entered the city once again in April 25. After a treaty for peace was signed, they withdrew and Larissa remained permanently in Greece. This was followed by a further exodus of Turks in 1898.

Historical population

Enlarge picture
Larissa from space, November 2004
  • 1889: 13,610 (city)
  • 1907: 18,001 (city)
  • 1907: 95,066 (prefecture)
  • 1991: 113,781 (city)
  • 1991: 277,973 (prefecture)
  • 2001: 126,076 (city)
  • 2001: 279,305 (prefecture)

Tourism

  • Arceological & Byzantine Museum of Larissa
  • Municipal Picture Gallery - I.Katsigras Museum
  • Thessalian Museum of Larissa
  • Mylos Theatre Cultural Complex
  • Municipal Modern Art Gallery of Larissa
  • Historical & Folklore Museum of Thessaly
  • Larissa's Folklore Society
  • A' Ancient Theatre
  • B' Ancient Theatre (Odeon)
  • Ancient City of Larissa
  • Larissa's Castle (Frourion)
  • Alkazar Municipal Park
  • Hippocrates Monument
  • Saint Achellios Cathedral
  • Municipal Sentient Park
  • Pinios River Park
  • Municipal Observatory
  • OSE Railways Park
  • Diachronic Historical Palace (Mosque)
  • Museum-Historical Railways of Tempi & Platamon

Squares

  • Sapka Central Square
  • Makariou Square (Tachydromiou Square)
  • Neapolis Square
  • Trigonal Square
  • People's Square (Blana Square)
  • 1st May Square
  • Saint Helias Square
  • Jew Square
  • SS Peter & Paul Square
  • Averof Square
  • Saint Vessarion Square
  • Karaiskaki Square
  • OSE Square
  • Vembo Square
  • Makryjanni Square
  • Livadaki Square

Districts (Quarters)

The Municipality of Larissa is divided in 2 Municipal Districts (Larissa & Terpsithea). The Municipal District of Larissa is subdivided into 4 city-districts (29 quartes) & 2 suburban districts (Amphithea & Koulourion). The Municipal District of Terpsithea is subdivided into 2 suburban districts (Terpsithea & Argyssa).
  • 1.Saint Achellios
  • 2.Saint Nikolaos
  • 3.Saint Athanasios
  • 4.Alkazar
  • 5.Hippocrates
  • 6.Papastavrou
  • 7.Ambelokipoi
  • 8.Saints Saranta
  • 9.Lachanokipoi
  • 10.Nea Smyrne-Kamynia
  • 11.Kalyvia-Saint Marina
  • 12.Charavgi
  • 13.Toumba
  • 14.Pyrovolika-Pharos
  • 15.Averof-Sekfo
  • 16.Nea Politia
  • 17.OKE
  • 18.Saint Georgios
  • 19.Pinioupolis
  • 20.Philippoupolis
  • 21.Livadaki
  • 22.Epirotika-Mezourlo
  • 23.Neapolis
  • 24.Saint Konstantinos
  • 25.Stathmos
  • 26.Anthoupolis
  • 27.Saint Thomas
  • 28.Saint Paraskevi
  • 29.Neraida

Tranports

  • Larissa's Urban Bus System
  • Larissa's Interurban System
  • Central Railstation
  • Mezourlo Railstation
  • Larissa Airport

Institutes

  • University of Thessaly
  • Technological Institutes of Larissa
  • Agricultural Institute of Larissa
  • Agrarian Research Institute of Larissa

Sports

  • Alkazar Sport Complex
  • Alkazar National Stadium
  • Municipal Swimming Pool
  • Equestrian Club of Larissa
  • Neapolis Palais de Sports
  • Larissa's Nautical Club
  • Alkazar Golf Center

Sporting teams

Famous People

Sister cities

See also

Maps



External links

 •  • [ e]
Municipalities and Communities of the Larissa Prefecture
MunicipalitiesAgia • Ampelonas • Antichasia • Armenio • Elassona • Enippeas • Evrymenes • Farsala • Giannouli • Gonnoi • Kato Olympos • Kileler • Koilada • Krannonas • Lakereia • Larissa • Livadi • Makrychori • Melivoia • Narthaki • Nessonas • Nikaia • Olympos • Platykampos • Polydamantas • Potamia • Sarantaporo • Tyrnavos
CommunitiesAmpelakia • Karya • Verdikousa
 •  • [ e]
  Prefectural Capitals of Greece
Agios Nikolaos • Alexandroupoli • Amfissa • Argostoli • Arta • Athens • Chalcis • Chania • Chios • Corfu • Corinth • Drama • Edessa • Eleusina • Ermoupoli • Florina • Grevena • Heraklion • Igoumenitsa • Ioannina • Kalamata • Karditsa • Karpenisi • Kastoria • Katerini • Kavala • Kilkis • Komotini • Kozani • Lamia • Larissa • Lefkada • Livadeia • Messolonghi • Mytilene • Nafplion • Pallini • Patras • Piraeus • Polygyros • Preveza • Pyrgos • Rethymno • Rhodes • Serres • Sparta • Thessaloniki • Trikala • Tripoli • Vathy • Veria • Volos • Xanthi • Zakynthos
 •  • [ e]
  Capitals of Peripheries of Greece
• Athens - Attica • Corfu - Ionian Islands •Heraklion - Crete • Ioannina - Epirus • Komotini - East Macedonia and Thrace • Kozani - West Macedonia • Lamia - Central Greece • Larissa - Thessaly • Mytilene - North Aegean • Patras - West Greece • Ermoupoli - South Aegean • Thessaloniki - Central Macedonia • Tripoli - Peloponese




References

1. ^ Basic Characteristics. Ministry of the Interior. www.ypes.gr. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.
Larissa can refer to:
  • Larissa, a city in Greece;
  • Larissa Prefecture, an administrative division of Greece, centered on the city Larissa
  • AEL 1964, a football club from Larissa
  • Larissa (mythology), a nymph from Greek mythology

..... Click the link for more information.
geographic coordinate system enables every location on the earth to be specified by the three coordinates of a spherical coordinate system aligned with the spin axis of the Earth.
..... Click the link for more information.
geographic coordinate system enables every location on the earth to be specified by the three coordinates of a spherical coordinate system aligned with the spin axis of the Earth.
..... Click the link for more information.
time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. Most adjacent time zones are exactly one hour apart, and by convention compute their local time as an offset from UTC (see also Greenwich Mean Time).
..... Click the link for more information.
Eastern European Time (EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used in some European, North African, and Middle Eastern countries.
..... Click the link for more information.
Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used as a summer daylight saving time in some European, North African, and Middle Eastern countries.
..... Click the link for more information.
UTC+2 corresponds to the following time zones:
  • Eastern European Time
  • Egypt Standard Time
  • Central Africa Time
  • Israel Standard Time
  • South Africa Standard Time
  • Central European Summer Time
  • West Africa Summer Time

..... Click the link for more information.
UTC+3 is used in the following locations:
  • Moscow Time
  • Eastern European Summer Time
  • East Africa Time

No DST

  • Bahrain
  • Comoros
  • Djibouti
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Madagascar
  • Mayotte
  • Qatar

..... Click the link for more information.
elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, often the mean sea level. Elevation, or geometric height, is mainly used when referring to points on the Earth's surface, while altitude or geopotential height
..... Click the link for more information.
country, state, and nation can have various meanings. Therefore, diverse lists of these entities are possible. Wikipedia offers the following lists:

..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
Ελευθερία ή θάνατος
Eleftheria i thanatos  
..... Click the link for more information.
Greece

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Greece


  • Constitution
  • Parliament
  • Presidium

..... Click the link for more information.
Thessalia redirects here. For the butterfly genus, see Thessalia (butterfly).


Thessaly (in Greek, Θεσσαλία — Thessalía
..... Click the link for more information.
Greece

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Greece


  • Constitution
  • Parliament
  • Presidium

..... Click the link for more information.
Larissa (Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is a prefecture of Greece, in the periphery of Thessaly. Its capital is the city of Larissa. The prefecture was created in 1881 after the war when most of Thessaly became a part of Greece and the entire region
..... Click the link for more information.
This is an alphabetical list of municipalities and communities in Greece. For an ordered list of cities with population over 30,000 see List of cities in Greece.

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T V X Y Z See also

A


..... Click the link for more information.
population is the collection of people or organisms of a particular species living in a given geographic area or mortality, and migration, though the field encompasses many dimensions of population change including the family (marriage and divorce), public health, work and the
..... Click the link for more information.
Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. The term Surface area is the summation of the areas of the exposed sides of an object.

Units

Units for measuring surface area include:
square metre = SI derived unit

..... Click the link for more information.
KM, Km, or km may stand for:
  • Kappa Mikey, a animated series broadcasted on Nicktoons Network.
  • Kilometre (km)
  • Kernel methods
  • Kettle Moraine High School
  • Khmer language (ISO 639 alpha-2, km)
  • Kuomintang (KMT

..... Click the link for more information.
square mile is an imperial and US unit of area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. It should not be confused with the archaic miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared.
..... Click the link for more information.
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, humans in particular.

Biological population densities


..... Click the link for more information.
Greek}}} 
Writing system: Greek alphabet 
Official status
Official language of:  Greece
 Cyprus
 European Union
recognised as minority language in parts of:
 European Union
 Italy
 Turkey
Regulated by:
..... Click the link for more information.
Thessalia redirects here. For the butterfly genus, see Thessalia (butterfly).


Thessaly (in Greek, Θεσσαλία — Thessalía
..... Click the link for more information.
Greece

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Greece


  • Constitution
  • Parliament
  • Presidium

..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
Ελευθερία ή θάνατος
Eleftheria i thanatos  
..... Click the link for more information.
Larissa (Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is a prefecture of Greece, in the periphery of Thessaly. Its capital is the city of Larissa. The prefecture was created in 1881 after the war when most of Thessaly became a part of Greece and the entire region
..... Click the link for more information.
Location

Coordinates Coordinates:
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max): 0 - 5 m (0 - 0 ft)
Government
Country:
..... Click the link for more information.
Location

Coordinates Coordinates:
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max): 0 - 20 m (0 - 0 ft)
Government
Country:
..... Click the link for more information.
Location

Coordinates Coordinates:
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max): 70 - 338 m (0 - 0 ft)
Government
Country:
..... Click the link for more information.
Thessalia redirects here. For the butterfly genus, see Thessalia (butterfly).


Thessaly (in Greek, Θεσσαλία — Thessalía
..... Click the link for more information.

This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.