Country Greece Capital Katerini Area codes 235x0 Area 1,516 km² Team Pierikos F.C. | Region Central Macedonia Postal codes 60x xx Car plates ΚΝ Population 126,698 (2011) | |
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Points of interest Archaeological Museum of Dion, Platamon Castle, Mount Olympus, AGENCY OPAP ELEFTHE, Monastery of St Dionysios Destinations Paralia - Pieria, Neoi Poroi, Leptokarya, Platamon, Dion | ||
Pieria (Greek: Πιερία) is one of the regional units of Greece located in the southern part of the Region of Central Macedonia, within the historical province of Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Katerini. Pieria is the smallest regional unit within Macedonia. The name Pieria originates from the ancient Pieres tribe. In Pieria, there are many sites of archeological interest, such as Dion, Pydna and Platamonas. Pieria is also home to Mt. Pierus where Hermes launches himself from to visit Calypso (Odyssey 5.50), home to Orpheus and the Muses, as well as the Pierian Spring. Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and throne of the ancient Greek gods, is located in the southern part of Pieria. Other ancient cities included Leibethra and Pimpleia.
Contents
- Map of Pieria Greece
- Geography
- Climate
- Administration
- Prefecture
- History
- Transport
- Persons
- Sporting teams
- References
Map of Pieria, Greece
Geography
The Pieria regional unit is bordered by Larissa (Thessaly) to the south and west, Kozani to the west and Imathia to the north. The Pierian Mountains lie to the west. The Thermaic Gulf lies to the east. It also has a valley by the GR-13. Most of the population live within the Olympian Riviera. The lowest point is the Thermian Gulf and the highest point is Mount Olympus.
It combines extensive plains, high mountains and sandy beaches. The region's beauty gives it a great potential for further tourist development.
Climate
Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean type with hot summers and cool winters. Severe winter weather is common in the central and western parts of Pieria, especially in the Pierian Mountains and on Mount Olympus.
On June 8, 2007, a low pressure weather system from Southern and Central Europe resulted in heavy rainfall that ravaged the prefecture and caused great damage in fruit and vegetable production. The worst hit area was Korinos.
Administration
The regional unit Pieria is subdivided into 3 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):
Prefecture
As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Pieria was created out of the former prefecture Pieria (Greek: Νομός Πιερίας). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
History
The region, known as Pieria or Pieris (Ancient Greek: Πιερία/Πιερίς) in Antiquity, took its name from the Pieres (Πίερες),a Thracian tribe that was expelled by the Macedonians in the 8th century BC from their original seats, and driven to the North beyond the Strymon river and Mount Pangaeus, where they formed a new settlement. The name Pieria has been connected to Homeric πῖαρ "fat", πίειραν ἄρουραν "fertile land" in a metaphorical sense.
At some time before the archaic period Pieria was incorporated in the Kingdom of Macedon (808 BC, see below) when it became the second province of the ancient kingdom, following its fate through the rule of the Antipatrid dynasty (302 BC - 277 BC) and the Antigonid dynasty (306 BC - 168 BC). It became part of the Roman Republic after the Fourth Macedonian War, and remained part of the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire.
It was later invaded and became a part of the Ottoman Empire. During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Pieria took up arms along with the rest of Greece, but their struggle failed and Pieria did not join the rest of Greece until the Balkan Wars in 1913. Until 1947, Pieria was part of the Thessaloniki Prefecture (at that time the largest Greek prefecture), as a province. Pieria saw an economic boom in agriculture and business. During the Greco-Turkish War, it saw an influx of refugees from Asia Minor, now a part of Turkey, and several places were named after their former homelands including Nea Trapezounta from Trebizond (now Trabzon) and Nea Efesos from Ephesus (now Efes). The village of Elafos in the municipal unit Elafina, formerly a community in the Imathia prefecture, was united with Pieria in 1974.
Transport
Persons
According to various sources, Alexis Zorba (1867–1942), the person who inspired the Greek novelist Nikos Kazantzakis to write the famous novel Zorba the Greek, was born in the village of Katafygi, near Kolindros. His original name was Georgios Zorbas.