Volos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Volos (Βόλος) | |
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| Location | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Time zone: | EET/EEST (UTC+2/3) |
| Elevation (center): | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Government | |
| Country: | Greece |
| Periphery: | Thessaly |
| Prefecture: | Magnesia |
| Population statistics (as of 2001) | |
| Municipality | |
| - Population: | 82,439 |
| - Area: | 26.6 km² (10 sq.mi.) |
| - Density: | 3,099 /km² (8,027 /sq.mi.) |
| Codes | |
| Postal codes: | 38x xx |
| Area codes: | 24210 |
| License plate codes: | ΒΟ |
| Website | |
| http://www.volos-city.gr | |
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Volos (Greek: Βόλος) is a city situated at the center of the Greek mainland, about 326 km north from Athens and 215 km south from Thessaloniki. It is the capital of Magnesia prefecture.
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[edit] Overview
Built at the innermost point of the Pagasetic Gulf and at the foot of Mount Pilio or Pelion (the land of the Centaurs), it is the only outlet towards the sea from Thessaly, the country's largest agricultural region. Volos is one of the major commercial ports of Greece, but also gains much traffic because it is connected by ferries as well as by hydrofoils with the nearby Sporades Islands, which includes Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos.
Volos has a population of approximately 160,000 and includes the Municipalities of Volos, Nea Ionia and Iolkos, as well as smaller suburban communities. The economy of the city is based on manufacturing, trade, services and tourism.
Modern Volos is built on the area of the ancient cities of Demetrias, Pagasae and Iolkos. Demetrias was established by Demetrius Poliorcetes, King of Macedonia. Iolkos or Iolcos or Iolcus was the homeland of hero Jason who boarded the ship Argo accompanied by the Argonauts and sailed in the quest for the Golden Fleece to Colchis. To the west of Volos there are the Neolithic settlements of Dimini with a ruined acropolis, walls and two beehive tombs dated between 4000-1200 BC and Sesklo with the remains of the oldest acropolis in Greece (6000 BC), as well as the foundations of a palace and mansions among the most typical examples of Neolithic civilisation.
According to a Byzantine historian of the 14th century Volos was called "Golos". The most widely accepted theory for the derivation of the city's name is that Volos is a corruption of the Mycenaean Iolkos, which was distorted through the ages to "Golkos", then "Golos" and subsequently "Volos". Others claim that it originates from Folos, who according to mythology was a wealthy landlord of the region.
Volos is a relatively new city, that began growing in the mid 19th century where an insignificant Turkish hamlet used to be. After its annexation to Greece from the Ottoman Empire in 1881, it had a population of only 4,900 but rapidly grew within the next 4 decades. Merchants, businessmen, craftsmen and sailors moved to Volos from the surrounding area. In the 1920s there was a large influx of refugees in Volos, especially from Ionia, but also from Pontus, Cappadocia and Eastern Thrace. In the 1920 census, Volos had 30,046 inhabitants but according to the 1928 census, its population grew to 47,892. In detail: Volos had a total population of 41,706 and the refugees of the "Asia Minor Catastrophe" were 6,779 (percentage of refugees in Volos 16.25%). In the Nea Ionia district, the total population was 6,186 and the refugees were 5,166 (percentage of refugees in the district of New Ionia 83.51%). Thus the total number of refugees in the Municipality of Pagasses (Volos and Nea Ionia) was: 11,945 and the percentage of refugees in the Municipality of Pagasses (Volos and Nea Ionia) was: 24,94%.
The development of the city was closely connected with the establishment of the industrial estate, the upgrading of the port and the growth of tourism due to the geographical position of Volos near scenic Mt. Pelion (home of Chiron the Centaur) and the beautiful beaches of Magnesia prefecture, especially those of the Northern Sporades islands. The city has been linked with various social and other movements in the past, such as the early teaching of Dimotiki by A. Delmouzos in the early 20th century (when Katharevousa was the officially sanctioned version).
Volos has schools, lyceums, gymnasia, churches, banks, a post office, a beach and squares (plateia) including the Riga Fereou Square. The city is well known for its assortment of mezedes and a clear, alcoholic beverage called Tsipouro.
A street in the Russian sister city, Rostov-on-Don, bears a stupefying name Улица Греческого Города Волос (Street of the Greek Sity of Volos), weaving through a picturesque mix of early XX-century buildings with characteristic inner yards, tiered balconies and open iron stairs that give the old Rostov its characteristic Mediterranean-like look.
[edit] Persons
- Jason, ancient hero
- Peleus, ancient hero
- Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1978)
- Vangelis, Music composer, born 1943
- Phaidon Gizikis (June 13, 1917 - July 17, 1999 in Athens), Greek politician
- Paraskevi Tsiamita, 1st World Champion 1999, Seville Spain, Triple Jump
- Olga Vasdeki, 3rd World Champion 1999, Seville Spain, Triple Jump
[edit] Historical population
| Year | Population | Change | Metropolitan population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 71,378 | - | - |
| 1991 | 77,192 | +5,814/8.14% | about 100,000 |
| 2001 | 82,439 | +5,247/6.79% | 110,000 |
[edit] Sporting Teams
- Olympiakos Volou FC
- Niki Volou
[edit] Sites of interest
- Panthessaliko Stadium, Athens 2004 venue, located in Nea Ionia
- bridge over the canal
- Archaeological Museum
[edit] Railway
[edit] Newspapers
[edit] Sister Cities
[edit] External links
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- Mapping from Multimap or GlobalGuide or Google Maps
- Aerial image from TerraServer
- Wiki Satellite image from WikiMapia
- Infovolos:Volos city portal
- Volos and Magnesia Guide
- University of Thessaly
- Homepage of the Municipality of Volos
- Homepage of the Municipality of Nea Ionia
- Volos cultural guide
- Volos Municipal Police
- Drury University Center in Volos
- Volos candidacy bid for the Mediterranean Games of 2013
- Volos & Magnesia Hotels Guide
- Studios Apartments Accommodation in Agios Ioannis Pelion
| North: Iolkos | ||
| West: Nea Ionia | Volos | East: Agria |
| South: Pagasetic Gulf |
| Municipalities and communities of the Magnesia Prefecture |
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| Afetes • Agria • Aisonia • Almyros • Alonnisos • Argalasti • Artemida • Feres • Iolkos • Karla • Milies • Mouresi • Nea Anchialos • Nea Ionia • Portaria • Pteleos • Sipiada • Skiathos • Skopelos • Sourpi • Volos • Zagora |
| Anavra • Keramidi • Makrinitsa • Trikeri |
