Afidnes (Greek: Αφίδνες, Ancient Greek: Ἄφιδνα or Ἀφίδναι, from the Middle Ages until 1919: Κιούρκα - Kiourka[2]) is a small town in East Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Oropos, of which it is a municipal unit.[3] The municipal unit has an area of 34.638 km2.[4] It is situated in the eastern foothills of the Parnitha mountains, 3 km southwest of Polydendri, 5 km southeast of Malakasa and 27 km north of Athens city centre. Afidnes has a station on the railway from Athens to Thessaloniki. The A1 motorway (Athens - Lamia - Thessaloniki) passes east of the town. It is part of Athens metropolitan area.
Afidnes
Αφίδνες | |
|---|---|
  Afidnes Location within the regional unit  | |
| Coordinates: 38°12′N 23°50′E / 38.200°N 23.833°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Attica |
| Regional unit | East Attica |
| Municipality | Oropos |
| Area | |
| • Municipal unit | 34.638 km2 (13.374 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 361 m (1,184 ft) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 3,739 |
| • Municipal unit density | 110/km2 (280/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 190 14 |
| Area code(s) | 22920 |
| Vehicle registration | Z |
Ancient Aphidna was one of the twelve ancient towns of Attica. In Greek mythology, Aphidna was the place where Theseus left Helen after he had abducted her.[5] The archaeological site of Aphidnae is small. It was excavated in the 19th century. 13 Middle Helladic tumuli have been found.
Settlements
editThe municipal unit Afidnes consists of the following settlements:
- Afidnes (2021 census pop. 2,422)
- Agía Triada (995)
- Drosopigi (164)
- Kosmothea (158)
Historical population
edit
Markopoulou has historically been an Arvanite settlement.[6]
| Year | Village population | Community population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | - | 1,301 |
| 1991 | 1,079 | 1,504 |
| 2001 | 1,736 | 2,543 |
| 2011 | 1,908 | 3,642 |
| 2021 | 2,422 | 3,739 |
Places of interest
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- Beletsi Lake, a small lake on the east slopes of Parnitha, near Afidnes. It is important place for migratory birds.[7]
- Monastery of Holy Angels, modern monastery near Afidnes
Persons
edit- Callistratus of Aphidnae, an ancient Archon of Athens.
- Callimachus, the Athenian Polemarch at the Battle of Marathon.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ Name changes of settlements in Greece
- ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- ^ Smith, William, ed. (1854). "Aphidna". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. Vol. 1. London: John Murray. p. 157.
- ^ Hans-Jürgen Sasse (1991). Arvanitika: die albanischen Sprachreste in Griechenland. Vol. 1. p. 18. ISBN 9783447027588.
- ^ "Beletsi, the beautiful accidental lake of Mt. Parnitha". protothema.gr. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ Herodotus Book 6: Erato, 109 "the polemarch was Callimachos of the deme of Aphidnai"