Serres

Infobox Greek Dimos
name = Serres
name_local = Σέρρες


periph = Central Macedonia
prefec = Serres
population = 56145
population_as_of = 2001
area = 252.973
elevation = 50
lat_deg = 41
lat_min = 5
lon_deg = 23
lon_min = 33
postal_code = 621 xx
area_code = 23210
licence = ΕΡ
mayor = Ioannis Blahos
website = [http://www.serres.gr www.serres.gr]

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caption_skyline = view of the modern city of Serres from the Acropolis
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Sérres or Sérrhae (Greek: Σέρρες, older form: Σέρραι), is a city in Macedonia, Greece. It is situated in a fertile plain at an elevation of about 70 m, some 24 km northeast of the Strymon river and 69 km north-east of the Macedonian capital, Thessaloniki. The Rhodope Mountains rise to the north and east of the city. The city is the capital of the homonymous prefecture of Serres and is situated in the Central Macedonia periphery. Its population was 56,145 in 2001.

History

Known to the Romans as "Serrae" or "Serrhae", Serres became the site of a major fortress built by the Byzantine Empire to guard the empire's northern frontier and the strategic Rupel Pass into Bulgaria. It was seized by the Bulgarians in the 10th century. In 1196 in the battle of Serres the Byzantines were defeated by the Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Asen I. Nine years later in 1205 the Bulgarian Emperor Kaloyan defeated here an army of the Latin Empire and incorporated the town in the Bulgarian Empire. In 1256 it was captured by the Nicaean Empire. Serres fell to Serbia in the 1345 and became a capital of Stefan Dušan, the Serbian King. Dušan was so satisfied with the hard siege of the third Byzantine city that he crowned himself Emperor of Serbs and Greeks. After his death the Empire fell apart into feudal anarchy and the Empress Consort Helena continued to govern Serres area from 1356, but already in 1365 she was ousted by Despot Jovan Uglješa Mrnjavčević, who forged a tiny but powerful mini-state in Serres. After the 1371 Battle of Maritsa, the Byzantines returned Serres to their control. However already in 1383 the Ottomans conquered it. In the early 20th century, the city became a focus of anti-Ottoman unrest, which resulted in the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising of 1903. A Bulgarian army captured Serres in the First Balkan War of 1913, but was forced to withdraw by Greek forces in the Second Balkan War. The city had to be completely rebuilt after being burned to the ground by the retreating Bulgarians. It was reoccupied by Bulgaria in both the First World War and Second World War and suffered further severe damage. Since the war, Serres has benefited from government-led programmes to develop its economy with foreign capital.

Economy

Serres is the capital of a primarily agricultural district and is an important trade centre for tobacco, grain, and livestock. Following the development of a government-sponsored manufacturing area in the late 20th century, it has also become a centre for the production of textiles and other manufactured items.

Landmarks

The city has forests, parks, non-gridded roads and squares. Serres stretches from the ruins of the castle up to the forested hills of Koula. On the road to Koula hills on Exochon (Exochi) Street, two parks, one is the Agioi Anargyroi Park founded near the downtown area. Night clubs and cafeterias are popular attractions, especially in the summertime.

*Public Regional Theatre ("Δημοτικό Περιφερειακό Θέατρο"/"Dimotiko Perifereiako Theatro")

Cuisine

In Serres, gyros and souvlaki are standard forms of Greek cuisine served in many restaurants and taverns. One delicacy that is truly unique to the region is "akanes", which is a type of gourmet candy delight prepared according to a secret recipe since the beginning of the 20th century by the Roumbos family. Allegedly, Aristeidis Roumbos, the confectioner who invented this candy, disclosed the recipe to one of his loyal trainees, who then proceeded to establish a rival akanes business. Nevertheless, the Roumbos family, to this day, continues to produce this delight in their quaint workshop, which is reminiscent of life in the 1950s.

Neighborhoods

*Katakonozi is one of the most prosperous neighborhoods of the city, and it is currently experiencing a real estate boom.

Historical population

Famous People

* Emmanouel Pappas, Leader of the Greek War of Independence in Macedonia
* Efstathios Tavlaridis Soccer Player
* Giorgos Kapoutzidis (1972) Scriptwriter and Actor
* Glykeria, Singer
* Angelos Charisteas, Soccer Player
* Gazi Husrev-beg, (1480 – 1541) bey in the Ottoman Empire
* Stelios Patsiokas, Executive VP, engineering and technology, key figure in the development of XM Radio

porting teams

*Panserraikos - first national division(superleague)(2008-09 season) [http://www.panserraikos.gr Website]
*Ofka Serres - Omilos Filon Klassikou Athlitismou) [http://www.segas.gr/el/c2/index-c2s1.asp?clubID=506]

References

*"Sérrai." "Encyclopædia Britannica", 2006.
*"Sérrai, Siris, or Serres." "The Columbia Encyclopedia", 2004.

External links

* [http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~panos/serres/ Information about Serres] en el icon
* [http://www.serres.gr Information about Serres by the Municipality of Serres] el icon
*coord|41|05|08|N|23|32|59|E|type:city(80,000)_region:GR,