Pieria

:"Pieria (Syria) was a province of Roman Syria."Infobox Pref GR
name = Pieria
name_local =
"Nomos Pierias"
flag_reg = Flag of Greek Macedonia.svg


periph = Central Macedonia
capital = Katerini
population = 134,739
population_as_of = 2005
pop_rank = 26th
pop_dens = 88.9
popdens_rank = 10th
area = 1,516
area_rank = 42nd| postal_code = 60x xx
area_code = 235x0| licence = ΚΝ
provinces = "none"
municip = 13
commun =
ISO =
website = [http://www.pieria.gr/ www.pieria.gr]

Pieria ( _el. Πιερία) is one of the prefectures of Greece. It is located in the southern part of Macedonia, in the Periphery of Central Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Katerini. Pieria is the smallest prefecture within Macedonia. The name Pieria originates from the ancient tribe and the ancient country of Pieris. In Pieria, there are many sites of archeological interest, such as Dion, Pydna and Platamonas. Pieria is also home to Mt. Pierus, 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 towering at the south side of Pieria. Other ancient cities included Leivithros and Pimpleia or Pimplia.

Geography

The Pieria prefecture is bounded with Larissa in Thessaly to the south and west, the Kozani to the west and Imathia to the north. Until the late-20th century, it surrounded the village of Elafos in which it was part of the Imatha prefecture.

The Pierian Mountains lie to the west. The Thermian 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.

Climate

Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cool winters. In most of the central part and the western part receives winter weather especially in the hills, the Pierian Mountains and Mount Olympus.

Municipalities

See also: List of settlements in the Pieria prefecture and Slavic toponyms of places in Pieria Prefecture

History

The Pieres were a Thracian people, occupying the narrow strip of plain land, or low hill, between the mouths of the Peneius and the Haliacmon rivers, at the foot of the great woody steeps of mount Olympus. Later Pieria has been incorporated in the Kingdom of Macedonia whereas it was the second province of the ancient kingdom, later the Roman Empire as well as the Byzantine Empire. It was later invaded and became a part of the Ottoman Empire. During that time, the Greek War of Independence occurred in the area in 1821 but their battle was lost. Pieria did not join the rest of Greece until the Balkan Wars in 1913. Until 1947, Pieria was part of the Thessaloniki Prefecture in that time was the largest prefecture, it was then a province. Pieria saw an economic boom in agriculture and businesses. During the Greco-Turkish War, it saw an influx of refugees from Asia Minor in what is now a part of Turkey and several places were named after their former homelands including Nea Trapezounta from Trezibond (now Trabzon) and Nea Efesos from Ephesus (now Efes), they now belong to Turkey. Roads were being paved, Katerini saw electricity. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, Pieria was rebuilt and its population was emigrating. Electricity were introduced to the rest of the prefecture in the 1960s, television in the 1970s and the 1980s and also more pavement of roads.

The GR-1 was under construction in the late-1960s and was opened to traffic in 1972 with two lanes, in the 1980s, it became two-laned in the northern part, in the 1990s, it became two laned that it went as far as the prefectural boundary with Larissa in the early-2000s.

On June 8, 2007, a low pressure received system from Southern and Central Europe heavy rainfalls ravaged the prefecture and saw damages in fruit and vegetable production, one farm was like a small pond that can be seen in the valley. The hard hit area was Korinos.

Transport

*GR-1/E75, both the old and the new highways
*GR-13

Famous Pierians

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 Katafigi, near Kolindros. His original name was Georgios Zorbas.

porting teams

*Pierikos - Greek Third Division (North Club)

ee also

*Olympus Festival

External links

* [http://www.greekmountainflora.info/Pieria/Pieria.html Greek Mountain Flora]
* [http://www.pieria-tourism.gr/ Pieria Tourism]
* [http://www.pieriahotels.gr/ Pieria Hotels Guide]
*http://www.culture.gr/maps/macedon/pieria/pieria.html
*dmoz|Regional/Europe/Greece/Prefectures/Pieria/ en icon
*dmoz|World/Greek/%CE%A4%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AC/%CE%95%CF%85%CF%81%CF%8E%CF%80%CE%B7/%CE%95%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B1/%CE%9D%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%AF/%CE%A0%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1/|Πιερία gr icon
*http://www.plefsis.gr/pieria.htm
*http://www.mpa.gr/specials/olympus/pieria.html
*http://users.pie.sch.gr/amgr1/pieria_photos.htm