Chalkidiki
Chalkidiki
Περιφερειακή ενότητα Χαλκιδικής | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 40°20′N 23°30′E / 40.333°N 23.500°E | |
Country | Greece |
Geographic region |
EEST) |
Postal codes | 63x xx |
Area codes | 237x0, 239x0 |
ISO 3166 code | GR-64 |
Vehicle plates | ΧΚ |
Website | www |
Chalkidiki (/kælˈkɪdɪki/; Greek: Χαλκιδική, romanized: Chalkidikḗ [xalciðiˈci], alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos region constitutes the easternmost part of the peninsula, but not of the regional unit.
The capital of Chalkidiki is the town of Polygyros, located in the centre of the peninsula, while the largest town is Nea Moudania. Chalkidiki is a popular summer tourist destination.
Name
Chalkidiki also spelled Halkidiki (/kælˈkɪdɪki/) or Chalcidice (/kælˈsɪdɪsi/) is named after the ancient Greek city-state of Chalcis in Euboea, which colonised the area in the 8th century BC.
Geography
The
Chalkidiki consists of a large peninsula in the northwestern Aegean Sea, resembling a hand with three 'fingers' (though in Greek these peninsulas are often referred to as 'legs'). From west to east, these are Kassandra (highest peak 345 m), Sithonia (highest peak Mt Itamos 817 m), and Mount Athos, a special polity within Greece known for its monasteries and its highest peak reaching 2,033 metres above sea level. These 'fingers' are separated by two gulfs, the Toronean Gulf and the Singitic Gulf. Chalkidiki borders on the regional unit of Thessaloniki to the north, and is bounded by the Thermaic Gulf on the west, and the Strymonian Gulf and Ierissos Gulf on the east (which are separated by the Brostomnitsa peninsula). Chalkidiki also has a few islands including the inhabited Ammouliani and Diaporos both in the Singitic Gulf.
Its largest towns are Nea Moudania (Νέα Μουδανιά), Nea Kallikrateia (Νέα Καλλικράτεια) and the capital town of Polygyros (Πολύγυρος).
There are several summer resorts on the beaches of all three fingers where other minor towns and villages are located, such as at
Climate
The climate of Chalkidiki is mainly Mediterranean (Koppen: Csa) with cool, wet winters and hot, relatively dry summers. Snowfalls are possible but not long-lasting during the winter months, while occasional thunderstorms may occur during the summer.
History
The first Greek settlers in this area came from
During the following centuries, Chalkidiki was part of the
After a short period of domination by the Latin Kingdom of Thessalonica, the area became again Byzantine until its conquest by the Ottomans in 1430. During the Ottoman period, the peninsula was important for its gold mining. In 1821, the Greek War of Independence started and the Greeks of Chalkidiki revolted under the command of Emmanouel Pappas, a member of Filiki Eteria, and other local fighters. The revolt was progressing slowly and unsystematically. The insurrection was confined to the peninsulas of Mount Athos and Kassandra. One of the main goals was to restrain and detain the coming of the Ottoman army from Istanbul, until the revolution in the south (mainly Peloponnese) became stable. Finally, the revolt resulted in a decisive Ottoman victory at Kassandra. The survivors, among them Papas, were rescued by the Psarian fleet, which took them mainly to Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros. The Ottomans proceeded in retaliation and many villages were burnt.
Finally, the peninsula was incorporated into the
In the 1980s, a tourism boom came to Chalkidiki and took over agriculture as the primary industry.
Ancient sites
- Acanthus (near Ierissos)
- Acrothoi
- Aege
- Alapta
- Aphytis (Afytos)
- Apollonia (near Polygyros)
- Cleonae (Chalcidice)
- Galepsus
- Mekyberna
- Mende
- Neapolis, Chalcidice
- Olophyxus
- Olynthus
- Palaiochori "Neposi" castle
- Polichrono
- Potidaea
- Scione
- Scolus
- Sermylia (Ormylia)
- Stageira
- Spartolus
- Thyssus
- Torone
- Treasury of the Acanthians
- Xerxes Canal
Archaeology
In June 2022, archaeologists announced the discovery of a poorly preserved single-edged sabre among the ruins of a monastery on the coast of Chalcidice. Alongside the curved sword, excavators revealed evidence of a fire, a large cache of 14th-century glazed pottery vessels, as well as other weapons, including axes and arrowheads.[7]
Economy
Agriculture
The peninsula is notable for its olive oil and its green olives production. Also various types of honey and wine are produced.
Tourism
Chalkidiki has been a popular summer tourist destination since the late 1950s when people from Thessaloniki started spending their summer holidays in the coastal villages. In the beginning tourists rented rooms in the houses of locals. By the 1960s, tourists from Austria and Germany started to visit Chalkidiki more frequently. Since the start of the big tourist boom in the 1970s, the whole region has been captured by tourism.[8] In the region there is a golf course, with plans for four others in the future.
Mining
Gold was mined in the region during antiquity by Philip II of Macedon and the next rulers. Since 2013, a revival of mining for gold and other minerals has occurred, and a number of concessions have been granted to Eldorado Gold of Canada. Critics claim that mining adversely affects tourism and the environment.[9]
Administration
The Chalkidiki
- Aristotelis (2)
- Kassandra (4)
- Nea Propontida (3)
- Polygyros (1)
- Sithonia (5)
Prefecture
As a part of Greece's
Municipalities | Municipal Units[a] | Seat |
---|---|---|
Aristotelis | Arnaia | Ierissos |
Panagia | ||
Stagira-Akanthos | ||
Kassandra | Kassandra | Kassandreia |
Pallini | ||
Nea Propontida | Kallikrateia | Nea Moudania |
Moudania
| ||
Triglia | ||
Polygyros | Polygyros | Polygyros |
Anthemountas | ||
Zervochoria | ||
Ormylia | ||
Sithonia | Sithonia | Nikiti |
Toroni |
Provinces
Before the abolishment of the provinces of Greece in 2006, the Chalkidiki prefecture was subdivided into the following provinces:[11]
Province | Seat |
---|---|
Arnaia Province | Arnaia |
Chalkidiki Province | Polygyros |
Population
As of the 2011 census, the regional unit had a population of 105,908 inhabitants, up from 96,849 inhabitants in the 2001 census. The autonomous monastic state of Mount Athos which is often considered to be geographically part of Chalkidiki recorded an additional 1,811 people in the 2011 census. The population is mostly Orthodox Christian monks.
Year | Population |
---|---|
1991 | 85,426 |
2001 | 96,849 |
2011 | 105,908 |
Television
- TV Halkidiki – Nea Moudania
- Super TV – Nea Moudania
Transport
- Motorways:
- A24 Motorway connects "Macedonia" Airport with Nea Moudania and Kallitheain Kassandra.
- A24 Motorway connects
- Chalkidiki has no airports.
- A bus system, KTEL, serves major towns.
In September 2018 it was announced that Line 2 of the Thessaloniki Metro could be extended in the future in order to serve commuters to and from some areas of Chalkidiki.[12]
Notable inhabitants
- Paeonius of Mende (late 5th century BC), sculptor
- Philippus of Mende, Plato's student, astronomer
- Nicomachus, Aristotle's father
- Aristobulus of Cassandreia (375–301 BC), historian, architect
- Stageira–322 BC), philosopher
- Andronicus of Olynthus (c. 370 BC), Phrourarchus of Tyre, appointed by Antigonus
- Callisthenes (360–328 BC), historian
- Crates of Olynthus, Alexander's hydraulic engineer
- Bubalus of Cassandreia (304 BC), keles (horse) competing in the flat race of the Lykaia[13]
- Poseidippus of Cassandreia(c. 310–240 BC), comic poet
- Erginus (son of Simylus) from Cassandreia,
- Stamatios Kapsas, revolutionary of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1830)
- Xenophon Paionidis (1863–1933), architect
- Manolis Mitsias, singer
- Sokratis Malamas (1957 in Sykia), singer
- Paola Foka (1982 Sykia), singer[15]
See also
- Chalkidian League
- List of settlements in Chalkidiki
- Mount Athos
- Petralona cave
- Vavdos Folklore Collection
Notes
- Kallikratis Planthese municipal units were municipalities.
References
- ^ Thucydides, Book 4, 123
- ^ N. G. L. Hammond, A History of Macedonia, Vol. 1: Historical Geography and Prehistory (Clarendon Press, 1972), p. 426.
- ^ The Cyclades: Discovering the Greek Islands of the Aegean By John Freely p. 82
- ^ Thucydides, Book 4, p. 84
- ^ [1] Archived 2017-04-24 at the Wayback Machine D. C. Samsaris,The Roman Colony of Cassandreia in Macedonia (Colonia Iulia Augusta Cassandrensis) (in Greek), Dodona 16(1), 1987, 353–437
- ^ "THE HISTORY OF KASSANDRA, HALKIDIKI!!". Transfer Thessaloniki. 2018-03-18. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ Tom Metcalfe (2022-06-07). "Rusty saber, possibly wielded by medieval Turkish pirates, unearthed in Greece". livescience.com. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
- ^ Deltsou, Eleftheria (2007). "Second homes and tourism in a Greek village". Ethnologia Europaea: Journal of European Ethnology. 37 (1–2): 124.
- ^ Suzanne Daley (January 13, 2013). "Greece Sees Gold Boom, but at a Price". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ a b "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- ^ "Detailed census results 1991" (PDF). (39 MB) (in Greek and French)
- ^ "ΑΤΤΙΚΟ ΜΕΤΡΟ: "Το Μέτρο στη πόλη μας" με το πρώτο του βαγόνι. Συμμετοχή της Αττικό Μετρό Α.Ε. στην 83η Δ.Ε.Θ." [Attiko Metro: "The Metro in our city" with the first carriage. The participation of Attiko Metro S.A. at the 83rd Thessaloniki International Fair]. www.ametro.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2018-09-08.
- Lykaion – Epigraphical Database
- ^ Phocis – Delphi – Epigraphical Database
- ^ "Xronia Polla Paola Foka, Who Turns 38 Today". Greek City Times. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
External links
- Media related to Chalkidiki at Wikimedia Commons