Oropos

Oropos Ωρωπός
Settlement
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Attica
Area
• Total	11.967 km2 (4.620 sq mi)
Lowest elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Population  (2001)
• Total	1,252
• Density	100/km2 (270/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	190 15
Area code(s)	22950
Vehicle registration	Z

Oropos or Oropus (Greek: Ωρωπός) is a Greek seaport town and community, on the Southern Euboean Gulf, in Attica, opposite Eretria. Oropos is located N of Avlona and Athens, E of Thebes and SE of Chalcis. Oropos is linked with the road linking Nea Palatia and Sikamino. Oropos is also linked with the service road which links with the GR-1/E75 at its nearest interchanges. The area around Oropos has farmlands with groves to the south and also with some mountains to the south. South of the superhighway is the Parnitha mountain. The town (pop. 860 in 2001) is the seat of government of the community, which also includes the villages of Kámpos Oropoú (pop. 237), and Platánia Oropoú (155). The community has a land area of 11.967 km² and a total population of 1,252 inhabitants.

Various businesses form the industry of Oropos, and agriculture dominates the farmlands.

Subdivisions

• Asprochori

Nearest places

• Chalkoutsi, north
• Skala Oropou, northeast
• Milessi, east
• Avlona, south
• Oinofyta, west

History

The sanctuary for the oracle of Amphiaraus at Oropos is east of Delphi, northeast of Athens

Oropos was founded by colonists from Eretria; it was either located in or identical with Graea. In ancient times, it was a border city between Boeotia and Attica, and its possession was a continual cause of dispute between the two states; but ultimately it came into possession of Athens, and was always an Attic town, even during the Roman Empire. The actual harbour, which was called Delphinium, was at the mouth of the Asopus, about a mile (1.6 km) north of the city.

The famous oracle of Amphiaraus was situated in the territory of Oropus, 12 stadia from the city. The site has been excavated by the Greek Archaeological Society; it contained a temple, a sacred spring, into which coins were thrown by worshippers, altars and porticoes, and a small theatre, of which the proskenion is well preserved. Worshippers used to consult the oracle of Amphiaraus by sleeping on the skin of a slaughtered ram within the sacred building.

Historical population

Year	Population	Change	Communal population	Change	Density
1981	672	-	-	-	-
1991	784	+112/+16.67%	924	-	77.2/km²
2001	860	+76/+9.69%	1,252	+328/+35.50%	104.6/km²

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Oropos e-guide: e-oropos (www.e-oropos.gr)
• Oropos e-guide: Oropos-info (www.oropos-info.gr)
• GTP Travel Pages (Community)
• Map and aerial photos:
  • Street map: Street map from Mapquest, MapPoint or Google or Yahoo! Maps
  • Satellite images: Google or Microsoft Virtual Earth - image now available
• Coordinates: 38°17′19″N 23°44′51″E
• Museum "O Phaeton"
• Ferry boats Oropos-Eretria

Other

the automobile museum "O Phaeton"

Oropos has a school and a lyceum or a middle school, a gymnasia or a high school, churches, a post office and a few squares (plateies).

See also

• List of municipalities of Attica, Including communities

	North: Skala Oropou (community)
West: Sykamino (community)	Oropos	East: Skala Oropou (community)
	South: Avlona (community)	Southeast: Malakasa (community)