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Preveza

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Preveza
Πρέβεζα
Settlement
Preveza from the air. The cape of Actium and the airport can be seen in the lower right.
Preveza from the air. The cape of Actium and the airport can be seen in the lower right.
Official seal of Preveza
Seal
CountryGreece
Administrative regionEpirus
Government
 • MayorChristos Bailes (2011-2014)
Area
 • Total66.8 km2 (25.8 sq mi)
Elevation
8 m (26 ft)
Population
 (2001)[1]
 • Total19,605
 • Density290/km2 (760/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
481 00
Area code(s)26820
Vehicle registrationΡΖ
Websitehttp://www.dimosprevezas.gr

Preveza (Greek: Πρέβεζα) is a town in the periphery of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of Preveza Prefecture, which is part of the periphery of Epirus. By the new law "Kallikrates" (3852/2010) of the Hellenic Republic, Preveza Municipality includes the 3 former regions Preveza, Louros and Zalongo. An Immersed Tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium (Aktio) of Acarnania, connects the town Preveza to western Akarnania in Aetolia-Acarnania region. The ruins of the ancient city of Nicopolis lies 7 km north of the city. Inside Preveza Municipality there are contented the ruins of five (5) ancient cities or citadels, Ancient Nicopolis, Ancient Verenice, Ancient Kassope, Ancient Elatreia and Ancient Trikastron, while also exist five (5) Fortresses [2].

Name

The name Preveza is of uncertain etymology. There are three (3) versions about the origin of word Πρέβεζα in the book "History of Preveza Prefecture" of Harry Gouvas: (1) It might come from the old Slavic word perevoz meaning "crossing, passage" (Diogenes Charitonos and Fyodor Uspeski)[3] or (2) from the old Albanian word prevëzë-za, that means transportation (Petros Fourikis and Konstantinos Amantos)[3], or (3) from the Latin word prevesione, that means sustenance (victuals) (Max Vasmer, Peter Schustall, Johannes Conter)[4],[5],[6]

History

Ancient

The Naval Battle of Actium, by Lorenzo A.Castro (1672).

In antiquity, the area of Preveza was inhabited by the Greek tribe of the Kassopeans part of Thesprotians. Their capital city was Ancient Kassope (near todays village of Kamarina). In the Louros District also exists a spectacular city, the Ancient Trikastron Citadel, built on three lines of defence walls of 9m heigh, published for first time in 2008[7]. Near the site of modern Preveza in 290 BC King Pyrrhus of Epirus founded the town of Berenikia or Ancient Berenice, after his mother-in-law Berenice I of Egypt.[8],[9] Today it is widely accepted, that Ancient Verenice city lies on the hills of Michalitsi village, after Sotirios Dakaris excavations in 1965, and research and publications of Harry Gouvas in 2006, and 2009[10],[2]. The Ambracian Gulf near Verenikia and the near part of Ionian sea, was the site of the Naval Battle of Actium, on 2 September 31 BC, in which Octavian's (later Augustus) forces defeated those of Mark Antony and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. Ancient Nicopolis or Nikopolis ("Νικόπολις" = "victory city") was built nearby to commemorate Augustus' victory [11], and today it is believed that had a total population of 150.000. [12]

Medieval

The Despotate of Epirus (left, in red) c.1204.

Nicopolis continued under Roman and later Byzantine rule, experiencing brief periods of Bulgarian rule in the 10th century (920-922, 977-983, 996-997). According to one theory, modern Preveza grew around a military outpost built in the 9th century by the Bulgarians, following their conquest of Nicopolis.[13] The city was first attested in the Chronicle of Morea (1292),[14] however Hammond places the foundation of Preveza much later, at the end of 14th century, possibly by Albanians.[15] After 1204, it came under the Despotate of Epirus (1204–1230, 1241–1338, 1356–1358), the Second Bulgarian Empire (1230–1241), the Serbian Empire (1348–1356), and the Despotate of Arta (1358–1401). It then came under Venetian rule until captured by the Ottomans.

The Venetian clock tower of the city.

Ottoman

File:Statue of dance of Zalongo.jpg
The monument of Zalongo.

The Turkish refounding of Preveza probably occurred in 1477 and Preveza was re-founded by the Ottomans in the late 15th century, with a subsequent strengthening of the fortifications in 1495.[16] During Ottoman rule, it was the capital of the Karli İli sanjak (derived from Carlo II Tocco, Despot of Epirus) which comprised Aetolia-Acarnania), initially as part of the vilayet of Rumelia (1499–1670) and afterwards of the vilayet of Yannina (Ioannina). The Naval Battle of Preveza was fought off the shores of Preveza in 29 September of year 1538, where the Ottoman fleet of Hayreddin Barbarossa defeated a united Christian fleet under the Genovese captain Andrea Doria. This day is a Turkish Navy National Holiday, and also some of today Turkish Submarines called "Preveze". Ottoman rule was interrupted twice by periods of Venetian control, during the Morean War (1684–1699) and between 1717 and 1797. In 1779, the Orthodox missionary Kosmas visited Preveza where it is said he founded a Greek school, which would be the only school of the city during the 18th century.[17] At the end of the 18th century, Preveza became a transit center of trade with western Europe (particularly France), which resulted in the increase of its population to approximately 10,000-12,000.[18] Following the Treaty of Campo Formio, Preveza was ceded to France of Napoleon Bonaparte. So, French army forces, about 280 grenadieurs, arrived in Preveza under the commands of General La Salchette. The people of Preveza wellcomed French troops as friendly, as we see in lettes of this period, when they wrote "ΠΕΑ" (First Year of Liberation)[19] The prosperity came to end in October 1798, when Turkish - Albanian troops of the local Ottoman governor Ali Pasha Tepelena attacked to Preveza. The first combat was The Battle of Nicopolis between 280 Freench Grenadieurs, plus 200 Prevezian Civil Guards and 60 Souliotes Warriors under Captain Christakis. The 7.000 soldiers of Ali Pasha Tepelena defeated the French-Greek Guard and finally conquered Preveza on 12 October 1798[2], and next two days 13–14 October 1798 a major slaughter of the French troops and the local Greek population that defended the city occurred inside Preveza and also in Salaora Port of Ambracian Gulf[20]. Period from 1798-1822 is called 2nd Ottoman Occupation Period. Ali Pasha Tepelena had a tragic death on 1822 in Ioannina and then Preveza entered to 3d Ottoman occupation period until year 1912. In 1835 educational activity in the city revived with the foundation of a new Greek school, the Theophaneios, named after its sponsor, Anastassios Theophanis. The following decades this school became a center of education in the surrounding area and in 1851 it also hosted a female and a secondary school.[21] According to the treaty of Berlin in 1878 Preveza was to be ceded to the Kingdom of Greece by the Ottoman Empire. Greek and Ottoman delegates met in Preveza early in 1879. On the other hand, the Albanian League of Prizren objected to the Greek positions[22] through its local branch, the Albanian Committee of Preveza.[23][24] In January 1879, 400 Albanian representatives gathered in Preveza to attend an assembly organized by the League of Prizren and its local committee. A month later on February 28, 1879 forty-nine delegates representing the Albanian population of the Ottoman Empire signed a petition in Preveza arguing that if Preveza was awarded to the Kingdom of Greece, they would fight to prevent its annexation, and the city wasn't ceded to the Kingdom of Greece at this time.[25][verification needed] After the delineation of borders, the Ottoman empire changed the governor of Preveza and appointed one from Gjirokastër in order to deal with the spreading nationalist activities of the Albanian population of Preveza led by Abdyl Frashëri.[26][verification needed]

Modern

The city remained under Ottoman control until finally taken by the Greek Army on October 21 of 1912, during the First Balkan War. The city was liberated after the Battle of Nicopolis, by the Greek Army Forces under colonel Papagiotis Speliades. Next months has arrived in Preveza the famous Swiss photographer Frederic Boissonnas, and a lot of photographs of this period are available today. It formally joined Greece along with the rest of southern Epirus per the Treaty of London. Along with the rest of Greece, it was occupied by Italy (1941–1943) and Germany (1943–1944) during World War II. After the departure of German Nazis from Preveza, in September 1944, a part of Civil War happened in Preveza (duration 16 days) by the name The Combat of Preveza. Today Preveza is a commercial harbor and tourist hub, benefiting from its proximity to the nearby Aktion National Airport and the nearby island of Lefkada, a major tourist destination. The Aktio-Preveza Immersed Tunnel, an important work of infrastructure for what has traditionally been a remote and underdeveloped region, was inaugurated in 2002 and links Preveza to Actium (Greek: Άκτιο, Aktio) on the southern shore of the Ambracian Gulf, greatly shortening the distance of the trip to Lefkada.

Notable sights

View of the promenade
The port with the City Hall
Acheron river canyon

Inside the new Preveza Municipality, there are a lot ancient and historical landscape sights for visiting. In the book "History of Preveza Prefecture" (Harry Gouvas, 2009) is available this index of sights[2]:

Notable natives and residents

Mosaic from the Roman Villa of Manius Antoninus
The building of the National Bank of Preveza
File:Preveza-caviar.JPG
Roe caviar of Preveza
File:Sunrise in Actium.JPG
Sunrise in Actium

Clubs in Preveza

Preveza Municipal districts (Kallikrates, Law 3852/2010)

Transportation

Preveza is linked by road to Igoumenitsa and other coastal settlements through the E55 national road, and is also linked with other cities in Epirus such as Ioannina and Arta. The Aktio-Preveza Undersea Tunnel links Preveza by road to Aetolia-Acarnania in Central Greece. Preveza also has a small commercial and passenger port and is served by the nearby Aktion National Airport, which also serves the island of Lefkada.

Historical population Statistics

Year Town population Municipality population
1981 13,624 -
1991 13,341 16,886
2001 16,321 19,605

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Greece

Twin towns - Sister cities

Preveza is a founding member of the Douzelage, a town twinning association of 23 towns across the European Union. This active town twinning began in 1991 and there are regular events, such as a produce market from each of the other countries and festivals.[27][28]

See also - Web Sites

References

  1. ^ De Facto Population of Greece Population and Housing Census of March 18th, 2001 (PDF 39 MB). National Statistical Service of Greece. 2003.
  2. ^ a b c d Harry Gouvas: "History of Preveza Prefecture", edition 2009, ISBN 978-960-87328-2-7
  3. ^ a b Petros Fourikis: "Nikopolis Preveza" first edition, Athens 1930
  4. ^ Max Vasmer: "Die Slaven in Griechenland", 1970 (reprint), p. 64 "Preveza"
  5. ^ Harry Gouvas: "History of Preveza Prefecture" editions of Museum of Arts and Sciences Harry Gouvas, 2009, ISBN 978-960-87328-2-7
  6. ^ Alexis Savvides:"The Chronicle of Preveza", edition, Municipality of Preveza, 1991
  7. ^ Harry Gouvas: "Ancient Trikastron Citadel: The Mountain base of King Pyrrhus?", newspaper Topiki Phoni, 28 March 2008
  8. ^ Plutarch: Life of King Pyrrhus, Kaktos editions, Athens
  9. ^ Green, Peter (1993). Alexander to Actium: the historical evolution of the Hellenistic age. Hellenistic culture and society. University of California Press. p. 123. ISBN 0520083490.
  10. ^ Harry Gouvas:"Did we found ancient Verenice?". Newspaper Topiki Phoni of Preveza, 2006
  11. ^ Plutarch: Life of Marc Antony, vol.III
  12. ^ Konstantinos Zachos: "Ancient Nicopolis", The Greek Ministry of Culture,2003
  13. ^ Guide Bleu, Greece. Hachette-Livre, 2000. p.680
  14. ^ Isager Jacob. Foundation and destruction, Nikopolis and Northwestern Greece. Danish Institute at Athens, 2001, ISBN 9788772887340, p. 47.
  15. ^ Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey (1967). Epirus: The Geography, The Ancient Remains, The History and the Topography of Epirus and Adjacent Areas. Oxford University Press. p. 46. Retrieved 2010-06-10. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  16. ^ Isager Jacob: "Foundation and destruction, Nikopolis and Northwestern Greece". Danish Institute at Athens, 2001, ISBN 9788772887340, p. 60.
  17. ^ Sakellariou M.V.:"Epirus, 4000 years of Greek history and civilization", Ekdotikē Athēnōn, 1997, ISBN 9789602133712, p. 306
  18. ^ Mikropoulos A. Tassos:Elevating and Safeguarding Culture Using Tools of the Information Society: Dusty traces of the Muslim culture. Earthlab. ISBN 9789602331873, p. 313-315.
  19. ^ Kostas Filos: Collection of private Letters of 18th century, "The Museum of Arts and Sciences Harry Gouvas", in Preveza
  20. ^ Fleming Katherine Elizabeth: The Muslim Bonaparte: diplomacy and orientalism in Ali Pasha's Greece. Princeton University Press, 1999. ISBN 978-0-691-00194-4, p. 99
  21. ^ Sakellariou M. V.: "Epirus, 4000 years of Greek history and civilization". Ekdotikē Athēnōn, 1997, ISBN 9789602133712, p. 306
  22. ^ Medlicott William Norton. Bismarck, Gladstone, and the Concert of Europe University of London, Athlone Press, 1956, p. 77
  23. ^ Jelavich, Barbara (1989). History of the Balkans: Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Joint Committee on Eastern Europe Publication Series. Cambridge University Press. p. 365. ISBN 0521274583.
  24. ^ Skendi, Stavro (1967). The Albanian national awakening, 1878-1912. Princeton University Press. p. 70.
  25. ^ Gawrych, George (2006). The crescent and the eagle: Ottoman rule, Islam and the Albanians, 1874-1913. I.B.Tauris. p. 54. ISBN 1845112873.
  26. ^ Ortayli, İlber (1998). Belleten. Belleten. Vol. 62. Türk Tarih Kurumu. p. 153. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  27. ^ "Douzelage.org: Home". www.douzelage.org. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Douzelage.org: Member Towns". www.douzelage.org. Retrieved 2009-10-21.

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