Velventos
Velventos
Βελβεντός | |
|---|---|
Settlement | |
  Velventos Location within the regional unit  | |
| Coordinates: 40°15′N 22°04′E / 40.250°N 22.067°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | West Macedonia |
| Regional unit | Kozani |
| Municipality | Servia-Velventos |
| Area | |
| • Municipal unit | 126.516 km2 (48.848 sq mi) |
| • Community | 54.573 km2 (21.071 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 428 m (1,404 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 3,448 |
| • Municipal unit density | 27/km2 (71/sq mi) |
| • Community | 3,399 |
| • Community density | 62/km2 (160/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 504 00 |
| Area code(s) | +30-2463-xxx-xxx |
| Vehicle registration | KZ |
Velventos (Template:Lang-el) is a town and a former municipality in Kozani regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Servia-Velventos, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] It lies at the foot of the Pierian Mountains, 33 km northeast of the city of Kozani. It is located near the artificial lake of Polyfyto. The 2011 census recorded 3,360 people in the village of Velventos, 3,399 in the municipal community and 3,448 in the municipal unit.[1] The municipal unit has an area of 126.516 km2, the community 54.573 km2.[3] Velventos is connected with the GR-3/E65 (Athens - Lamia - Larissa - Kozani - Niki) and is located southwest of Veria, north-northwest of Servia and Larissa, east-northeast of Grevena and south-southeast of Kozani.
Subdivisions
The municipal unit of Velventos is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
- Velventos (Velventos, Palaiogratsano)
- Agia Kyriaki
- Katafygi
- Polyfyto
Population
| Year | Settlement | Municipal district / Municipal community |
Municipality / Municipal unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3,739 | - | - |
| 1991 | 3,577 | - | 3,940 |
| 2001 | 3,437 | 3,504 | 3,754 |
| 2011[1] | 3,360 | 3,399 | 3,448 |
About Velventos
Surrounded by forests, it is located in the fertile valley of the Haliacmon river and produces fruit, mainly peaches. 10.6% of the area is cultivated. Agricultural production is organised in two agricultural cooperatives.
The area has been continually occupied since the prehistoric times. For this reason, many fruitful archaeological digs have been made in the area, unearthing mainly prehistoric findings. Velventos contains also many late Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments and temples, among them the 12th-century church of Saint Minas and the 14th-century church of Saint Paraskevi.
During the Turkish occupation of Greece, Velventos saw great cultural development. Architect Stamatios Kleanthis was born here.
Velventos was finally Greek only during the Balkan Wars. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, many buildings were rebuilt, much of its architecture are almost disappeared.
The forests in the mountains around Velventos was caught by a forest fire in the last days of July 2007, the damage was minimal and lasted for several hours, firefighters along with helicopters and planes battled the fire and slowly dissipated.
Other
Velventos has a school, church, a lyceum (middle school), a gymnasium (secondary school), banks, a post office, and a square (plateia).
A well organized athletic stadium for several indoor and outdoor sport activities is located at the exit of the town. There are 2 Athletic Clubs, A.C. Velventos who has Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball as their main sport activities and A.C. Taekwondo Velventos with Taekwondo and Kick Boxing.
Notable people
Numerous scholars and famous researchers were born in this area, e.g.:
- Stamatios Kleanthis famous architect
- Eleni Psara (pioneer of optics engineering)
- Kostas Bigalis (famous singer and entertainer)
- Markos Palamidis, fighter during the Macedonian struggle
See also
External links
- Municipality of Velvento (Greek/English)
- Municipality of Velventos (in Greek)
- Velventos (town) on GTP Travel Pages
- Velventos (municipality) on GTP Travel Pages
- Area given by West Macedonia Development Company[permanent dead link]
References
- ^ a b c "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
- ^ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior Template:El icon
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.