Efyra
Encyclopedia
Efyra is a small village of 481 inhabitants (2001) located in the western part of Pineia
municipal unit, Greece
. It lies at an altitude of 121 metres, and covers an area of 12 km ², of which 55% is arable and 20% is forest.
Efyra lies just south of the Pineakos Ladon river, known in ancient times as the Selientas. The village shares its name with an ancient city located a couple of kilometers to the east, where King Augeas
had his capital (as mentioned in Homer
's Iliad
, O rapsody, verse 531), on the road from Ilis
to Olympia
. Some ruins can be viewed between the river and a nearby hill.
Pineia
Pineia is a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ilida, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat of administration is in the village Simopoulo . Simopoulo is located about 5 km west of GR-33 and south of the...
municipal unit, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It lies at an altitude of 121 metres, and covers an area of 12 km ², of which 55% is arable and 20% is forest.
Geography and Information
- Postal code: 270 69
- Elevation:
- Centre: about 141 m
- Area: 12 km²
- Dialing code: +11+30-26220 (030-26220)
Efyra lies just south of the Pineakos Ladon river, known in ancient times as the Selientas. The village shares its name with an ancient city located a couple of kilometers to the east, where King Augeas
Augeas
In Greek mythology, Augeas , whose name means "bright", was king of Elis and father of Epicaste. Some say that Augeas was one of the Argonauts....
had his capital (as mentioned in Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
's Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
, O rapsody, verse 531), on the road from Ilis
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
to Olympia
Olympia, Greece
Olympia , a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. Both games were held every Olympiad , the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC...
. Some ruins can be viewed between the river and a nearby hill.
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 381 |
| 1991 | 441 |
| 2001 | 460 (village), 481 (community) |
Other
Today's Efyra has a primary and secondary school, a culture centre, a church (dedicated to St. George) and a beautiful square (plateia).See also
- List of communities of Ilia