Keratea
Encyclopedia
Keratea is a town in East Attica
, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lavreotiki
, of which it is a municipal unit.
Keratea is linked with a highway to Glyka Nera
and Sounio. Keratea is located approximately 41 km southeast of Athens
, South of the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and the Attiki Odos
(numbers 6 and 62), North West of Cape Sounio and South of the Hymettus Ring.
Keratea was founded between 700 and 500 BC, according to ancient sources.
The mountains dominate the Southern and Northern parts of the municipality. Panion, in the South, consists of rocks and grasslands, with forests in the valley areas. In the center of the region is a valley which is connected with Mesogeia.
Until the 1960s and the 1970s, agriculture was the main industry of Keratea. Later, Keratea attracted many small businesses and light industrial enterprises, as it became part of the Athens Metropolitan Area. Suburban housing arrived in the 1970s and 1980s and new construction continues to this day. A small part of the population are still leading a rural existence. In the 1980s, a bypass was constructed 500 m north of Keratea which is partially situated on an abandoned rail link between Lavrio and Kifissia
. This new 4-lane highway cuts journey times from central Athens to about an hour and it is very convenient for Athens's new airport. Also, the harbour of Lavrio has been upgraded and many ferries to the Greek Islands depart from there. These developments have attracted many Athenians to the area, some of whom built their second homes on the attractive coast of South Attica.
Other features include a soccer field hundreds of metres west and a hydrogen
factory in Keratea.
).
East Attica
East Attica is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Attica. The capital of the regional unit is the town of Pallini. The regional unit covers the eastern part of the agglomeration of Athens, and also the rural area to its east....
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lavreotiki
Lavreotiki
Lavreotiki is a municipality at the southeasternnmost tip of the Attica peninsula in the Greek prefecture of East Attica. Its municipal seat is the town of Laurium ....
, of which it is a municipal unit.
Keratea is linked with a highway to Glyka Nera
Glyka Nera
Glyka Nera , is a suburb in the northeastern part of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Paiania, of which it is a municipal unit....
and Sounio. Keratea is located approximately 41 km southeast of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, South of the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and the Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos is a privately owned toll motorway in Greece. The Proastiakos high-speed suburban rail is set almost entirely in the median of the motorway, along its main section. The motorway's numbers are 6 for the main section, 64 for the Hymettus Beltway and 65 for the Aigaleo Beltway...
(numbers 6 and 62), North West of Cape Sounio and South of the Hymettus Ring.
Keratea was founded between 700 and 500 BC, according to ancient sources.
The mountains dominate the Southern and Northern parts of the municipality. Panion, in the South, consists of rocks and grasslands, with forests in the valley areas. In the center of the region is a valley which is connected with Mesogeia.
Until the 1960s and the 1970s, agriculture was the main industry of Keratea. Later, Keratea attracted many small businesses and light industrial enterprises, as it became part of the Athens Metropolitan Area. Suburban housing arrived in the 1970s and 1980s and new construction continues to this day. A small part of the population are still leading a rural existence. In the 1980s, a bypass was constructed 500 m north of Keratea which is partially situated on an abandoned rail link between Lavrio and Kifissia
Kifissia
Kifissia or Kifisia is one of the most expensive northern suburbs of Athens, mainly accessed via Kifissias Avenue, running all the way from central Athens up to Theseos Avenue in the suburb of Nea Erythraia. It has traditionally been home to the major Greek political families...
. This new 4-lane highway cuts journey times from central Athens to about an hour and it is very convenient for Athens's new airport. Also, the harbour of Lavrio has been upgraded and many ferries to the Greek Islands depart from there. These developments have attracted many Athenians to the area, some of whom built their second homes on the attractive coast of South Attica.
Other features include a soccer field hundreds of metres west and a hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
factory in Keratea.
Other
Keratea has schools, lyceums, gymnasia, banks, churches, a post office and squares (plateiesPlateia
Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...
).
Historical population
| Year | Town population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 7,511 | - |
| 1991 | 6,512 | 9,715 |
| 2001 | 7,472 | 11,205 |
External links
- Official website (in Greek, link to English version available)
- http://members.tripod.com/~Mesogia_Keratea/
- http://www.athleticsclubkeratea.org
- Antenna on Keratea's hydrogen factory (in Greek)
- "Violence spikes in Greek rebel town" by Elena Becatoros, The Independent, 16 April 2011