Naupactus
Encyclopedia
Naupactus or Nafpaktos is a town and a former municipality
in Aetolia-Acarnania
, West Greece, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafpaktia
, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is the second largest town of Aetolia-Acarnania (after Agrinio
), situated on a bay on the north side of the straits of Lepanto.
The harbour, one of the most scenic on the northern coast of the Corinthian Gulf, is accessible only to the smallest craft.
The origin of Naupactus comes from the Greek words ναύς naus ship, boat and πηγνύειν pêgnuein, pêgnyein to fasten together, build.
The distance from Patras
is about 15 km (NE) and from Athens
about 215 km (NW), through the Rio-Antirio bridge
. The town is located WSW of Amfissa
, W of Itea
and Delphi
, NE of Antirio and GR-5
/E55
, E of Messolonghi
and SE of Agrinio
.
The Mornos
river is a few kilometres ENE which is also the prefectural boundary with Phokida. Naupactus is an episcopal see.
In Greek legend it appears as the place where the Heraclidae built a fleet to invade the Peloponnesus. Whatever the historical validity of this legend, it - together with the above-mentioned meaning of its name - indicates a long-standing reputation as a major shipbuilding place.
In historical times it belonged to the Ozolian Locrians
; but about 455 BC, in spite of a partial resettlement with Locrians of Opus
, it fell
to the Athenians, who peopled it with Messenia
n refugees and made it their chief naval station in western Greece during the Peloponnesian war
. Two major battles were fought at this location. In 404 it was restored to the Locrians, who subsequently lost it to the Achaea
ns, but recovered it through Epaminondas
.
Philip II
of Macedon
gave Naupactus to the Aetolians, who held it till 191 BC, when after an obstinate siege it was surrendered to the Romans
. It was still flourishing about 170, but in Justinian I
's reign was destroyed by an earthquake. It was again destroyed by earthquakes in 553 and in the 8th century and so on. From the late 9th century, it was capital of the Byzantine
thema of Nicopolis
.
In the late Middle Ages
it was part of the Despotate of Epirus
and for a short period part of the Despotates of Angelokastron
(1358-1374) and of Arta
(1374-1401) Afterwards it fell into the hands of the Venetians
, who fortified it so strongly that in 1477 it successfully resisted a four month long siege by a Turkish
army thirty thousand strong; in 1499, however, it was rumoured to have been sold by the Venetians to the Ottoman
Sultan Beyazid II. Under the Ottomans, Naupactos was known as İnebahtı and was the seat of a Turkish sanjak. The mouth of the Gulf of Lepanto was the scene of the great sea battle in which the naval power of the Ottoman Empire
was nearly completely destroyed by the united Papal, Spanish, Habsburg and Venetian forces (Battle of Lepanto
, October 7, 1571). In 1687 it was recaptured by the Venetians, but was again restored in 1699, by the Treaty of Karlowitz
to the Ottomans.
The city is a titular see
of the Roman Catholic church.
In the Greek War of Independence
it became Greek once more (March 1829). After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, its buildings were rebuilt following the prewar architectural design.
In 1990, construction of a bypass of Naupactus began but when it was finally paved, the opening was delayed for eight years. However, it had to be partly reconstructed due to errors on the previous construction and as of late 2004. Finally it has opened in July 2006 but with no traffic.
Recently, Nafpaktos was devastated by a forest fire
that began in a hot afternoon of July 18, 2007 and consumed hundreds of hectares of land to the valley area to the north. It took several firefighters, helicopters and planes to put out the blaze. The blaze was seen as far as Patras
and its area. The fire threatened several houses were damages along with several in a settlement. The fire continued into July 19. Several buildings were burnt down and transformed several famous views into an unpopular scenery with burnt trees that may takes years to replace and recover and an ashy ground which won't be normal until that time.
Today the population is about 18,000 people. Residential homes align with the Gulf of Corinth over a length of about 3 km and a width of about 1 km. The port divides the beachfront in two parts. The Western part is called Psani, while the Eastern part Gribovo. Both beachfronts provide the backdrop for a nice promenade while a wide range of restaurants and cafes can also be found. Naupactus sits on a shoulder of a mountain range on the north while farmlands dominate the western part. The climate is one of the best in Greece. It used to be passed by GR-48/E65 linking Antirrio and Amfissa now it is bypassed to the north at the elevation of 150 to 200 m above sea level. The bypass has contributed significantly in lowering the number of heavy trucks passing through the narrow streets of the town. The deviation though is not complete today, as the final part of the road along with a tunnel in the area of Xeropigado are under construction.
The municipality is mainly made up of mountains while much of the fertile land is within the Gulf of Corinth.
Communities and Municipalities of Greece
For the new municipalities of Greece see the Kallikratis ProgrammeThe municipalities and communities of Greece are one of several levels of government within the organizational structure of that country. Thirteen regions called peripheries form the largest unit of government beneath the State. ...
in Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest...
, West Greece, 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 Nafpaktia
Nafpaktia
Nafpaktia is a municipality in the Aetolia-Acarnania peripheral unit, West Greece Periphery, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Naupactus.-Municipality:...
, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is the second largest town of Aetolia-Acarnania (after Agrinio
Agrinio
Agrinion is the largest city and municipality of the Aetolia-Acarnania peripheral unit of Greece, with 96,321 inhabitants. It is the economical center of Aetolia-Acarnania, although its capital is the town of Mesolonghi. The settlement dates back to ancient times...
), situated on a bay on the north side of the straits of Lepanto.
The harbour, one of the most scenic on the northern coast of the Corinthian Gulf, is accessible only to the smallest craft.
The origin of Naupactus comes from the Greek words ναύς naus ship, boat and πηγνύειν pêgnuein, pêgnyein to fasten together, build.
The distance from Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
is about 15 km (NE) and from 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...
about 215 km (NW), through the Rio-Antirio bridge
Rio-Antirio bridge
The Rion-Antirion bridge , officially the Charilaos Trikoupis bridge after the statesman who first envisaged it, is the world's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge...
. The town is located WSW of Amfissa
Amfissa
Amfissa is a town and a former municipality in Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is also the capital of the regional unit of Phocis...
, W of Itea
Itea
Itea may refer to:*Itea , a genus of plants that includes Itea virginica, the scientific name of Virginia Sweetspire.*places in Greece:**Itea, Evros, a village in the southeastern part of the Evros Prefecture...
and Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
, NE of Antirio and GR-5
Greek National Road 5
Greek National Road 5 is a highway in Western Greece. It runs from 2 km south of Rio at GR-8/GR-9 , or at the beginning of the Patras By-Pass in the south up to the city centre of Ioannina. It is now connected with a new bridge, the Rio-Antirio bridge and for 5 km is a joint with GR-48...
/E55
European route E55
European route E 55 is a E-route. It passes through the following cities:Helsingborg … Helsingør – Copenhagen – Køge – Vordingborg – Nykøbing Falster – Gedser … Rostock – Berlin – Lübbenau – Dresden – Teplice – Prague – Tábor – Linz – Salzburg – Villach – Tarvisio – Udine – Palmanova – Mestre...
, E of Messolonghi
Messolonghi
Missolonghi is a town of 12,225 people in western Greece. The town is the capital of Aetolia-Acarnania and is also its third largest town. It is the seat of the municipality of Iera Poli Mesolongiou . Missolonghi is linked to, although bypassed since the 1960s by, GR-5/E55...
and SE of Agrinio
Agrinio
Agrinion is the largest city and municipality of the Aetolia-Acarnania peripheral unit of Greece, with 96,321 inhabitants. It is the economical center of Aetolia-Acarnania, although its capital is the town of Mesolonghi. The settlement dates back to ancient times...
.
The Mornos
Mornos
The Mornos is a river that flows in the Fokida and Aitoloakarnania prefectures in Greece. Its source is in the Oiti mountains-Geography:The river begins in the Oiti mountains near the Fthiotida prefecture to the north, it flows through the village of Marmarolithi and into several villages in a...
river is a few kilometres ENE which is also the prefectural boundary with Phokida. Naupactus is an episcopal see.
History
Ozolian Locris
Ozolian Locris or Esperian Locris was a district inhabited by the Ozolian Locrians a tribe of the Locrians, upon the Corinthian gulf, bounded on the north by Doris, on the east by Phocis, and on the west by Aetolia.-Name:...
; but about 455 BC, in spite of a partial resettlement with Locrians of Opus
Opus, Greece
Opus , in Ancient Greece, the chief city of Opuntian or Eastern Locris. It was located on the coast of mainland Greece opposite Euboea, perhaps at modern Atalandi...
, it fell
Battle of Naupactus (429 BC)
The Battle of Naupactus was a naval battle in the Peloponnesian War. The battle, which took place a week after the Athenian victory at Rhium, set an Athenian fleet of twenty ships, commanded by Phormio, against a Peloponnesian fleet of seventy-seven ships, commanded by Cnemus.In the battle, the...
to the Athenians, who peopled it with Messenia
Messenia
Messenia is a regional unit in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, one of 13 regions into which Greece has been divided by the Kallikratis plan, implemented 1 January 2011...
n refugees and made it their chief naval station in western Greece during the Peloponnesian war
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War, 431 to 404 BC, was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. Historians have traditionally divided the war into three phases...
. Two major battles were fought at this location. In 404 it was restored to the Locrians, who subsequently lost it to the Achaea
Achaea
Achaea is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.-Geography:...
ns, but recovered it through Epaminondas
Epaminondas
Epaminondas , or Epameinondas, was a Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a preeminent position in Greek politics...
.
Philip II
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
of Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
gave Naupactus to the Aetolians, who held it till 191 BC, when after an obstinate siege it was surrendered to the Romans
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. It was still flourishing about 170, but in Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
's reign was destroyed by an earthquake. It was again destroyed by earthquakes in 553 and in the 8th century and so on. From the late 9th century, it was capital of the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
thema of Nicopolis
Nicopolis (theme)
The Theme of Nicopolis or Nikopolis was the name of a Byzantine theme located in western Greece, encompassing Aetolia-Acarnania and southern Epirus...
.
In the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it was part of the Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
and for a short period part of the Despotates of Angelokastron
Despotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto
The Despotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto was a short-lived despotate ruled by the Albanian chieftain Gjin Bua Shpata, in the late medieval period including parts of Western Greece. It was created after the defeat of Nikephoros II Orsini, Despot of Epirus in the Battle of Achelous, in 1359 and...
(1358-1374) and of Arta
Despotate of Arta
The Despotate of Arta was a despotate established by Albanian rulers during the 14th century, when Albanian tribes moved into Epirus and founded two short-lived principalities there...
(1374-1401) Afterwards it fell into the hands of the Venetians
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, who fortified it so strongly that in 1477 it successfully resisted a four month long siege by a Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
army thirty thousand strong; in 1499, however, it was rumoured to have been sold by the Venetians to the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Sultan Beyazid II. Under the Ottomans, Naupactos was known as İnebahtı and was the seat of a Turkish sanjak. The mouth of the Gulf of Lepanto was the scene of the great sea battle in which the naval power of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was nearly completely destroyed by the united Papal, Spanish, Habsburg and Venetian forces (Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
, October 7, 1571). In 1687 it was recaptured by the Venetians, but was again restored in 1699, by the Treaty of Karlowitz
Treaty of Karlowitz
The Treaty of Karlowitz was signed on 26 January 1699 in Sremski Karlovci , concluding the Austro-Ottoman War of 1683–1697 in which the Ottoman side had been defeated at the Battle of Zenta...
to the Ottomans.
The city is a titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of the Roman Catholic church.
In the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
it became Greek once more (March 1829). After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, its buildings were rebuilt following the prewar architectural design.
In 1990, construction of a bypass of Naupactus began but when it was finally paved, the opening was delayed for eight years. However, it had to be partly reconstructed due to errors on the previous construction and as of late 2004. Finally it has opened in July 2006 but with no traffic.
Recently, Nafpaktos was devastated by a forest fire
2007 Greek forest fires
The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007. The most destructive and lethal infernos broke out on August 23, expanded rapidly and raged out of control until August 27, until they were put out in early...
that began in a hot afternoon of July 18, 2007 and consumed hundreds of hectares of land to the valley area to the north. It took several firefighters, helicopters and planes to put out the blaze. The blaze was seen as far as Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
and its area. The fire threatened several houses were damages along with several in a settlement. The fire continued into July 19. Several buildings were burnt down and transformed several famous views into an unpopular scenery with burnt trees that may takes years to replace and recover and an ashy ground which won't be normal until that time.
Residents
The municipality is mainly made up of mountains while much of the fertile land is within the Gulf of Corinth.
Notable people
- AgelausAgelaus of NaupactusFor other persons with the same name, see AgelausAgelaus of Naupactus, was a leading man in the Aetolian League He is first mentioned in 221 BC, when he negotiated an alliance between the lllyrian chief Scerdilaidas and the Aetolians...
(3rd century BC), politician - Georgios Athanasiadis-NovasGeorgios Athanasiadis-NovasGeorgios Athanasiadis–Novas was a Greek lawyer, politician and Prime Minister.Born in Naupactus, he obtained his law degree from the University of Athens...
(1893-1987), lawyer, politician and former Prime Minister of GreecePrime Minister of GreeceThe Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank, following... - Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos (1945-), metropolitan of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios
Landmarks
- The port and castle provide the main attraction for the town. Shops, cafes and bars dot the immediate area, while a cafe is also located within the castle walls
- The port also includes monuments commemorating the Battle of Lepanto (1571), and there is also a statue of the famous writer Miguel de Cervantes
- A small water park is located just past the western portion of the beach near Psani
- Nafpaktos is also home to a local museum and also offers visitors a look back to its recent and ancient past with historic sites also marked off within the town providing insight to its Classical era
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Naupactus is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):- Afroxylia (Ano Afroxylia, Kato Afroxylia)
- Dafni (Dafni, Kato DafniKato DafniKato Dafni is the southernmost and largest section of Dafni, in the municipality of Nafpaktos, Greece, which consists of Dafni proper or Ano Dafni and Trypou, now uninhabited. During the centuries of Ottoman occupation, Dafni was located higher up in the hills in an area called now Old Dafni ; of...
) - Lygias
- Mamoulada (Kato Mamoulada, Mamoulada)
- Nafpaktos
- Neokastro (Neokastro, Paliampela)
- Palaiochoraki (Palaiochoraki, Mikro Palaiochoraki)
- Pitsinaiika (Pitsinaiika, Kastraki, Sykia)
- Riganio (Riganio, Diasello, Poros)
- Skala
- Velvina
- Vlachomandra (Vlachomandra, Gefyra Bania, Sfikaaika)
- Vomvokou (Vomvokou, Agios Vasileios, Lefka Vomvokous, Marmara)
- Xiropigado
Nearest places
- AntirrioAntirrioAntirrio is a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafpaktia, of which it is a municipal unit...
(west) - KatafygioKatafygioKatafygio is a village in Aetolia-Acarnania in Greece. It is built amphitheatrically at an altitude of 620 metres on the Eastern foothills of Makryoro Mountain, which is naked and particularly steep...
(Katafigio): One of the traditional villages in Orini Nafpaktia (mountainous Nafpaktia). - Ano chora (north): One of the traditional villages of Orini Nafpaktia
- Kentriki (north): One of the traditional villages of Orini Nafpaktia
- AspriaAspriaAspria Holdings BV is the owner and operator of a collection of seven premium spa, sport, health and family clubs, hotels and day spas in Europe. The head office is in London. Aspria currently provides services to c...
(north): One of the traditional villages of Orini Nafpaktia - Chomori: One of the traditional villages of Orini Nafpaktia
- Skala: Village found in the hills minutes from the town centre; overlooks the town itself
- Skaloma: One of the more picturesque villages found minutes outside the town; one of the more beautiful beaches in the area
- Hiliadou: Part of the strip of beachside villages outside of Nafpaktos (Hiliadou-Monastiraki-Skaloma); sandy beach makes it a popular destination for residents of Nafpaktos and tourists
- Klepa: One of the villages in Orini Nafpaktia
- PlatanosPlatanosPlatanos may refer to:*Plantain, or the related fruit banana*Platanos, Achaea, a village in Greece*Platanos, Aetolia-Acarnania, a town in Greece*Platanos, Crete, a village in Chania, Greece...
Historical population
| Year | Town population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 9,012 | - |
| 1991 | 10,854 | 15,045 |
| 2001 | 12,924 | 18,231 |
Sports Teams
- Nafpaktiakos Asteras F.C.Nafpaktiakos Asteras F.C.Nafpaktiakos Asteras is the representative football club of the town of Naupactus, Greece. It was formed by the conjunction of two former clubs of the city: Nafpaktiakos and Asteras Nafpaktou, in 1958...