Pelopio
Encyclopedia
Pelopio is a Greek
settlement. Pelopio is related with the name Pelops
. Pelopio is bypassed with the old GR-74
(Pyrgos - Tripoli
) at around the 131st to 132nd km and had been since the mid to late 20th century. Pelopio had a 2001 population of 1,057 for the village. Pelopio is in the municipality of Ancient Olympia
.
15 km east of Pyrgos
, 5 km of Olympia, about 115 km (old: 113 km) south-southwest of Patras
, about 6 to 8 km west-northwest of Ancient Olympia, about 130 km west of Tripoli
Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. It was linked with pavement in the 1980s. Most of the homes are abandoned today.
After World War II and the Greek Civil War
, much of the population left for larger towns and cities like Patras
Athens
and Thessaloniki
while other few people immigrated to other countries like Germany, Switzerland, the United States and Canada. The population remained steady since the mid to late 20th century. The population slowly grew but another town called Platanos located to the east jumped over its population which dropped to being third in the municipality after Olympia and before Chelidoni
as a village and Strefi as a municipal district.
The village was endangered by a fire
that arrived from the south of the banks of the Alfeios, flames plundered the forests around the area and changed its geographical shape to an ashy situation, some flames came from the northwest which included Varvasaina. Firefighters battled the blaze along with choppers and airplanes and began on Saturday August 25 and continued through Monday August 27, 2007.
The surroundings of Pelopio was hit by a tornado in early November 2009. Minor damages were reported including its buildings. Several greenhouses used for vegetables were ruined and one person lost about 20 to 30 of its cattle.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
settlement. Pelopio is related with the name Pelops
Pelops
In Greek mythology, Pelops , was king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus. He was the founder of the House of Atreus through his son of that name....
. Pelopio is bypassed with the old GR-74
Greek National Road 74
Greek National Road 74 is a highway linking Pyrgos, Olympia, Tripoli and GR-7/E65. The west to east highway runs in the western and the central part of the Peloponnese. The highway begins in Pyrgos and into the hills and Olympia and used to ran through narrow roads which now bypasses Pyrgos and...
(Pyrgos - Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
) at around the 131st to 132nd km and had been since the mid to late 20th century. Pelopio had a 2001 population of 1,057 for the village. Pelopio is in the municipality of Ancient 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...
.
History
The village was founded in the 15th century during the Ottoman rule. It was founded by Turkish-Albanians who named it originally "Krekouki" which means in their language the red head. It was named later Pelopio which comes by the King of Peloponnese Pelopas, who probably stopped in this area to drink where he gave his name to that place.Distances
This village is located about 320 km southwest of AthensAthens
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...
15 km east of Pyrgos
Pyrgos, Elis
Pyrgos is the capital of the Elis peripheral unit in Greece. It is named after a local tower. The city is located in the western part of the Peloponnese, in the middle of a plain near the Ionian Sea. It is 96 km away from Patras via Greek National Road 9, 320 km from Athens, and...
, 5 km of Olympia, about 115 km (old: 113 km) south-southwest of 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...
, about 6 to 8 km west-northwest of Ancient Olympia, about 130 km west of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 924 |
| 1991 | 1,023 |
| 2001 | 1,057 |
Geography
Pelopio is located north of the Alfeios valley. It contains many hills and forests around the area and are as tall as from 30 to 50 m. Farmlands are located within the village and the valley area. Forests includes pines, firs, spruces and cypresses.Information
Pelopio has approximately 10 to 15 km of paved roads and 15 to 20 km of gravel roads. Pelopio also has approximately 10 km of hydro lines as well as phone lines.Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. It was linked with pavement in the 1980s. Most of the homes are abandoned today.
After World War II 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...
, much of the population left for larger towns and cities like 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...
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...
and Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
while other few people immigrated to other countries like Germany, Switzerland, the United States and Canada. The population remained steady since the mid to late 20th century. The population slowly grew but another town called Platanos located to the east jumped over its population which dropped to being third in the municipality after Olympia and before Chelidoni
Chelidoni
Chelidoni is a village in Elis in Greece. Chelidoni is in the municipality of Ancient Olympia. Its 2001 population was 676 for the village. It is located about 15 to 20 km north of the GR-74 and is lined with the road linking Pyrgos and Lalas.-Distances:Chelidoni is located about...
as a village and Strefi as a municipal district.
The village was endangered by a 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 arrived from the south of the banks of the Alfeios, flames plundered the forests around the area and changed its geographical shape to an ashy situation, some flames came from the northwest which included Varvasaina. Firefighters battled the blaze along with choppers and airplanes and began on Saturday August 25 and continued through Monday August 27, 2007.
The surroundings of Pelopio was hit by a tornado in early November 2009. Minor damages were reported including its buildings. Several greenhouses used for vegetables were ruined and one person lost about 20 to 30 of its cattle.