Petroupoli
Encyclopedia
Petroupoli is a suburb in the northwestern part of Athens
Metropolitan Area, in Greece
. The two peaks of Mount Aigaleo lie to the north and west of the suburb, and is located ESE of Eleusis, S of the Attiki Odos
(Exit number 6), W of Kifissou Avenue (GR-1
/E75
, and Athens
, NW of Poseidonos Avenue and N of Piraeus
. Its main streets, (25 March Ave., Anatolikis Romylias St. and Perikleous St.), connect the town with Ilio, Greece and Peristeri
.
The streets in the central part of Petroupoli run southwest to northeast, and southeast to northwest, and the southern and the eastern residential streets are mixed. The area's junior football (soccer) team is named Aris Petroupoli.
), 5 public upper secondary schools (lyceum
s) and one public Technical Secondary School (EPAL). It also takes in a number of bank branches, including services as Cirrus, Maestro and Visa, a police station, a post office, supermarkets, parks and sporting fields, including several near the mountainside, and the area's squares (plateies
).
ASDA (Association for the Development of Western Athens) regards Petroupoli as the most developed western suburb of the capital.http://home.asda.gr/WestAthens/petroup.asp
(Panhellenic Socialist Movement). In 2006 elections, Vlachos was re-elected, earning more than 42% of the votes.In the 2010 elections,another communist mayor,Thomas Kotsambas was elected after the eight-year Vlachos era,making Petroupoli the only municipality in Greece that has a mayor supported by the Communist Party.
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...
Metropolitan Area, in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The two peaks of Mount Aigaleo lie to the north and west of the suburb, and is located ESE of Eleusis, S of 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...
(Exit number 6), W of Kifissou Avenue (GR-1
Greek National Road 1
The Greek Motorway 1 is a motorway, partly under construction, and the 2nd longest in Greece. It is the principal north-south road connection in Greece, connecting the country's capital Athens with the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia, as well as the country's second largest city,...
/E75
European route E75
European route E 75 is part of the International E-road network, which is a series of main roads in Europe.The E 75 starts from Vardø, Norway in the Barents Sea and runs south through Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Republic of Macedonia to Sitia, Greece on...
, and 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...
, NW of Poseidonos Avenue and N of Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
. Its main streets, (25 March Ave., Anatolikis Romylias St. and Perikleous St.), connect the town with Ilio, Greece and Peristeri
Peristeri
Peristeri is a suburban municipality in Athens, Greece, located about 5 km NW of the downtown area. The municipality is bordered by the Cephissus/Cephissos River, Athinon Avenue , Chaidari in the west and Petroupoli in the northwest, with a size of around...
.
Geography
The areas of Petroupoli were once, as elsewhere in the region, mainly made up of farmlands and pasture farming and groves were common. Urban development replaced much of the farmlands between the 1950s and 1990s, and continued until the late 1990s, though rarely further. Today, the eastern and central parts of the municipality are urbanized or residential. The rocky landscape of Aigaleo with a few bushes lies to the west and to the north, and mining was common in the western section between the 1960s and the late 20th century; one of the abandoned quarries located nearly 1 km northwest was turned into a park, and some also became sporting areas. The area's mountain range lies along its municipal boundary to the northwest, and the northern part of the mountaintop lies north of city hall. The Petra Festival takes place every summer.The streets in the central part of Petroupoli run southwest to northeast, and southeast to northwest, and the southern and the eastern residential streets are mixed. The area's junior football (soccer) team is named Aris Petroupoli.
History
The history of this city is believed to date to the mid-1930s, when a newspaper began to distribute building grounds via coupons to its readers.Information
Petroupoli today incorporates a number of private and 15 public kindergartens, 12 primary schools (11 public and 1 private), 6 public lower secondary schools (gymnasiaGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
), 5 public upper secondary schools (lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
s) and one public Technical Secondary School (EPAL). It also takes in a number of bank branches, including services as Cirrus, Maestro and Visa, a police station, a post office, supermarkets, parks and sporting fields, including several near the mountainside, and the area's squares (plateies
Plateia
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...
).
ASDA (Association for the Development of Western Athens) regards Petroupoli as the most developed western suburb of the capital.http://home.asda.gr/WestAthens/petroup.asp
Mayors and elections
In this area there was once a great tradition of mayors supported by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). For many years, the suburb's mayor was Nicolaos Paximadas, supported by the KKE. Following his retirement, another candidate endorsed by KKE, Giorgos Giogos, became mayor of the area for the 8 years between 1994 and 2002. In 2002, candidate Stefanos Vlachos was elected, endorsed by both another left party, Synaspismos, and PASOKPanhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
(Panhellenic Socialist Movement). In 2006 elections, Vlachos was re-elected, earning more than 42% of the votes.In the 2010 elections,another communist mayor,Thomas Kotsambas was elected after the eight-year Vlachos era,making Petroupoli the only municipality in Greece that has a mayor supported by the Communist Party.
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 27,902 |
| 1991 | 38,278 |
| 2001 | 48,327 |