Pyrgos, Elis
Encyclopedia
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 144 km from Tripoli
. It is bypassed by GR-9/E-55 or GR-74 (eastbound) to its east. The town of Katakolo
lies 12 km to the west. Olympia
is also nearby, as are Agios Georgios
to the north and Lampeti
to the east. The Alfeios River
is about 4 km to the south. The population of Pyrgos is 34,902 people. Television stations include Cosmos and ORT (Olympiaki Radiophonio Teleorassi, literally Olympic Broadcasting Television).
The municipality Pyrgos was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It is named after a local tower. The city is located in the western part of the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, in the middle of a plain near the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
. It is 96 km away 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...
via Greek National Road 9
Greek National Road 9
Greek National Road 9 is the second-longest national highway of Greece. It runs through the western Peloponnese, from Patras to Pylos. Its length is around .This highway travels near:*Bypasses:*Patras and Area, since 2002*Vrachneika*Alissos*Kato Achaia...
, 320 km 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...
, and 144 km from 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...
. It is bypassed by GR-9/E-55 or GR-74 (eastbound) to its east. The town of Katakolo
Katakolo
Katakolo is a seaside town in western Ilia in the municipality of Pyrgos. It is located south of Patras and Dounaiika, 12 km off downtown Pyrgos, west of Olympia and northwest of Messenia...
lies 12 km to the west. 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...
is also nearby, as are Agios Georgios
Agios Georgios (Pyrgos), Greece
Agios Georgios is a community located at , about 2 km north of Pyrgos. It is part of the municipality of Pyrgos. It is located on a road connecting Pyrgos with Oinoi and Simopoulo. The nearby communities are Lasteika to the north, Lampeti to the east and Pyrgos to the south and west. Its...
to the north and Lampeti
Lampeti
Lampeti also Lambeti or Labeti , older form Lambetion, is a suburban village in the municipality of Pyrgos in the prefecture of Ilia. It is located about 96 km S of Patras, 30 km S of Simopoulo, nearly 47 km SE of Kyllini. It is not recognized as a community or a settlement but a part of Pyrgos...
to the east. The Alfeios River
Alfeios River
Alfeiós is the longest river in the Peloponnese, in Greece. The river is 110 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Arcadia and Ilia. Its source is near Megalopoli in the highlands of Arcadia. The river begins near Davia in central Arcadia, then flows between Leontari and Megalopoli through a...
is about 4 km to the south. The population of Pyrgos is 34,902 people. Television stations include Cosmos and ORT (Olympiaki Radiophonio Teleorassi, literally Olympic Broadcasting Television).
Historical population
| Year | Town population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 21,958 | - |
| 1991 | 28,465 | 39,183 |
| 2001 | 23,791 | 32,090 |
Municipality
- IardanosIardanosIardanos is a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pyrgos, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat of administration was the village Vounargo. Vounargo is accessed by GR-9 about 3 km west. The hills are to...
- OleniOleniOleni is a village and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pyrgos, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Karatoula. It is located about 20 km S of Simopoulo, NE of Pyrgos, SE...
- Pyrgos
- VolakasVolakas, ElisVolakas is a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pyrgos, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat of administration was in the town of Epitalio. Epitalio is accessed by GR-9 to the north and south which until the...
Subdivisions
The municipal unit of Pyrgos is divided into the following communities (settlements within the communities given in brackets):- Pyrgos (Pyrgos, Anthopyrgos, Kavasilakia, Syntriada, Tragano)
- Agios Georgios
- Agios Ilias (Agios Ilias, Pyrgi, Stamatelaiika)
- Agios Ioannis (Agios Ioannis, Kyani Akti, Palatas, Tragano)
- Ampelonas (Ampelonas, Kouzouli, Rozeika)
- Elaionas (Elaionas, Vytinaiika)
- Granitsaiika (Granitsaiika, Kavouri)
- KatakoloKatakoloKatakolo is a seaside town in western Ilia in the municipality of Pyrgos. It is located south of Patras and Dounaiika, 12 km off downtown Pyrgos, west of Olympia and northwest of Messenia...
(Katakolo, Agios Andreas) - KoliriKoliriKoliri, is one of the biggest villages near Pyrgos, Greece, in the prefecture of Ilia. The GR-74 is 2 km south and the GR-9/E55 is west of the junction and about 3 to 4 km from the village....
(Koliri, Kolireikes Paragkes) - KorakochoriKorakochoriKorakochori is a village in the municipality of Pyrgos, Elis, Greece. As of 2001, it had a population of 211 for the village and 284 for the municipal district...
(Korakochori, Agios Andreas, Kallithea, Bouka) - LasteikaLasteikaLasteika , older form: Lastaiika is a village in the northwestern part of the municipality of Pyrgos, Ilia Prefecture, Greece. GR-9/E55 is only less than 1 km E of the town. It is located on a road linking Katakolo and Oinoi with the Oinoi to Pyrgos Road which is also connected to Simopoulo...
(Lasteika, Itia) - LeventochoriLeventochori, IliaLeventochori is a village in the municipality of Pyrgos, Elis, Greece. As of 2001, it had a population of 271. Located by the Ionian Sea and the Zakynthos Strait.-Nearest places:*Skafidia, north*Skourochori, east...
- MyrtiaMyrtia, IliaMyrtia or Myrtea, is a village in the municipality of Pyrgos, Elis, Greece. As of 2001, it had a population of 788. Located between the Gulf of Corinth and the GR-8 .-Nearest places:...
- Palaiovarvasaina (Palaiovarvasaina, Agios Georgios, Kampos)
- Salmoni (Salmoni, AlfeiosAlfeios (village)Alfeios is a small Greek village or settlement with a population of about 39 people and is situated approximately 5 miles east of the city of Pyrgos, Elis. The main attractions of the village are the church of Metamorphosseos tou Sotiros and the church of Saint Raphael built by one of the villagers...
) - SkafidiaSkafidiaSkafidia is a Greek settlement located about 10 km northwest of Pyrgos, about 95 km south-southwest of Patras and about 20 km south of Amaliada. Skafidia is located 4 km west of the GR-9/E55 at the 93rd km and are linked with the road connecting Vounargo and Katakolo and the...
(Skafidia, Kalakaiika, Moni Skafidias, Patronikoleika) - SkourochoriSkourochoriSkourochori is a village in the municipality of Pyrgos, Elis, Greece. As of 2001, it had a population of 584 for the village, and 702 for the community...
(Skourochori, Kato Kavouri) - Varvasaina (Varvasaina, Kato Varvasaina)
- Vytinaiika
Transportation
Pyrgos has a train station with regular trains between Katakolon and Olympia, as well as other cities in Peloponese. It also has a bus terminal with regular buses to some of the villages in Ilias as well as to larger cities such as Patras, Ioannina, Athens and Thessaloniki.Notable people
- Andreas AvgerinosAndreas AvgerinosAndreas Avgerinos was a Greek politician from Elis.He was born in Pyrgos, now in Elis Prefecture, one year before the start of the Greek War of Independence. His father was the famous Dimitrios Avgerinos who studied Pyrgioti families. He was a prefectural leader of Attica and chief of the police...
(1820–1895), politician - Petros AvgerinosPetros Avgerinos-Biography:He was born in Pyrgos, Elis and was related to the Avgerinos family. He was mayor of Pyrgos a number of times between 1868 and 1889.During his term as mayor, he created the public market, the Apollo Theatre, and organised work on the Pyrgos-Katakolo railway line...
(19th century), politician, mayor of Pyrgos - Nakis AvgerinosNakis AvgerinosNakis Avgerinos was a Greek politician.He was born in Pyrgos, Ilia, modern-day Elis Prefecture, the son of Charalampos Avgerinos, mayor of Pyrgos, a relative of the old Pyrgiotiki family dominated local politics for over a century. Avgerinos studied in Athens and became a judge in Patras and later...
(1911–2001), politician - Giorgos KaragounisGiorgos KaragounisGiorgos Karagounis is a Greek footballer who currently plays for Panathinaikos . He is best remembered for scoring the first goal of UEFA Euro 2004, a very long range effort that helped his team to win the opening game of the tournament, in which the Greeks surprisingly emerged as champions.His...
(1977-), footballer - Kostas KazakosKostas KazakosKostas Kazakos is a Greek actor, director, and politician.He was married to the famous actress Tzeni Karezi with whom he has a son...
(1935-), actor and politician - George PavlopoulosGeorge PavlopoulosGeorge Pavlopoulos was a Greek poet, relatively unknown outside Greece, but admired within his own country by fellow poets such as George Seferis....
(1924-), poet - Takis SinopoulosTakis SinopoulosTakis Sinopoulos was a Greek poet and a leading figure among the so-called first postwar generation of Greek poets...
(1917–1981), poet - Stephanos StephanopoulosStephanos StephanopoulosStefanos Stefanopoulos was a Greek politician. He was a moderate conservative, and served as a cabinet member during Alexandros Papagos' government...
(1898–1982), politician and 165th Prime Minister of Greece
External links
| North: Iardanos | ||
| West: Ionian Sea Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and... | Pyrgos | East: 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... |
| South: Volakas |