Volos
Encyclopedia
Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly
situated midway on the Greek
mainland, about 326 km north of Athens
and 215 km south of Thessaloniki
. It is the capital of the Magnesia peripheral unit.
and at the foot of Mount Pilio or Pelion
(the land of the Centaurs), Volos is the only outlet towards the sea from Thessaly
, the country's largest agricultural region. With a population of 144,420 (2011) and a prefecture of around 200,000, it is an important industrial centre , while its port provides a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Volos is the third of Greece's major commercial ports, but also gains significant traffic because of its connections by ferry and hydrofoil to the nearby Sporades
Islands, which include Skiathos
, Skopelos
and Alonissos
. There are also connections to Limnos, Lesvos, Chios
and Skyros
.
Volos is the newest of the Greek port cities, with a remarkably large proportion of modern buildings, erected following the catastrophic earthquakes of 1955. It includes the municipalities
of Volos, Nea Ionia and Iolkos, as well as smaller suburban communities. The economy of the city is based on manufacturing, trade, services and tourism, and with its improved infrastructure the city is becoming more dynamic. Home to the University of Thessaly
, one of the most important in the country, the city also offers a wide range of facilities for the organisation of conferences, exhibitions and major cultural and scientific events, together with international-standard sporting amenities.
Volos participated in the 1996 Olympic Games, and as an Olympic City it helped to present a new face of contemporary Greece to a world audience. The city has also since played host to a succession of athletic events, such as the European Athletic Championships.
, Pagasae
and Iolcos
. Demetrias was established by Demetrius Poliorcetes, King of Macedon. Iolkos, Iolcos or Iolcus, was the homeland of mythological hero Jason
, who boarded the ship Argo
accompanied by the Argonauts
and sailed in quest of the Golden Fleece
to Colchis
. To the west of Volos lie the Neolithic settlements of Dimini
, with a ruined acropolis
, walls, and two beehive tombs dating to between 4000-1200 BC, Sesklo
, with the remains of the oldest acropolis in Greece (6000 BC), and also the foundations of a palace and mansions , among its most characteristic examples of Neolithic
civilisation.
historian of the 14th century, Volos was known as "Golos" (Greek: "Γόλος"). The most widely accepted theory for the derivation of the city's name suggests that Volos is a corruption of the Mycenaean
Iolkos, which had become distorted through the ages to become "Golkos", later "Golos", and subsequently "Volos". Others contend that the name originates with Folos, who according to myth was a wealthy landlord of the region. It was conquered by Stefan Dusan, was king of Serbia
in 1348 and was managed for 25 years. Volos returned to Byzantine
rule in 1373 but was conquered by Ottomans in 1393. Volos returned to Byzantine again in 1402 but Ottomans retook it in 1423.
sanjak and was bounded to Yanya
, Selanik
and Manastır
vilayets after the second half of 17th century. Since the early stages of the Greek Revolution, the provisional government of Greece claimed Volos as part of Greek national territory, but the Treaty of Constantinople (1832)
, which established a Greek independent state, set its northern
boundary between Arta
and Volos.
.
In 1858 the town had just 80 houses, most of which lay along the waterfront, approximately where Iasonos Street can be found today. After its incorporation into Greece from the Ottoman Empire
in 1881, the town had a population of only 4,900, but grew rapidly in the next four decades as merchants, businessmen, craftsmen and sailors gravitated toward it from the surrounding area. In the 1920s a large influx of refugees to the settlement took place, especially from Ionia
, but also from Pontus
, Cappadocia
and Eastern Thrace
. In 1882, Andreas Syngros
established the Privileged Bank of Epirus and Thessaly, which the National Bank of Greece
acquired in 1899 after its founder's death. Volos was occupied by Ottomans in 8 May, 1897 during Greco Turkish War
. This occupation was lasted 5 months.
In its 1920 census, Volos recorded 30,046 inhabitants, but by the 1928 census the figure had grown to 47,892. In fact, Volos had a total population of 41,706, with the refugees of the "Asia Minor Catastrophe" comprising 6,779 of these (16.25%). In the Nea Ionia
district, the total population was 6,186, and the refugees 5,166 (83.51%). Overall, the total number of refugees in the Municipality of Pagasses (Volos and Nea Ionia) numbered 11,945, of which refugees accounted for 25%.
The development of the city was closely bound up with the establishment of its industrial estate, the upgrading of the port, and the growth of tourism
, due to the city's location near the scenic Mt. Pelion
, the home of Chiron
the Centaur
and the beautiful beaches of the Magnesia Prefecture
, particularly those of the Northern Sporades
. The city has been linked with a number of significant social movements in the past, such as the early teaching of Dimotiki, by Delmouzos in the early 20th century (when Katharevousa was the officially sanctioned version). Volos is also well known for its assortment of mezedes and a clear, alcoholic beverage known as tsipouro
.
A street in a sister city, Rostov-on-Don, bears the name Улица Греческого Города Волос (Street of the Greek City of Volos), weaving through a picturesque mix of early 20th century century buildings with characteristic inner yards, tiered balconies and open iron stairs that lend the old Rostov its characteristic Mediterranean look.
was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 9 former municipalities, that became municipal units:
Three main rivers/mountain torrents all rise from mount Pelion
(1651m), crossing the city to create a unique urban geography, before ending in the Pagasetic Gulf
flowing west. The Anavros
river, famous for Jason
's pass, divides Nea Demetriada district from the rest of the urban area. Krausidonas
is the major river passing through the city, and constitutes the natural lung of the urbanized area of Volos, as well as the boundary between the major municipalities of the metropolitan city, the municipalities of Volos and Nea Ionia
. Xirias (Ξηριάς), is the largest torrent of the metropolitan urban area of Volos, and passes through the Nea Ionia municipal area.
Of great importance for the biological diversity of the area, and the preservation of its climate, is the swamp of Bourboulithra
, a wide aquatic ecosystem
located west of the city center at Neapoli district. The main feature of this wetland is the apparent rarity of its survival in a densely populated urban area and among port facilities, and its significant level of biodiversity, with over 100 species observed by the established watch post of the Ecological Initiative of Magnesia. Today as the port expands, a new threat rises for the river delta at the northern point of the Pagasetic Gulf
, affecting the richness of its flora and fauna.
The city boundary at its south-eastern corner is considered one of the main foothills of Mount Pelion
, the hill of Goritsa, which separates the city from Agria
. The paleolithic
settlement at its higher reaches is a centre for recreational activities.
Volos, as a Mediterranean city, experiences a typical climate of neither particularly high nor extremely low temperatures throughout the year. Its climate is one of a low humidity, favourable for all kinds of activities. The Pelion
mountain, with its own microclimate, affects the city's weather. The graph below illustrates Volos' climatic conditions.
The city of Volos was flooded on October 10, 2006, in one of the prefecture's worst recorded floods; the inundation devastated crops, groves and many homes. A railroad bridge connecting Volos and Larissa collapsed when the central stone support was ruined by a combination of rocks, mud and debris carried by a swollen river, and almost one fifth of the city faced severe mudslides.
town planning. The plan connected the two city-centers (The Castle and Nea Magazia) along a simple axis; it was, however, somewhat limited given the full development possibilities of the city. The arrival of its refugees in 1922 and the earthquakes of 1955 gave Volos its present form.
. Public buildings conformed to this style and prestigious private buildings belonging to prosperous merchants were particularly sophisticated. Typical examples include:
), the Spirer Tobacco warehouse (1926 home of the Drury University
Center), the Styxnokarpos Factory (1929), the Papastratos Tobacco
warehouse, and the Matsangos Tobacco warehouse, amongst many.
, is linked with the Asia Minor
disaster, the torching of Smyrna
and the displacement of 2,000,000 Greeks and Turks from their often affluent ancestral homes. In late February 1924 refugee houses were erected on the arid
land of Xirokambos; these were known as Tetragona, or Squares, and formed the Volos refugee settlement. In the summer of 1925 the first houses were complete, called Tsimedenia, and built at the west end of the central square, whilst some years later the Petrina appeared further west. Together with the Tzamaliotica and Germanica houses at the east they make up the atmosphere of the settlement tangible today. Many of these structures still present their original appearance, while others have been partially rebuilt with new functions (municipal uses). There are plans to rebuild the area around the central square to incorporate wider uses than those of the present day.
. At this time the city had a population of around 4,000, mostly distributed around the old castle city (Palaia
District today). Over the following century the city multiplied its population, reaching an overall population of approximately 150,000, including both permanent and temporary citizens, as well as university students.
A large proportion of the population (today, around 34% of the total) derives from the refugee population, established in the area in 1924, while another population group, comprising almost 30%, are the internal immigrants of Thessaly
, whose consolidation began in 1890 and reached its peak in the late 1970s. The remaining population is mainly from Pelion
and Almyros
county, as well as from elsewhere in Greece. A significant number of inhabitants from elsewhere in Europe have also lived and continue to live in the city.
The city represents a fully urbanized Greek city with a large population in tertiary employment; 52%; 42% in secondary and less than 6% in primary employment. Volos today attracts more than 65% of Magnesia
's perfectural population.
- Thessaloníki
) and its port. Industry is intensely specialized in steel production and manufacturing, and METKA
has two large factories in the industrial area of Volos, while large factories of SIDENOR - a steel producer - operate in close proximity from the nearby city of Almyros
. Hellenic Steel industry (Ελληνική Χαλυβουργία) also has production facilities in Volos, and
AGET - Hraklis, a member of the Lafarge
group, operates one of the largest cement facilities in the world (with capacity exceeding 7,000,000tn) with its own private port, next to the city. Volos is also active in the research sector, hosting the CERETETH
.
and Central Greece
, due to the strategic position of the city's port, unique between Athens
and Thessaloniki
. Several European countries have established consulates in Volos including: Italy France Belgium Germany Denmark Netherlands
.jpg)
in Nea Anchialos
links the city to international destinations, and the Port of Volos provides links to the islands, mostly the Sporades
, as well as to some destinations in Pilio.
Highway Axis (most often known as PATHE
) with Northern and Southern Greece. Beyond this, the Axis E65 will be the gateway to Western Greece and the port of Igoumenitsa
, through the plains of inner Thessaly
; this part of the E65 motorway will be completed by 2012.
Volos (Βόλος) is the first city in Europe to feature Seaplane Services through Argo Airways, which is based in Volos. The seaplanes connect Volos with Skiathos, Skopelos, Allonisos, Athens and Thessaloniki.
Volos' railway station building was designed by Evaristo De Chirico soon after the liberation of Central Greece
. Part of the station still functions in this picturesque 1884 structure, reminiscent to some of a stately home. The adjacent neoclassical
building, built between 1900 and 1903 under Evaristo De Chirico, served as the administrative headquarters of the Thessaly Railways
.
Today, the city is served by direct lines to the rest of Greece, and the railway complex houses facilities for train maintenance. Volos is directly linked with Athens once per day, with Thessaloniki
twice per day, and with Larissa
15 times a day. In the past Volos was served by railway lines of three different gauges, the metre gauge
line of Thessaly Railways
to Kalampaka
, the standard gauge line to Larissa and the 600 mm line to Pelion
. Remnants of triple gauge
lines still exist near the station.
with: - Le Mans
, France - Pleven
, Bulgaria - Rostov-on-Don
, Russia - Smederevo
, Serbia - Sochi
, Russia - Antofagasta
, Chile
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
situated midway on the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
mainland, about 326 km north 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...
and 215 km south of 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...
. It is the capital of the Magnesia peripheral unit.
Overview
Built at the innermost point of the Pagasetic GulfPagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
and at the foot of Mount Pilio or Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
(the land of the Centaurs), Volos is the only outlet towards the sea from Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, the country's largest agricultural region. With a population of 144,420 (2011) and a prefecture of around 200,000, it is an important industrial centre , while its port provides a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Volos is the third of Greece's major commercial ports, but also gains significant traffic because of its connections by ferry and hydrofoil to the nearby Sporades
Sporades
The Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. It consists of 24 islands, of which four are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.-Administration:...
Islands, which include Skiathos
Skiathos
Skiathos is a small Greek island in the northwest Aegean Sea. Skiathos is the westernmost island in the Northern Sporades group, east of the Pelion peninsula in Magnesia on the mainland, and west of the island of Skopelos.-Geography:...
, Skopelos
Skopelos
Skopelos , ancient Peparethos or Peparethus , is a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group. The island is located east of mainland Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea and is part of the Thessaly Periphery....
and Alonissos
Alonissos
Alonnisos , also transliterated as Alonissos or Alonisos, is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. After Skiathos and Skopelos it is the third member of the Northern Sporades. It is 3 km E of the island of Skopelos...
. There are also connections to Limnos, Lesvos, Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
and Skyros
Skyros
Skyros is an island in Greece, the southernmost of the Sporades, an archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Around the 2nd millennium BC and slightly later, the island was known as The Island of the Magnetes where the Magnetes used to live and later Pelasgia and Dolopia and later Skyros...
.
Volos is the newest of the Greek port cities, with a remarkably large proportion of modern buildings, erected following the catastrophic earthquakes of 1955. It includes the municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Volos, Nea Ionia and Iolkos, as well as smaller suburban communities. The economy of the city is based on manufacturing, trade, services and tourism, and with its improved infrastructure the city is becoming more dynamic. Home to the University of Thessaly
University of Thessaly
The University of Thessaly is a university in Thessaly, Greece, founded in 1984. The university is based in Volos, but operates campuses in Larissa, Trikala and Karditsa...
, one of the most important in the country, the city also offers a wide range of facilities for the organisation of conferences, exhibitions and major cultural and scientific events, together with international-standard sporting amenities.
Volos participated in the 1996 Olympic Games, and as an Olympic City it helped to present a new face of contemporary Greece to a world audience. The city has also since played host to a succession of athletic events, such as the European Athletic Championships.
Antiquity
Modern Volos is built on the area of the ancient cities of DemetriasDemetrias
Demetrias was an ancient Greek city in Magnesia , near the modern city of Volos. It was founded by Demetrius Poliorcetes, one of the successors of Alexander the Great.-External links:*...
, Pagasae
Pagasae
Pagasae was a coastal city in ancient Magnesia , now a suburb of the modern city of Volos. It flourished in the 400s and 300s BC. The only usable harbor in Thessaly was located on the Gulf of Pagasae, as it was known in antiquity...
and Iolcos
Iolcos
Iolcos is an ancient city, a modern village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located in central Magnesia, north of the Pagasitic Gulf. Its land area is only...
. Demetrias was established by Demetrius Poliorcetes, King of Macedon. Iolkos, Iolcos or Iolcus, was the homeland of mythological hero Jason
Jason
Jason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
, who boarded the ship Argo
Argo
In Greek mythology, the Argo was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to retrieve the Golden Fleece. It was named after its builder, Argus.-Legend:...
accompanied by the Argonauts
Argonauts
The Argonauts ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, the Argo, which was named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts", therefore, literally means...
and sailed in quest of the Golden Fleece
Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece is the fleece of the gold-haired winged ram, which can be procured in Colchis. It figures in the tale of Jason and his band of Argonauts, who set out on a quest by order of King Pelias for the fleece in order to place Jason rightfully on the throne of Iolcus...
to Colchis
Colchis
In ancient geography, Colchis or Kolkhis was an ancient Georgian state kingdom and region in Western Georgia, which played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the Georgian nation.The Kingdom of Colchis contributed significantly to the development of medieval Georgian...
. To the west of Volos lie the Neolithic settlements of Dimini
Dimini
Dimini is a village near the city of Volos, in Thessaly , in Magnesia. It was the seat of the municipality of Aisonia. The name Aisonia dates back to ancient times and it is the westernmost place in the Volos area. The Dimini area contains both a Mycenean settlement and a Neolithic settlement...
, with a ruined acropolis
Acropolis
Acropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citadel . For purposes of defense, early people naturally chose elevated ground to build a new settlement, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...
, walls, and two beehive tombs dating to between 4000-1200 BC, Sesklo
Sesklo
Sesklo is a village nearby the city of Volos, in Thessaly , in the prefecture of Magnesia. It is part of the municipality Aisonia...
, with the remains of the oldest acropolis in Greece (6000 BC), and also the foundations of a palace and mansions , among its most characteristic examples of Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
civilisation.
Byzantine era
According to a ByzantineByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
historian of the 14th century, Volos was known as "Golos" (Greek: "Γόλος"). The most widely accepted theory for the derivation of the city's name suggests that Volos is a corruption of the Mycenaean
Mycenaean Greece
Mycenaean Greece was a cultural period of Bronze Age Greece taking its name from the archaeological site of Mycenae in northeastern Argolis, in the Peloponnese of southern Greece. Athens, Pylos, Thebes, and Tiryns are also important Mycenaean sites...
Iolkos, which had become distorted through the ages to become "Golkos", later "Golos", and subsequently "Volos". Others contend that the name originates with Folos, who according to myth was a wealthy landlord of the region. It was conquered by Stefan Dusan, was king of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
in 1348 and was managed for 25 years. Volos returned to 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...
rule in 1373 but was conquered by Ottomans in 1393. Volos returned to Byzantine again in 1402 but Ottomans retook it in 1423.
Ottoman era
The city marked a Southern border of Vilayet-i Rumeli-i Şarki in the Ottoman Empire, known then as "Golos". It was as kaza centre in TırhalaTrikala
Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece. It is the capital of the Trikala peripheral unit, and is located NW of Athens, NW, of Karditsa, E of Ioannina and Metsovo, S of Grevena, SW of Thessaloniki, and W of Larissa...
sanjak and was bounded to Yanya
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
, Selanik
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...
and Manastır
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
vilayets after the second half of 17th century. Since the early stages of the Greek Revolution, the provisional government of Greece claimed Volos as part of Greek national territory, but the Treaty of Constantinople (1832)
Treaty of Constantinople (1832)
The Τreaty of Constantinople was the product of the Constantinople Conference which opened in February 1832 with the participation of the Great Powers on the one hand and the Ottoman Empire on the other. The factors which shaped the treaty included the refusal of Léopold, King of Belgium, to...
, which established a Greek independent state, set its northern
Northern
-Geography:* Northern , various regions, states, territories, etc.* Northern Range, a range of hills in Trinidad* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States-Education:* Northern University , various institutions...
boundary between Arta
Arta, Greece
Arta is a city with a rich history in northwestern Greece, capital of the peripheral unit of Arta, which is part of Epirus region. The city was known in ancient times as Ambracia . Arta is famous for its old bridge located over the Arachthos River, situated west of downtown...
and Volos.
Modern Volos
Volos is a relatively new city, beginning its strongest growth in the mid 19th century where an insignificant Turkish hamlet used to lie. According to local evidence, the modern town was first established in 1841. One of its first known inhabitants was an Epirote, Nicolaos Gatsos; according to travellers of the time he laid the foundation stone for its first house. The locality of its castle was named Golos by Ottomans and locals, while Ano Volos was known as Gkolos, although some historians suggest Kastria of Volos. In 1830 Koumas referred to it as Iolkos; others also referred to it as Nea Demetrias, after ancient DemetriasDemetrias
Demetrias was an ancient Greek city in Magnesia , near the modern city of Volos. It was founded by Demetrius Poliorcetes, one of the successors of Alexander the Great.-External links:*...
.
In 1858 the town had just 80 houses, most of which lay along the waterfront, approximately where Iasonos Street can be found today. After its incorporation into Greece from 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...
in 1881, the town had a population of only 4,900, but grew rapidly in the next four decades as merchants, businessmen, craftsmen and sailors gravitated toward it from the surrounding area. In the 1920s a large influx of refugees to the settlement took place, especially from Ionia
Ionia
Ionia is an ancient region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey, the region nearest İzmir, which was historically Smyrna. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements...
, but also from Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
, Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
and Eastern Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
. In 1882, Andreas Syngros
Andreas Syngros
Andreas Syngros was a Greek banker from Istanbul, at the time known internationally as Constantinople, and a philanthropist.Born in Istanbul to Chiot parents, Syngros was one of the founders of the Bank of Constantinople along with Stephanos Skouloudis. Syngros married Iphigenia Mavrokordatou of...
established the Privileged Bank of Epirus and Thessaly, which the National Bank of Greece
National Bank of Greece
The National Bank of Greece is the oldest and largest commercial banking group in Greece. The group has a particularly strong presence in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean...
acquired in 1899 after its founder's death. Volos was occupied by Ottomans in 8 May, 1897 during Greco Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1897)
The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days' War and known as the Black '97 in Greece, was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and Ottoman Empire. Its immediate cause was the question over the status of the Ottoman province of Crete, whose Greek majority long desired union...
. This occupation was lasted 5 months.
In its 1920 census, Volos recorded 30,046 inhabitants, but by the 1928 census the figure had grown to 47,892. In fact, Volos had a total population of 41,706, with the refugees of the "Asia Minor Catastrophe" comprising 6,779 of these (16.25%). In the Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia, Magnesia
Nea Ionia is a city and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It borders the city of Volos. The population at the 2001 census was 31,929 inhabitants. Its land area is...
district, the total population was 6,186, and the refugees 5,166 (83.51%). Overall, the total number of refugees in the Municipality of Pagasses (Volos and Nea Ionia) numbered 11,945, of which refugees accounted for 25%.
The development of the city was closely bound up with the establishment of its industrial estate, the upgrading of the port, and the growth of tourism
Tourism in Greece
Greece attracts more than 17.5 million tourists each year, contributing 15% to the nation's Gross Domestic Product. Greece has been an attraction for international visitors since antiquity for its rich and long history, Mediterranean coastline and beaches...
, due to the city's location near the scenic Mt. Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
, the home of Chiron
Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron was held to be the superlative centaur among his brethren.-History:Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being wild and lusty, overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents...
the Centaur
Centaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
and the beautiful beaches of the Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture was one of the prefectures of Greece. Its capital was Volos. It was established in 1899 from the Larissa Prefecture. The prefecture was disbanded on 1 January 2011 by the Kallikratis programme, and split into the peripheral units of Magnesia and the Sporades.The toponym is...
, particularly those of the Northern Sporades
Sporades
The Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. It consists of 24 islands, of which four are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.-Administration:...
. The city has been linked with a number of significant social movements in the past, such as the early teaching of Dimotiki, by Delmouzos in the early 20th century (when Katharevousa was the officially sanctioned version). Volos is also well known for its assortment of mezedes and a clear, alcoholic beverage known as tsipouro
Tsipouro
Tsipouro is a pomace brandy from Greece and in particular Thessaly , Epirus, Macedonia, Mani Peninsula, and the island of Crete . Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol by volume and is produced from the pomace...
.
A street in a sister city, Rostov-on-Don, bears the name Улица Греческого Города Волос (Street of the Greek City of Volos), weaving through a picturesque mix of early 20th century century buildings with characteristic inner yards, tiered balconies and open iron stairs that lend the old Rostov its characteristic Mediterranean look.
Municipality
The municipality Voloswas formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 9 former municipalities, that became municipal units:
- AgriaAgriaAgria is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies on the Pelion peninsula about 7 km from Volos.- Name :...
- AisoniaAisoniaAisonia is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,031...
- ArtemidaArtemida, MagnesiaArtemida is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,583 . The seat of the municipality was in Ano Lechonia....
- IolcosIolcosIolcos is an ancient city, a modern village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located in central Magnesia, north of the Pagasitic Gulf. Its land area is only...
- MakrinitsaMakrinitsaMakrinitsa , nicknamed "balcony of Mt. Pelion," is a village and a former community in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 5 km NE of Volos...
- Nea AnchialosNea AnchialosNea Anchialos is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated southwest of Volos and north of Almyros. It is placed on the national highway...
- Nea IoniaNea Ionia, MagnesiaNea Ionia is a city and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It borders the city of Volos. The population at the 2001 census was 31,929 inhabitants. Its land area is...
- PortariaPortariaPortaria is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located on Mt. Pelion, facing the Pagasetic Gulf, north of Volos and its suburbs...
- Volos
Geography
Volos is the administrative centre of Magnesia peripheral unit. Many of the city domains are separated through natural barricades, such as rivers.Three main rivers/mountain torrents all rise from mount Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
(1651m), crossing the city to create a unique urban geography, before ending in the Pagasetic Gulf
Pagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
flowing west. The Anavros
Anavros
The River Anavros is a torrent near the ancient city of Iolkos , flowing from Mount Pelion into the Pagasetic Gulf....
river, famous for Jason
Jason
Jason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
's pass, divides Nea Demetriada district from the rest of the urban area. Krausidonas
Krausidonas
The Krausidon, Greek: Κραυσίδων, with a length of 12 km, the longest torrent that runs solely in the interior of the Volos. It has its origin in the Pelion Mountains in central Pelion, flowing southwest to Pagasetic Gulf, Greece. ....
is the major river passing through the city, and constitutes the natural lung of the urbanized area of Volos, as well as the boundary between the major municipalities of the metropolitan city, the municipalities of Volos and Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia is a northern suburb of Athens, Greece, and a municipality of the Attica region. It has a surface train station . The suburb was named after Ionia, the region in Anatolia from which many Greeks migrated in the 1920s following the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey. It is...
. Xirias (Ξηριάς), is the largest torrent of the metropolitan urban area of Volos, and passes through the Nea Ionia municipal area.
Of great importance for the biological diversity of the area, and the preservation of its climate, is the swamp of Bourboulithra
Bourboulithra
Bourboulithra is a wetland located in the Neapoli district, west of Volos, Magnesia, Greece that isimportant for its biological diversity. The main feature of the wetland is its survival in a densely populated urban area and among port facilities, and its significant level of biodiversity, with...
, a wide aquatic ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems....
located west of the city center at Neapoli district. The main feature of this wetland is the apparent rarity of its survival in a densely populated urban area and among port facilities, and its significant level of biodiversity, with over 100 species observed by the established watch post of the Ecological Initiative of Magnesia. Today as the port expands, a new threat rises for the river delta at the northern point of the Pagasetic Gulf
Pagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
, affecting the richness of its flora and fauna.
The city boundary at its south-eastern corner is considered one of the main foothills of Mount Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
, the hill of Goritsa, which separates the city from Agria
Agria
Agria is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies on the Pelion peninsula about 7 km from Volos.- Name :...
. The paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
settlement at its higher reaches is a centre for recreational activities.
Climate
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
mountain, with its own microclimate, affects the city's weather. The graph below illustrates Volos' climatic conditions.
Natural disasters
As Greece lies in an earthquake zone, Volos cannot be excluded. A number of earthquakes have left their imprint in various domains of the city's life from urban planning to residential house design. The most well-known and devastating took place in 1954-1955, nearly demolishing the entire city including all its historic neoclassical buildings. Later that same year, a flood came to completely destroy what had been talked of until then as the urban miracle of modern Greece.The city of Volos was flooded on October 10, 2006, in one of the prefecture's worst recorded floods; the inundation devastated crops, groves and many homes. A railroad bridge connecting Volos and Larissa collapsed when the central stone support was ruined by a combination of rocks, mud and debris carried by a swollen river, and almost one fifth of the city faced severe mudslides.
Architecture
The architectural and urban setting of Volos is characterised by its grid of squares and streets, its sense of neighbourhood, its imposing neoclassical buildings, the aged industrial edifices, a number of green oases, and most obviously by the proximity of sea and harbour. These elements in combination lend Volos its atmosphere and distinctiveness, making up one of the most beautiful Greek cities. The current urban plan of Volos was largely established in 1882, shortly after the liberation of the city, and was greatly influenced by concepts of neoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
town planning. The plan connected the two city-centers (The Castle and Nea Magazia) along a simple axis; it was, however, somewhat limited given the full development possibilities of the city. The arrival of its refugees in 1922 and the earthquakes of 1955 gave Volos its present form.
Nea Magazia
Nea Magazia began construction in 1841, on the basis of a geometrically designed plan. Characteristic of this plan are the road axes lying parallel to the shore, along which developed shops and dwellings, and its central road axes today are Dimitriados street, Iasonos Street, K. Kartali Street, Diminiou, Iolkou Street and Ermou street.Neoclassical buildings
The development of the new city coincided with the flourishing of neoclassicismNeoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
. Public buildings conformed to this style and prestigious private buildings belonging to prosperous merchants were particularly sophisticated. Typical examples include:
- The 3-storeyed Hotel de France, with its impressive decorative murals (1894, IasonosJasonJason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
and K. Kartali Street) - The National BankNational Bank of GreeceThe National Bank of Greece is the oldest and largest commercial banking group in Greece. The group has a particularly strong presence in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean...
, formerly the Epirothessalian Bank(1895) - The Athens Bank (1903, today the library of University of ThessalyUniversity of ThessalyThe University of Thessaly is a university in Thessaly, Greece, founded in 1984. The university is based in Volos, but operates campuses in Larissa, Trikala and Karditsa...
) - The Achillopouleion Hospital (1901)
- The Archaeological Museum of VolosArchaeological Museum of VolosThe Archaeological Museum of Volos, also known as Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos, is a museum located in Volos, Greece, that houses many exquisite finds from early 20th century and modern archaeological excavations in Thessaly...
, Athanasakeio (1909) - The Agricultural BankATEbankThe Agricultural Bank of Greece is a commercial bank based in Athens, Greece. The bank was founded in 1929. The bank proclaimed that it would focus on the Balkan bank market, with the business activities of supporting of the agricultural sector...
(1909, formerly the Kosmadopoulos Bank) - The Cinetheater Achillion, (1925)
- The Aegli Hotel, (1927), designed by Kassiopoulos
- The Building of the Air-force High officials Club near Agios Konstantinos Park, believed to have been designed by Le CorbusierLe CorbusierCharles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
- The Bank of GreeceBank of GreeceThe Bank of Greece is the nationalcentral bank of Greece, located in Athens on Panepistimiou Street, with several branches across the country. Founded in 1927...
(1935) - The Averofeian courts of Justice
- The family houses of Kartalis, Glavanis, Kastemis, Saratsis
- The Sarafopoulos Mansion (1927), today the Volos Club
- The well preserved Regas house and its singular decorative murals, today the Lyceum of GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
women.
Industrial buildings
Volos' factories and tobacco warehouses constitute striking architectural examples of the industrial acme of the city toward the latter years of the 19th century, and particularly of the first half of the 20th century. Mainly centred on the railway and the harbour, but also within the city, their construction and design was often undertaken by well-known architects and engineers from around Europe. Many survive to this day following restoration and changes of function: outstanding among them are the Stamatopoulos engine-works(1883), the Glavani-Kazazi factory (1896), the Papageorgiou textile workshop (1905), the Mortzoukou textile workshop (1908), the Adamopoulos cotton industry plant (1908, today a gymnasium), the Papagianopoulos steel works (1909), the Volos Electricity Company Plant (dating to 1911 and today the musical and theatrical centre of Volos), the Tsalapatas brickworks factory (1925, today the National museum of Industrial Archeology), the Etmektzoglou silkworks (1926, today the Silk MuseumSilk Museum
Silk Museum can refer to any of the following:*Bsous Silk Museum, Lebanon*Korea Silk Museum*Silk Museum Heritage Centre, Macclesfield*Silk museum of Soufli*State Silk Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia*Yokohama Silk Museum...
), the Spirer Tobacco warehouse (1926 home of the Drury University
Drury University
Drury University is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Missouri.The university enrolls about 1,550 undergraduates, over 2,000 adult part-time undergraduates and around 400 graduate students in six master's programs...
Center), the Styxnokarpos Factory (1929), the Papastratos Tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
warehouse, and the Matsangos Tobacco warehouse, amongst many.
Nea Ionia Refugee settlement
The history of Nea Ionia, MagnesiaNea Ionia, Magnesia
Nea Ionia is a city and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It borders the city of Volos. The population at the 2001 census was 31,929 inhabitants. Its land area is...
, is linked with the Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
disaster, the torching of Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
and the displacement of 2,000,000 Greeks and Turks from their often affluent ancestral homes. In late February 1924 refugee houses were erected on the arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
land of Xirokambos; these were known as Tetragona, or Squares, and formed the Volos refugee settlement. In the summer of 1925 the first houses were complete, called Tsimedenia, and built at the west end of the central square, whilst some years later the Petrina appeared further west. Together with the Tzamaliotica and Germanica houses at the east they make up the atmosphere of the settlement tangible today. Many of these structures still present their original appearance, while others have been partially rebuilt with new functions (municipal uses). There are plans to rebuild the area around the central square to incorporate wider uses than those of the present day.
Demographics
Volos is a relatively new city, and according to local statistics, its growth was substantially launched in 1881 when the area became part of the former Greek KingdomKingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
. At this time the city had a population of around 4,000, mostly distributed around the old castle city (Palaia
Palaia
Palaia is a comune in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 45 km southwest of Florence and about 30 km southeast of Pisa....
District today). Over the following century the city multiplied its population, reaching an overall population of approximately 150,000, including both permanent and temporary citizens, as well as university students.
A large proportion of the population (today, around 34% of the total) derives from the refugee population, established in the area in 1924, while another population group, comprising almost 30%, are the internal immigrants of Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, whose consolidation began in 1890 and reached its peak in the late 1970s. The remaining population is mainly from Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
and Almyros
Almyros
Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
county, as well as from elsewhere in Greece. A significant number of inhabitants from elsewhere in Europe have also lived and continue to live in the city.
The city represents a fully urbanized Greek city with a large population in tertiary employment; 52%; 42% in secondary and less than 6% in primary employment. Volos today attracts more than 65% of Magnesia
Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture was one of the prefectures of Greece. Its capital was Volos. It was established in 1899 from the Larissa Prefecture. The prefecture was disbanded on 1 January 2011 by the Kallikratis programme, and split into the peripheral units of Magnesia and the Sporades.The toponym is...
's perfectural population.
Historical population
| Year | Town population | Metropolitan population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 71,378 | 103,000 |
| 1991 | 77,192 | 120,000 |
| 2001 | 141,675 | 150,000 |
Economy
Volos is one of the most industrialized provincial cities of Greece, due to its strategic location between the largest population centers of the country (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...
- Thessaloníki
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...
) and its port. Industry is intensely specialized in steel production and manufacturing, and METKA
Metka
METKA is a major Greek engineering company founded in 1962, involved in the design and construction of power plants, complex metal structures, defence equipment etc....
has two large factories in the industrial area of Volos, while large factories of SIDENOR - a steel producer - operate in close proximity from the nearby city of Almyros
Almyros
Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
. Hellenic Steel industry (Ελληνική Χαλυβουργία) also has production facilities in Volos, and
AGET - Hraklis, a member of the Lafarge
Lafarge
Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.-History:...
group, operates one of the largest cement facilities in the world (with capacity exceeding 7,000,000tn) with its own private port, next to the city. Volos is also active in the research sector, hosting the CERETETH
CERETETH
The CEnter for REsearch and TEchnology THessaly, or CE.RE.TE.TH , is a legal, non profit entity organized under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology , of the Greek Ministry of Development. CE.RE.TE.TH was established in January 2006...
.
International consulates
The city of Volos has always had a major role in the financial, economic, commercial and administrative matters of the region of ThessalyThessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
and Central Greece
Central Greece
Continental Greece or Central Greece , colloquially known as Roúmeli , is a geographical region of Greece. Its territory is divided into the administrative regions of Central Greece, Attica, and part of West Greece...
, due to the strategic position of the city's port, unique between 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...
. Several European countries have established consulates in Volos including: Italy France Belgium Germany Denmark Netherlands
Culture
Ancient
- JasonJasonJason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
, mythological hero - PeleusPeleusIn Greek mythology, Pēleus was a hero whose myth was already known to the hearers of Homer in the late 8th century BCE. Peleus was the son of Aeacus, king of the island of Aegina, and Endeïs, the oread of Mount Pelion in Thessaly; he was the father of Achilles...
, mythological hero - ChironChironIn Greek mythology, Chiron was held to be the superlative centaur among his brethren.-History:Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being wild and lusty, overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents...
, mythological creature
Notable people from Volos
- John ArgyrisJohn ArgyrisJohn Hadji Argyris was among the creators of the Finite Element Method and lately Professor at the University of Stuttgart and Director of the Institute for Statics and Dynamics of Aerospace Structures. His uncle, Constantin Carathéodory, was a Greek mathematician of the Modern Era...
, engineer (1913–2004) - Giorgio de ChiricoGiorgio de ChiricoGiorgio de Chirico was a pre-Surrealist and then Surrealist Italian painter born in Volos, Greece, to a Genovese mother and a Sicilian father. He founded the scuola metafisica art movement...
, painter (1888–1978) - Yorgos FoudoulisYorgos FoudoulisYorgos Foudoulis is a Greek classical guitarist and composer. His professional activities include performing, master classes, editing, and recording....
, musician and composer (1964) - Phaidon Gizikis, army officer and President of Greece during the junta (1917–1999)
- Lavrentis Mahairitsas, musician and songwriter (1956)
- Yiorgo MoutsiarasYiorgo MoutsiarasYiorgo Moutsiaras is a Greek orchestral conductor living in Delft since October 2005. He is conducting the Filharmonisch Orkest ’s-Hertogenbosch -an orchestra in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.- Life :...
, orchestral conductor (1976) - Theophilos HatzimihailTheophilos HatzimihailTheophilos Hatzimihail , known simply as Theophilos, was a major folk painter of Neo-Hellenic art...
, painter (1871–1934) - Kostas PapahristosKostas Papahristos-Biography:He was born in Volos in 1916 and died in Athens in 1995. He was the husband of Dimitra Seremeti and brother of Nikos. He played mostly military, police and other roles. He entered the Kokkino Milo . His marriage was childless....
, actor (1916–1995) - Vangelis, composer (1943)
- Vasileios Polymeros, rower, olympic medalist (1976)
- Nikolaos SkiathitisNikolaos SkiathitisNikolaos Skiathitis is a Greek rower.- References :* at sports-reference.com...
, rower, olympic medalist (1981) - Paraskevi TsiamitaParaskevi TsiamitaParaskevi Tsiamita is a former track and field athlete from Greece who competed in long jump and triple jump. In 1998 she improved her personal best in triple jump by approximately one metre, and became world champion in 1999 with a personal best jump of 15.07 metres...
, athlete (1972) - Olga VasdekiOlga VasdekiOlga Vasdeki is a Greek triple jumper.She was the most successful Greek triple jumper and Greek record holder until 1998, when she won the gold medal at the European Championships in Budapest, being at the time just the second female Greek athlete to be crowned European Champion after Anna Verouli...
, triple jumper (1973) - Sofia VemboSofia VemboSofia Vembo was a leading Greek singer and actress active from the interwar period to the early postwar years and the 50s. She became best known for her performance of patriotic songs during the Greco-Italian War, when she was dubbed the "Songstress of Victory".Her real name was Efi Bebo...
, singer (1910–1978)
Professional clubs
- Α.Σ. ΕΡΜΗΣ
- Olympiakos Volou FC
- Niki Volou FC
Museums and galleries
- Archaeological Museum of VolosArchaeological Museum of VolosThe Archaeological Museum of Volos, also known as Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos, is a museum located in Volos, Greece, that houses many exquisite finds from early 20th century and modern archaeological excavations in Thessaly...
- Modern History Museum of Volos City
- National Railway Museum of Greece, Railway Station of Volos
- Tsalapatas, National Museum of Industrial History
- Silk Museum, at Nea Ionia, MagnesiaNea Ionia, MagnesiaNea Ionia is a city and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It borders the city of Volos. The population at the 2001 census was 31,929 inhabitants. Its land area is...
- [ Zogia Museum Gallery]
- [ Kitsos Makris Folklore Museum]
- Athanasios Koutroumbas Insect Museum
Transport
All land transport reaches Volos, while the International Airport of Central GreeceInternational Airport of Central Greece
Nea Anchialos National Airport is an airport located near the town of Nea Anchialos in Greece. It serves the city of Volos and is also known as Volos Central Greece Airport or Volos Nea Anchialos Airport of Central Greece....
in Nea Anchialos
Nea Anchialos
Nea Anchialos is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated southwest of Volos and north of Almyros. It is placed on the national highway...
links the city to international destinations, and the Port of Volos provides links to the islands, mostly the Sporades
Sporades
The Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. It consists of 24 islands, of which four are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.-Administration:...
, as well as to some destinations in Pilio.
Motorways
Volos is linked through Greece's E75European 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...
Highway Axis (most often known as PATHE
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
) with Northern and Southern Greece. Beyond this, the Axis E65 will be the gateway to Western Greece and the port of Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa , is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani....
, through the plains of inner Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
; this part of the E65 motorway will be completed by 2012.
Airport
The city of Volos, along with the rest of Central Greece, is linked to the rest of Greece and Europe by the Nea Anchialos National Airport. The airport represents the biggest air lane in Greece after Eleftherios Venizelos, with a capacity of 800 passengers per hour and facilities for almost 10 aircraft.Volos (Βόλος) is the first city in Europe to feature Seaplane Services through Argo Airways, which is based in Volos. The seaplanes connect Volos with Skiathos, Skopelos, Allonisos, Athens and Thessaloniki.
Railway
Central Greece
Continental Greece or Central Greece , colloquially known as Roúmeli , is a geographical region of Greece. Its territory is divided into the administrative regions of Central Greece, Attica, and part of West Greece...
. Part of the station still functions in this picturesque 1884 structure, reminiscent to some of a stately home. The adjacent neoclassical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
building, built between 1900 and 1903 under Evaristo De Chirico, served as the administrative headquarters of the Thessaly Railways
Thessaly Railways
Thessaly Railways was a railway company in Greece, which owned and operated the metre gauge railway network of Thessaly and Pelion railway from 1884 to 1955, when the company was absorbed by the Hellenic State Railways...
.
Today, the city is served by direct lines to the rest of Greece, and the railway complex houses facilities for train maintenance. Volos is directly linked with Athens once per day, with 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...
twice per day, and with Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
15 times a day. In the past Volos was served by railway lines of three different gauges, the metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
line of Thessaly Railways
Thessaly Railways
Thessaly Railways was a railway company in Greece, which owned and operated the metre gauge railway network of Thessaly and Pelion railway from 1884 to 1955, when the company was absorbed by the Hellenic State Railways...
to Kalampaka
Kalampaka
Kalabaka is a municipality in the Trikala peripheral unit, part of Thessaly in Greece. The population 11,841 . The Meteora monasteries are located in the town. Kalabaka is the northwestern terminal of the old Thessaly Railways, now part of OSE...
, the standard gauge line to Larissa and the 600 mm line to Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
. Remnants of triple gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
lines still exist near the station.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Volos is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: - Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
, France - Pleven
Pleven
Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality...
, Bulgaria - Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, Russia - Smederevo
Smederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
, Serbia - Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, Russia - Antofagasta
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905...
, Chile