Alifeira
Encyclopedia
Alifeira is a village and a former municipality
in Elis, West Greece, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in the village of Kallithea. It is north of the Pyrgos-Megalopoli Road
, between Krestena
and Andritsaina
. It is located S of Tropaia
and Lampeia
, SW of Dimitsana
, NW of Andritsaina
and Megalopoli, N of Figaleia
and E of GR-9
/E55
.
river to the north.
and was near the ancient boundary with Arcadia
and Elis. It took part in the colonization of Megalopolis
in 371 BC and was member of the Arcadian League
. The name originates from Alipheros
, son of Lycaon. In the city featured the temple of Athena
. It also had the temple of Asclepius
.. From 224 BC, it was entered from Lydiades, tyranny of Megalopolis over the Eleans. It was taken by Philip V Macedon in 219 BC after the plague and after joined the Achaean League
where at the time, cut their use on currency. Later, the city was subject to the Romans
.
The period between the Byzantine and the Frankish period was mainly unknown. Zacha was ruled by the Ottoman
Turks
with the exception from 1681 until 1715 with the last of the Venetian rule, it became a part of Greece
after the Greek War of Independence
. From the early days of the country until 1912, Agia Varvara constituted a part of the municipality of Nonakrida. Until the early 1900s, it was known as Zacha. After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, its buildings were rebuilt and emigration occurred at a higher rate and emigration will be to the lowest, the population lost by 40% between 1981 and 1991 and recovered between 1991 until 2001.
Today, the city has been excavated, the archaeological community founded next to the village. The first excavations was done by Anastasios Orlandos in 1932. The entire ancient city, the temples of Athena and Asclepius, the acropolis, the well and some buildings were founded.
).
| width=35% |
| width=30% align="center" | North: Olympia
| width=35% |
|-
| align="center" | West: Krestena
, Zacharo
| align="center" | Alifeira
| align="center" | East: Andritsaina
|-
|
| align="center" | South: Figaleia
|>
Communities and Municipalities of Greece
For the new municipalities of Greece see the Kallikratis ProgrammeThe municipalities and communities of Greece are one of several levels of government within the organizational structure of that country. Thirteen regions called peripheries form the largest unit of government beneath the State. ...
in Elis, West Greece, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in the village of Kallithea. It is north of the Pyrgos-Megalopoli Road
Greek National Road 76
Greek National Road 76 is a west to east highway linking 2 km W of Krestena with GR-9/E55, Andritsaina and SE of Megalopoli . The highway west to Andritsaina is unofficially designated as GR-76 The west to east highway runs in the western and the central part of the Peloponnese...
, between Krestena
Krestena
Krestena is a town in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is the seat of administration....
and Andritsaina
Andritsaina
Andritsaina is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit...
. It is located S of Tropaia
Tropaia
Tropaia is a village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,660 ....
and Lampeia
Lampeia
Lampeia is a village and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Archaia Olympia, of which it is a municipal unit. The village is also known as Divri. Its population is presently around 1,000. Lampeia is in a valley...
, SW of Dimitsana
Dimitsana
Dimitsana is a village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built on the ruins of the ancient town Teuthis...
, NW of Andritsaina
Andritsaina
Andritsaina is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit...
and Megalopoli, N of Figaleia
Figaleia
Figaleia is a village and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zacharo, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 184 for the village and 2,499 for the municipality. The seat of the municipality was...
and E of GR-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...
/E55
European route E55
European route E 55 is a E-route. It passes through the following cities:Helsingborg … Helsingør – Copenhagen – Køge – Vordingborg – Nykøbing Falster – Gedser … Rostock – Berlin – Lübbenau – Dresden – Teplice – Prague – Tábor – Linz – Salzburg – Villach – Tarvisio – Udine – Palmanova – Mestre...
.
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Alifeira is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):- Alifeira (Alifeira, Pefki)
- Amygdalies (Amygdalies, Kato Amygdalies, Keramidi, Krana)
- Kallithea (Kallithea, Barakitika)
- Livadaki (Livadaki, Ptelea, Raptis)
- Myronia (Myronia, Sylimna, Agios Vlasis, Klima, Rama)
- Vresto (Vresto, Longo)
Historical population
| Year | Kallithea district | Alifeira municipality |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 872 | - |
| 1991 | 1,101 | 3,169 |
| 2001 | 1,101 | 3,829 |
Geography
The area are surrounded by mountains and forests full of pines and a few bushes. Much of the municipality is forested. Alifeira is bounded by the AlpheusAlfeios 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...
river to the north.
History
Alifeira was located in the Parrhasia country, 40 stadia (about 8 km) west of IraiaIraia
Iraia is a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is a municipal unit. It consists of 27 villages. Population 3,063 . The seat of the municipality was in Paloumpa. The municipality is named...
and was near the ancient boundary with Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
and Elis. It took part in the colonization of Megalopolis
Megalopolis, Greece
Megalópoli is a town in the western part of the peripheral unit of Arcadia, southern Greece. It is located in the same site as ancient Megalopolis . "Megalopolis" is a Greek word for Great city. When it was founded, in 371 BC, it was the first urbanization in rustic and primitive Arcadia. In...
in 371 BC and was member of the Arcadian League
Arcadian League
The Arcadian League was a federal league of city-states in ancient Greece. It combined the various cities of Arcadia, in the Peloponnese, into a single state. The league was founded in 370 BC, taking advantage of the decreased power of Sparta, which had previously dominated and controlled Arcadia...
. The name originates from Alipheros
Alipherus
Alipherus or Halipherus was in Greek mythology one of the sons of Lycaon. He was killed, along with his brothers, by a lightning bolt, for his insolence. The town of Alifeira in Greece was traditionally believed to have been founded by this Alipherus, and to have derived its name from him....
, son of Lycaon. In the city featured the temple of Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
. It also had the temple of Asclepius
Asclepius
Asclepius is the God of Medicine and Healing in ancient Greek religion. Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts; his daughters are Hygieia , Iaso , Aceso , Aglæa/Ægle , and Panacea...
.. From 224 BC, it was entered from Lydiades, tyranny of Megalopolis over the Eleans. It was taken by Philip V Macedon in 219 BC after the plague and after joined the Achaean League
Achaean League
The Achaean League was a Hellenistic era confederation of Greek city states on the northern and central Peloponnese, which existed between 280 BC and 146 BC...
where at the time, cut their use on currency. Later, the city was subject to the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
The period between the Byzantine and the Frankish period was mainly unknown. Zacha was ruled by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
with the exception from 1681 until 1715 with the last of the Venetian rule, it became a part of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
after the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. From the early days of the country until 1912, Agia Varvara constituted a part of the municipality of Nonakrida. Until the early 1900s, it was known as Zacha. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, its buildings were rebuilt and emigration occurred at a higher rate and emigration will be to the lowest, the population lost by 40% between 1981 and 1991 and recovered between 1991 until 2001.
Today, the city has been excavated, the archaeological community founded next to the village. The first excavations was done by Anastasios Orlandos in 1932. The entire ancient city, the temples of Athena and Asclepius, the acropolis, the well and some buildings were founded.
Other
The village has a small school, a church, a small post office, a train station and a square (plateiaPlateia
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...
).
External links
| width=30% align="center" | North: 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...
| width=35% |
|-
| align="center" | West: Krestena
Krestena
Krestena is a town in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is the seat of administration....
, Zacharo
Zacharo
Zacharo is a town and municipality in southwestern Greece. Administratively, it belongs to the Elis peripheral unit, in the Periphery of West Greece. Zacharo is situated on the Ionian Sea coast, in the area of the Gulf of Kyparissia. The town is crossed by the highway named GR-9/E55, that links...
| align="center" | Alifeira
| align="center" | East: Andritsaina
Andritsaina
Andritsaina is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit...
|-
|
| align="center" | South: Figaleia
Figaleia
Figaleia is a village and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zacharo, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 184 for the village and 2,499 for the municipality. The seat of the municipality was...
|>