Platanos, Ilia
Encyclopedia
Platanos is a Greek
town in Elis, part of the municipality of Ancient Olympia
. Platanos is bypassed with the old GR-74
(Pyrgos - Tripoli
) since the mid to late 20th century, the old highway runs through the village. Platanos had a 2001 population of 1,057 for the village.
, about 4 km northwest of Olympia
and about 112 km (old: 116 km) south-southwest of Patras
, about 121 km (old: 123 km) west of Tripoli
and northeast of Krestena
.
After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, much of the population left for larger towns and cities like Patras
, Athens
or Thessaloniki
, and a few people immigrated to other countries in Europe or in North-America. The population remained steady since the mid to late 20th century. Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. It was linked with pavement in the 1980s. Most of the homes are abandoned today. The town's population in 1991 jumped over the nearby Pelopio population which made it the largest towns and villages along with settlements in the municipality and one of the few in the prefecture and the peninsula that is larger than the municipal seat together with the municipal district.
The village was endangered by a fire
that arrived from the south of the banks of the Alfeios, flames plundered the forests around the area and changed its geographical shape to an ashy situation, some flames came from the northwest which included Varvasaina. Firefighters battled the blaze along with choppers and airplanes and began on Saturday August 25 and continued through Monday August 27, 2007.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
town in Elis, part of the municipality of Ancient Olympia
Olympia, Greece
Olympia , a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. Both games were held every Olympiad , the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC...
. Platanos is bypassed with the old GR-74
Greek National Road 74
Greek National Road 74 is a highway linking Pyrgos, Olympia, Tripoli and GR-7/E65. The west to east highway runs in the western and the central part of the Peloponnese. The highway begins in Pyrgos and into the hills and Olympia and used to ran through narrow roads which now bypasses Pyrgos and...
(Pyrgos - Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
) since the mid to late 20th century, the old highway runs through the village. Platanos had a 2001 population of 1,057 for the village.
Distances
Platanos located about 17 km east of PyrgosPyrgos, Elis
Pyrgos is the capital of the Elis peripheral unit in Greece. It is named after a local tower. The city is located in the western part of the Peloponnese, in the middle of a plain near the Ionian Sea. It is 96 km away from Patras via Greek National Road 9, 320 km from Athens, and...
, about 4 km northwest of 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...
and about 112 km (old: 116 km) south-southwest of Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
, about 121 km (old: 123 km) west of 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...
and northeast of 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....
.
Population
| Year | Village population | Municipal district population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1,185 | - |
| 1991 | 1,192 | - |
| 2001 | 1,583 | 1,590 |
Geography
Platanos is located north of the Alfeios valley. It contains many hills and forests around the area and are as tall as from 30 to 50 m. Farmlands are located within the village and the valley area and around the area. Forests includes pines, firs, spruces and cypresses.Information
Platanos has approximately 10 to 15 km of paved roads and 15 to 20 km of gravel roads. Pelopio also has approximately 10 km of hydro lines as well as phone lines.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...
, much of the population left for larger towns and cities like Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
or 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...
, and a few people immigrated to other countries in Europe or in North-America. The population remained steady since the mid to late 20th century. Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. It was linked with pavement in the 1980s. Most of the homes are abandoned today. The town's population in 1991 jumped over the nearby Pelopio population which made it the largest towns and villages along with settlements in the municipality and one of the few in the prefecture and the peninsula that is larger than the municipal seat together with the municipal district.
The village was endangered by a fire
2007 Greek forest fires
The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007. The most destructive and lethal infernos broke out on August 23, expanded rapidly and raged out of control until August 27, until they were put out in early...
that arrived from the south of the banks of the Alfeios, flames plundered the forests around the area and changed its geographical shape to an ashy situation, some flames came from the northwest which included Varvasaina. Firefighters battled the blaze along with choppers and airplanes and began on Saturday August 25 and continued through Monday August 27, 2007.