Spata
Encyclopedia
Spata is a town 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) east of Athens
, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Spata-Artemida, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.
It is built on a saddle-shaped hill in the heart of the Mesogaian plain. The view of mount Hymettus
is to the west, Mount Penteli to the north, and smaller mountains and hills to the east and south. Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) covers the eastern portion of Spata, sometimes referred to as Spata Airport. Spata is passed by a road linking west to Paiania and east to Artemida and the interchange for Attiki Odos
(number 19) is located west. It is located south of Pallini
, south west of Rafina
, west of Artemida, about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) north west of Athens International Airport, and about 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) east south east of Athens
.
The area around Spata is made up of residential, urban areas. Farmland, mostly vineyards and olive groves, lie around. Suburban housing arrived in the 1980s and the 1990s. In 1995, the eastern portion was committed to construction of the new Athens International Airport, which was completed in March 2001. The Attica Zoological Park
, or Attica Zoo, began construction and was opened in May 2001 and is Athens' and Greece's largest zoo.
Spata has four kindergartens, three primary schools, two secondary schools, a police station with a small temporary detention facility, and a junior football/soccer team, Aittitos (Invincible).
The municipal unit of Spáta also includes the other towns or villages of Agía Kyriakí (pop. 540), Neápoli (461), Ágios Ioánnis (241), Velanidiá (237), Christoúpolis (230), Foínikas (229), Ágios Serafeím (220), Étos Stéko (111), Ágios Nikólaos Boúra (103), and Ímeros Péfkos (93).
s of Erchia (Ερχιά), birthplace of the historian and general Xenophon
, and Kytheros (Κύθηρος); a Mycenean cemetery has been excavated at the southern edge of town, the exhibits being hosted in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens
.
Since the Medieval Ages Spata has been inhabited by Arvanites
. The town (then village) was created by the Medieval Albanian clan of Shpata, around the 15th century after they migrated from Epirus
.
It was named after Gjin Bua Shpata
, who was despot of Arta
in 14th century, and later on, it was abbreviated to Shpata, in the Arvanitic language
.
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...
, 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 Spata-Artemida, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.
It is built on a saddle-shaped hill in the heart of the Mesogaian plain. The view of mount Hymettus
Hymettus
Hymettus, also Hymettos is a mountain range in the Athens area, East Central Greece. It is also colloquially known as Trellos or Trellovouno , a name of uncertain origin...
is to the west, Mount Penteli to the north, and smaller mountains and hills to the east and south. Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) covers the eastern portion of Spata, sometimes referred to as Spata Airport. Spata is passed by a road linking west to Paiania and east to Artemida and the interchange for Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos is a privately owned toll motorway in Greece. The Proastiakos high-speed suburban rail is set almost entirely in the median of the motorway, along its main section. The motorway's numbers are 6 for the main section, 64 for the Hymettus Beltway and 65 for the Aigaleo Beltway...
(number 19) is located west. It is located south of Pallini
Pallini
Pallini , ancient form and Latin: Pallene, is a suburb and a municipality in the northeastern part of Athens, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Gerakas. It is located east of Athens, midway between it and the Petalies Gulf. It is the seat of administration of the East Attica Prefecture...
, south west of Rafina
Rafina
Rafina is a town located on the eastern coast of Attica in Greece. It has a population of 10,701 inhabitants . Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rafina-Pikermi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:Rafina lies east of the Penteli mountains and...
, west of Artemida, about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) north west of Athens International Airport, and about 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) east south east 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...
.
The area around Spata is made up of residential, urban areas. Farmland, mostly vineyards and olive groves, lie around. Suburban housing arrived in the 1980s and the 1990s. In 1995, the eastern portion was committed to construction of the new Athens International Airport, which was completed in March 2001. The Attica Zoological Park
Attica Zoological Park
Attica Zoological Park, is a private zoo located in the Athens suburb of Spata, Greece. The zoo is home to about 2000 animals representing 400 species, and is open 365 days per year....
, or Attica Zoo, began construction and was opened in May 2001 and is Athens' and Greece's largest zoo.
Spata has four kindergartens, three primary schools, two secondary schools, a police station with a small temporary detention facility, and a junior football/soccer team, Aittitos (Invincible).
The municipal unit of Spáta also includes the other towns or villages of Agía Kyriakí (pop. 540), Neápoli (461), Ágios Ioánnis (241), Velanidiá (237), Christoúpolis (230), Foínikas (229), Ágios Serafeím (220), Étos Stéko (111), Ágios Nikólaos Boúra (103), and Ímeros Péfkos (93).
History
The area included the ancient Athenian demeDeme
In Ancient Greece, a deme or demos was a subdivision of Attica, the region of Greece surrounding Athens. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside seem to have existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, but did not acquire particular significance until the reforms of Cleisthenes in...
s of Erchia (Ερχιά), birthplace of the historian and general Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
, and Kytheros (Κύθηρος); a Mycenean cemetery has been excavated at the southern edge of town, the exhibits being hosted in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens
National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the great museums in the world and contains the richest collection of artifacts from Greek...
.
Since the Medieval Ages Spata has been inhabited by Arvanites
Arvanites
Arvanites are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak Arvanitika, a dialect of the Albanian language. They settled in Greece during the late Middle Ages and were the dominant population element of some regions of the Peloponnese and Attica until the 19th century...
. The town (then village) was created by the Medieval Albanian clan of Shpata, around the 15th century after they migrated from Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
.
It was named after Gjin Bua Shpata
Gjin Bua Shpata
Gjin Bua Shpata , also known as John Bua Spata, was an Albanian ruler of the Despotate of Arta. He was part of the noble Shpata family...
, who was despot of Arta
Despotate of Arta
The Despotate of Arta was a despotate established by Albanian rulers during the 14th century, when Albanian tribes moved into Epirus and founded two short-lived principalities there...
in 14th century, and later on, it was abbreviated to Shpata, in the Arvanitic language
Arvanitika
Arvanitika also known Arvanitic is the variety of Albanian traditionally spoken by the Arvanites, a population group in Greece...
.
Historical population
| Year | Town population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 6,398 | - |
| 1991 | 6,725 | 7,796 |
| 2001 | 8,167 | 10,419 |