Zacharo
Encyclopedia
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 Patras
with Kalamata
. Distance from Athens
is 280 km (old: 320 km SW), and Zacharo lies 32 km SE of Pyrgos
, about 17 km S of Krestena
, 24 km SW of Olympia
, about 30 km north of Kyparissia
and 90 km NW of Kalamata
. The town is famous for its lengthy sandy beach, the adjacent Kaiafas Lake
and also the Thermal Springs of Kaiafas.
The community has a school, a kindergarten, a lyceum, a gymnasium, churches, a post office, a police station, a court
, a health center, banks and a railway station. Athletic facilities include a football stadium, a basketball court and a community gym which is open to the public free of charge. The town is also the home of a football team, Olympiacos Zacharos, which bears the town's name. It was established in 1928 and has been active ever since, participating every year in the local football championship.
In the town center, there is a plateia
(square) with Platanus
trees.
The Patron saint
of Zacharo is Saint Spyridon
, and the central church of the city bears his name. The Saint's feast day is on December 12 and it is a holiday for the town.
The economic growth that has taken place during the last decades was accompanied by a steady increase of the population.
, the area of Zacharo, was sparsely populated. However, in the decades that followed, populations from the villages of the surrounding mountains started to migrate to the area. The town allegedly took its name from an inn that used to be there and accommodate travellers who were looking for a shelter to spend the night. That inn belonged to a woman named Zacharoula, from whom Zacharo took its name.
In 1881 Zacharo was officially proclaimed a community.
It includes the lengthy Zacharo beach
, the Kaiafas Lake
, the Thermal Springs of Kaiafas and the adjacent Lapithas mountain.
The agricultural sector is also a major source of income for the local economy. It is based on the cultivation of olive trees, for the production of olive oil
. The variety of olive tree which prevails in the area is the Koroneiki, which is one of the most distinguished in Greece. The olive oil produced is of extra-virgin quality and is mostly exported to the international market.
The Zacharo tomato is a unique tomato cultivar, famed for its sweetness. When ripe, it is loaded with sugars (mainly fructose
and inulin
) to the extent that the sugar crystals are visible to the naked eye. Cultivation of the Zacharo tomato is all but extinct, as the cultivar does not grow well in greenhouse
s, has a short season, and its extreme fleshiness makes the fruit heavy and liable to squeezing and decay when packed.
. The proximity to the sea is a key factor which influences the climatic parameters. Thus, winters are mild and rainy, while summers are sunny and hot.
burned out of control in the vicinity of Zacharo, causing over 40 deaths, as well as extensive property damage. Zacharo was one of the worst-hit areas in Greece.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Administratively, it belongs to the Elis peripheral unit, in the Periphery
Peripheries of Greece
The current official regional administrative divisions of Greece were instituted in 1987. Although best translated into English as "regions", the transcription peripheries is sometimes used, perhaps to distinguish them from the traditional regions which they replaced. The English word 'periphery'...
of West Greece
West Greece
West Greece is one of the thirteen regions of Greece. It comprises the western part of continental Greece and the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.- Administration :...
. Zacharo is situated on the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
coast, in the area of the Gulf of Kyparissia
Gulf of Kyparissia
The Gulf of Kyparissia is a long, curving indentation along the western coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. It lies between Cape Katakolo at the north end and Cape Konello to the south. Near the northern extreme is the city of Pyrgos, with the town of Zacharo near the center and the town...
. The town is crossed by the highway named 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...
, that links 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...
with Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
. Distance from Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
is 280 km (old: 320 km SW), and Zacharo lies 32 km SE of Pyrgos
Pyrgos, 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 17 km S 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....
, 24 km SW 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...
, about 30 km north of Kyparissia
Kyparissia
Kyparissia is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The town proper has around 5,708 inhabitants. The town is located on Greek National Road 9,...
and 90 km NW of Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
. The town is famous for its lengthy sandy beach, the adjacent Kaiafas Lake
Kaiafas Lake
Kaiafas lake is a lake in the Ilia prefecture in southwestern Greece, extending north of the town of Zacharo....
and also the Thermal Springs of Kaiafas.
Municipality
The municipality Zacharo was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 2 former municipalities, that became municipal units:- FigaleiaFigaleiaFigaleia 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...
- Zacharo
Subdivisions
The municipal unit of Zacharo is divided into the following communities:- Zacharo
- Agios Ilias
- Anilio
- Arini
- ArtemidaArtemida, PeloponneseArtemida is a village near Zacharo in southwestern Ilia prefecture on the northwestern corner of the Peloponnese region of Greece. The village was completely destroyed in the 2007 Greek forest fires...
- Chrysochori
- GiannitsochoriGiannitsochoriGiannitsochori is a village located in the municipality of Zacharo to its east southeast in the southern part of the prefecture of Ilia. Giannitsochori is accessed with a road linking to GR-9/E55 . Giannitsochori is famous for its beaches and also have hotels and campgrounds including Apollo...
- KakovatosKakovatosKakovatos is a small fishing village in southwestern Greece. It is located on the coast of the Ionian Sea, in the region of western Peloponnese. Administratively, it is a part of the Prefecture of Ilia and also the municipality of Zacharo....
- Kalidona
- LepreoLepreoLepreo is a village in the municipality of Zacharo, Elis, Greece...
- Makistos
- Milea
- MinthiMinthiMinthi is a village in the municipality of Zacharo, Ilia Prefecture, Greece. Its 2001 population was 144 for the village and 221 for the municipal district, including the village Kotroni. It is 15 to 20 km east of the GR-9/E55 and overlooks the Anydro River. Its elevation is 760 m...
- NeochoriNeochori, ZacharoNeochori is a village in the municipality of Zacharo, southern Ilia, Greece...
- Prasidaki
- Rodina
- Smerna
- Schinoi
- Taxiarches
- Xirochori
The community has a school, a kindergarten, a lyceum, a gymnasium, churches, a post office, a police station, a court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
, a health center, banks and a railway station. Athletic facilities include a football stadium, a basketball court and a community gym which is open to the public free of charge. The town is also the home of a football team, Olympiacos Zacharos, which bears the town's name. It was established in 1928 and has been active ever since, participating every year in the local football championship.
In the town center, there is a plateia
Plateia
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...
(square) with Platanus
Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
trees.
The Patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Zacharo is Saint Spyridon
Saint Spyridon
Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Trimythous also sometimes written Saint Spiridon is a saint honoured in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions.-Life:...
, and the central church of the city bears his name. The Saint's feast day is on December 12 and it is a holiday for the town.
Population statistics and Demographics
| Year | Town population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2,812 | - |
| 1991 | 4,318 | 11,041 |
| 2001 | 6,739 | 12,910 |
The economic growth that has taken place during the last decades was accompanied by a steady increase of the population.
History
The history of Zacharo begins in the middle of the 19th century. At the time of the Greek War of IndependenceGreek 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...
, the area of Zacharo, was sparsely populated. However, in the decades that followed, populations from the villages of the surrounding mountains started to migrate to the area. The town allegedly took its name from an inn that used to be there and accommodate travellers who were looking for a shelter to spend the night. That inn belonged to a woman named Zacharoula, from whom Zacharo took its name.
In 1881 Zacharo was officially proclaimed a community.
Economy
The economy of Zacharo relies on tourism as well as on agriculture. The town and the surrounding vicinity is a tourist hotspot, especially in summer. The geography of the area provides a combination of scenery that is unique in the European continent.It includes the lengthy Zacharo beach
Zacharo beach
Zacharo beach , is the name of a beach that is located in the vicinity of Zacharo, in Southwestern Greece. It is situated on the Ionian Sea coast, in the area of the Gulf of Kyparissia. The beach features a soft, sandy terrain and is one of the lengthiest in Greece. It has been awarded the Blue...
, the Kaiafas Lake
Kaiafas Lake
Kaiafas lake is a lake in the Ilia prefecture in southwestern Greece, extending north of the town of Zacharo....
, the Thermal Springs of Kaiafas and the adjacent Lapithas mountain.
The agricultural sector is also a major source of income for the local economy. It is based on the cultivation of olive trees, for the production of olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
. The variety of olive tree which prevails in the area is the Koroneiki, which is one of the most distinguished in Greece. The olive oil produced is of extra-virgin quality and is mostly exported to the international market.
The Zacharo tomato is a unique tomato cultivar, famed for its sweetness. When ripe, it is loaded with sugars (mainly fructose
Fructose
Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and galactose, that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion. Fructose was discovered by French chemist Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut in 1847...
and inulin
Inulin
Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants. They belong to a class of fibers known as fructans. Inulin is used by some plants as a means of storing energy and is typically found in roots or rhizomes...
) to the extent that the sugar crystals are visible to the naked eye. Cultivation of the Zacharo tomato is all but extinct, as the cultivar does not grow well in greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s, has a short season, and its extreme fleshiness makes the fruit heavy and liable to squeezing and decay when packed.
Climate
Zacharo enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
. The proximity to the sea is a key factor which influences the climatic parameters. Thus, winters are mild and rainy, while summers are sunny and hot.
Nearest places
- Ancient Olympia
- Pyrgos, ElisPyrgos, ElisPyrgos 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...
- Ancient SamiAncient SamiSami , also referred to as Samia , Arini , or Makistos was a city in Ancient Greece. It was located in the Elis region, in western Peloponnese. The archaeological site consists of the remains of Sami's fortified citadel which dates to the Archaic period...
- Temple of Apollo Epicurius
2007 forest fires
In late August 2007, a big wildfireWildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
burned out of control in the vicinity of Zacharo, causing over 40 deaths, as well as extensive property damage. Zacharo was one of the worst-hit areas in Greece.
See also
- Ancient Olympia
- Ancient SamiAncient SamiSami , also referred to as Samia , Arini , or Makistos was a city in Ancient Greece. It was located in the Elis region, in western Peloponnese. The archaeological site consists of the remains of Sami's fortified citadel which dates to the Archaic period...
- Temple of Apollo Epicurius
- Doxapatres BoutsarasDoxapatres BoutsarasDoxapatres Boutsaras was a Byzantine Greek independent lord in the central Peloponnese in the early 13th century. He had his headquarters in the Araklovon Castle, which is located near the Minthi village, in the Municipality of Zacharo. He withstood the attacks of the Franks of the Fourth Crusade...
External links
Tourist guide of Zacharo Municipality of Zacharo- Zacharo.com http://www.syllogoszachareon.gr http://www.hellas.teipir.gr/prefectures/greek/Hleias/Zaxaro.htm
- Zacharo
- Mapquest - Zacharo
- Coordinates: 37°28′57"N 21°38′43"E
- GTP - Zacharo
- GTP - Municipality of Zacharo
- Indexmundi - Zacharo
| North: Skillounta Skillounta Skillounta is 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 named after Scillus, an ancient name for the area. Its seat of administration was in the town... |
||
| West: Ionian Sea Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and... |
Zacharo | East: 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... |
| South: Aetos Aetos, Messenia Aetos is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 595 for the village and 3,264 for the municipality... |