Pieria ( Greek : Πιερία ) is one of the regional units of Greece located in the southern part of the Region of Central Macedonia , within the historical province of Macedonia . Its capital is the town of Katerini . The name Pieria originates from the ancient Pieres tribe. In Pieria, there are many sites of archeological interest, such as Dion , Pydna , Leivithra and Platamonas . Pieria contains Mount Pierus , from which Hermes takes flight in order to visit Calypso , and is the home of Orpheus , the Muses , and contains the Pierian Spring . Mount Olympus , the highest mountain in Greece and throne of the ancient Greek gods, is located in the southern part of Pieria. Other ancient cities included Leibethra and Pimpleia .
15-646: The Pieria regional unit is bordered by Imathia to the north, Kozani to the west, and to the south and west by the region of Thessaly's Regional Unit of Larissa . The Pierian Mountains lie to the west; the Thermaic Gulf lies to the east. It also has a valley by the GR-13. Most of the population live within the Olympian Riviera. The lowest point is the Thermaic Gulf and the highest point
30-456: Is Mount Olympus . It combines extensive plains, high mountains and sandy beaches. The region's beauty gives it a great potential for further tourist development. The main beaches are Paralia , Olympiaki Akti , Korinos , Neoi Poroi , Methoni , Leptokarya , Platamonas , Skotina , Kalyvia Varikou , Limenas Litochorou (also known as Gritsa). Many of the Pieria's beaches have been awarded
45-568: Is covered by the Vermio Mountains , reaching 2,052 metres near the city of Naousa . The Pierian Mountains reach into the southern part of Imathia, south of the Aliakmonas. The regional unit borders on Pieria to the south, Kozani to the west, Pella to the north and Thessaloniki to the east. Imathia has a mainly Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The railway from Thessaloniki to Florina and
60-605: The Blue Flag certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean type with hot summers and cool winters. Severe winter weather is common in the central and western parts of Pieria, especially in the Pierian Mountains and on Mount Olympus. On June 8, 2007, a low pressure weather system from Southern and Central Europe resulted in heavy rainfall that ravaged
75-574: The Strymon river and Mount Pangaeus , where they formed a new settlement in Edonis . The name Pieria has been connected to Homeric πῖαρ "fat", πίειραν ἄρουραν "fertile land" in a metaphorical sense. At some time before the archaic period Pieria was incorporated in the Kingdom of Macedon (808 BC, see below) when it became the second province of the ancient kingdom, following its fate through
90-500: The prefecture of Thessaloniki , Imathia became a prefecture in 1946, and Veroia was selected as its capital. Nea Trapezounta, Pieria Nea Trapezounta ( Greek : Νέα Τραπεζούντα , Nea Trapezunda ) is a village and a community of the Katerini municipality. Before the 2011 local government reform, it was part of the municipality of Korinos , of which it was a municipal district. The 2021 census recorded 396 residents in
105-863: The area of present Imathia were Aegae and Beroea . As a part of the Macedonia region, it was ruled by the kingdom of Macedonia , the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire and from early 15th century by the Ottoman Empire . In 1913, as a result of the Second Balkan War , it became part of Greece. During and after the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) , several refugees from Turkey settled in Imathia. Initially part of
120-524: The important railway from Thessaloniki to Athens pass through Imathia, with main stations at Platy , Veroia and Alexandreia . The A1 and A2 (Egnatia Odos) motorways, and the EO1 , EO4 and EO4a national roads pass through Imathia. The Alexandreia Airport is a military airport. Imathia was named after the historic region Emathia , which was used by several classical authors as a synonym for Bottiaea or even all of Macedon . Important ancient towns in
135-430: The lower course of the river Aliakmonas , is a vast agricultural plain known as Kampania or Roumlouki . The area is known for the production of fruit crops, such as peaches and strawberries . Much of the population lives in this plain, where the towns Alexandreia and Veroia are situated. Imathia has a short shoreline on the Thermaic Gulf , around the mouth of the Aliakmonas. The mountainous western part of Imathia
150-587: The map in the infobox): As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Imathia was created out of the former Imathia prefecture ( Greek : Νομός Ημαθίας ). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below. The former prefecture of Imathia was subdivided into the following provinces : Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece since 2006. The northeastern part of Imathia, along
165-458: The municipal unit Elafina , formerly a community in the Imathia prefecture, was attached to Pieria in 1974. Imathia Imathia ( Greek : Ημαθία [imaˈθia] ) is one of the regional units of Greece . It is part of the region of Central Macedonia , within the geographic region of Macedonia . The capital of Imathia is the city of Veroia . The regional unit Imathia is subdivided into 3 municipalities. These are (number as in
SECTION 10
#1732783915431180-464: The prefecture and caused great damage in fruit and vegetable production. The worst hit area was Korinos . The Regional Unit of Pieria is divided into 3 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox): As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform , the Regional Unit of Pieria was created out of the former prefecture Pieria ( Greek : Νομός Πιερίας ). The prefecture had
195-730: The rest of Greece, but their struggle failed and Pieria did not join the rest of Greece until the Balkan Wars in 1913. Until 1947, Pieria was part of the Thessaloniki Prefecture (at that time the largest Greek prefecture), as a province . Pieria saw an economic boom in agriculture and business. During the Greco-Turkish War , it saw an influx of refugees from Asia Minor , now a part of Turkey , and several places were named after their former homelands including Nea Trapezounta from Trebizond (now Trabzon ) and Nea Efesos from Ephesus (now Efes). The village of Elafos in
210-708: The rule of the Antipatrid dynasty (302 BC - 277 BC) and the Antigonid dynasty (306 BC - 168 BC). It became part of the Roman Republic after the Fourth Macedonian War , and remained part of the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire . It was later invaded and became a part of the Ottoman Empire . During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Pieria took up arms along with
225-623: The same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganized, according to the table below. The region, known as Pieria or Pieris ( Ancient Greek : Πιερία/Πιερίς ) in Antiquity, took its name from the Pieres ( Πίερες ), a Thracian tribe that was expelled by the Macedonians in the 8th century BC from their original seats, and driven to the North beyond
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