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50-578: The middle and southern parts of Upper Macedonia corresponds roughly to the modern Greek region of West Macedonia while the northern part of Upper Macedonia corresponds to the southwestern corner of the Republic of North Macedonia . During the late Bronze Age numerous matt painted vases have been unearthed in the region that are connected to the middle Helladic ware found southern Greece. This type of ware has been typically used by northwestern Greek tribes. Various unearthed artifacts of that time also point to

100-592: A constant threat by Illyrian invasions from the rise of the Argead dynasty until the reign of Philip II of Macedon . Unification of Upper and Lower Macedonia into a single kingdom was achieved by Phillip II in the mid-4th century. From that date, its inhabitants were politically equal to Lower Macedonians. Upper Macedonia was divided in the regions of Elimeia , Eordaea , Orestis , Lynkestis , Pelagonia , Deuriopus , Tymphaea , and later incorporated Atintania and eastern Dassaretis until Roman intervention. Three of

150-489: A five-year period. The region is based at Kozani and is divided into four regional units (the pre-Kallikratis prefectures ). It comprises 12 municipalities (down from 61 pre-Kallikratis local administrative units). Along with the neighboring Epirus region it is supervised by the Ioannina -based Decentralized Administration of Epirus and Western Macedonia . The modern region of Western Macedonia roughly corresponds to

200-722: A large part of the population works in the Public Power Corporation 's lignite-fired Agios Dimitrios Power Plant , the largest power plant in Greece. The Ptolemaida Basin hosts the Western Macedonia Lignite Center , which is accountable for the production of forty per cent of the electric energy of the country. Other famous products are marble , saffron ( Krokos , Kozanis), fruits , local wines and specialized arts and crafts industry. The Commercial Exhibition of Kozani takes part in

250-512: A rather low level: only 3,5% of the country's total research foundations are situated in the Region. Among them, the University of Western Macedonia plays an important role in supporting the regional research and educational efforts. However, an enhanced interaction with SME's will be a crucial factor, in order to improve the productivity and the added value of products and services generated in

300-483: A snail-shaped phyllo) and meatballs, as well as wine. Popular songs are sung around the fire, with the singers and crowd dancing in a primitive way that sees repeating the same steps and gestures; at midnight, scatological and explicit songs are sung. In between songs, bands play instrumental songs, such as the Enteka , often called Kozani's "national anthem". It is worth nothing that all of these festivities are executed in

350-519: Is Filippos Airport , 4 kilometres (2 miles) from the city, IATA code: KZI. The airport was first opened in the mid-20th century. Kozani is situated near the A2 motorway , which connects the coast of the Ionian Sea with Thessaloniki and Turkish borders. According to prevailing opinion in Greece, the name comes from the village of Epirus Kósdiani , the origin of settlers of Kozani in 1392. The settlement

400-518: Is a town in northern Greece , capital of Kozani regional unit and of Western Macedonia . It is located in the western part of Macedonia , in the northern part of the Aliakmonas river valley. The city lies 710 metres (2,329 feet) above sea level, 15 kilometres (9 miles) northwest of the artificial lake Polyfytos, 120 km (75 miles) south-west of Thessaloniki , between the mountains Pieria , Vermio , Vourinos and Askio . The population of

450-410: Is accessed with the A2 motorway ( E90 ) from Ioannina and Thessaloniki , GR-3 (or E65 ) from Larissa and Florina , GR-4 and GR-20 . The public transit in the city is provided by minibuses , and between the centre and the municipal departments, it is provided by Transit buses . The traffic problems of the city have become more severe during the last few years. The municipality Kozani

500-485: Is spread quite evenly throughout the year. Since 1991, the highest temperature ever recorded is 41.2 °C (106.2 °F) on 25 July 2023 while the lowest temperature ever recorded is −15.0 °C (5.0 °F) on 8 January 2017. There are 18 Primary schools in Kozani, and another 8, in the municipal departments of Vatero, Kariditsa, Koila, Lefkovrysi, Lefkopigi, Nea Charavgi, Xirolimni and Petrana. The Gymnasiums of

550-542: Is very important for the Regional economy, mainly due to the mining activities, the production of electric power (70% of country's total power is produced in the Region) and the fur-leather sector. However, "soft" structures have not followed the general improvement of heavy infrastructures, a situation that has to be remedied, in order to achieve an overall higher economic development of the Region. The R&D services are at

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600-495: The Bishop of Servia and Kozani . One of the most important aspects of local folklore is Kozani's carnival at the end of the winter, which retains much of the profanity of the ancient Dionysiac cult. Kozani is renowned in Greece and abroad for the production of saffron ( Krokos Kozanis ), in the nearby town of Krokos . Kozani is a transport node between Central Macedonia , Thessaly and Epirus . The nearest airport

650-516: The Seleucids from Orestis and the Antigonids from Elimiotis . The population of Western Macedonia was 283,689 according to the 2011 Greek census . Today, the region is predominantly ethnic Greek with Slavophone Greeks being a minority. The former are mainly concentrated in the towns Florina , Kastoria and Ptolemaida . There are also around 1,400 Slavophones—approximately 0.5% of

700-570: The Western Macedonia Region ( Greek : Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Μακεδονίας , Periféria Dytikís Makedonías ) was established in 1987, comprising the prefectures of Kastoria , Grevena , Kozani and Florina . In the absence of a working budget the administrative regions however remained unable to fulfill even their limited responsibilities, until in 1994 they assumed the prefectures' competences in regard to tax collection , European structural funding and treasury . Resulting from

750-544: The ancient Greek regions of Orestis , Elimiotis , Eordaea , Tymphaea , part of Lynkestis , of Upper Macedonia . Miltiades Hatzopoulos and other scholars suggest that the Argead Macedonians wandered from Orestis to Lower Macedonia where they founded the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon . Three of the most important Hellenistic dynasties originated from Upper Macedonia : the Lagids from Eordaea ,

800-486: The 2010 Kallikratis Programme , prefectures were abolished and instead, the regions became self-governing bodies in their own right with powers and authority being redefined and largely extended. Starting with the 2010 local elections , both the regional governor and the regional council have been popularly elected. From 2014 on, the elections are held together with the European Parliament elections for

850-471: The 20th century, the city grew tremendously, as lignite reserves in the area started being used by Public Power Corporation , making Kozani the foremost producer of electrical power in Greece. An earthquake that occurred in the region on 13 May 1995, with a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter scale , caused only property damage. The city now combines modern with old architecture. Some magnificent buildings are

900-796: The Active Urban Planning Zone of Kozani (ZEP), with a secondary campus in Kila, Kozani. The university was founded in 2002. Kozani carnival is one of the most important events in the region, taking place at the end of winter. The dates change each year, depending on the start date of Lent . Carnival festivities in Kozani, and in general throughout Greece, last eleven days, starting on Τσικνοπέμπτη ( Tsiknopempti lit.   ' Charred Thursday ' ; equivalent to Fat Thursday , similar to Mardi Gras ) and ending on Καθαρά Δευτέρα ( Kathara Deftera lit.   ' Clean Monday ' ; similar to Ash Wednesday ). During

950-1002: The Exhibition Centre of Western Macedonia in Koila Kozanis every September. Many firms from Greece and other Balkan countries participate, especially with local products. While Kozani remains a regional banking center, the Kozani-based Co-Operative Bank of Western Macedonia however failed the stress test conducted by the Bank of Greece and subsequently was liquidated in December 2013. There are some telecommunications companies, TV and radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and web portals based in Kozani. The television channels are West Channel , TOP Channel and Flash TV . Top-circulation newspapers include Chronos , Grammi , and Tharros . Kozani

1000-501: The Kozani carnival, great bonfires are lit in different parts of the city; every night, another district lights its fire and people dance around it; on the last night of the carnival, all fires are lit. These festive fires, as well as the cultural associations that organize the festivities in each district, are called Fanoi (fires). Each fanos welcomes visitors and locals to their district with songs and dances, and treats them to local delicacies, namely kichia (feta cheese wrapped around

1050-480: The Kozani municipality is over 67,000 people. The climate of the area is continental with cold and dry winters, and hot summers. Kozani is the home of the University of Western Macedonia , with about 15,000 students from all over Greece and other places. It is also the seat of West Macedonia's court of appeal , police department , fire brigade , the seat of the 1st Army Corps of the Hellenic Army and of

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1100-417: The Region of Western Macedonia. Some of its more famous products are marbles , Saffron ( krokos Kozanis), fruits, Florina peppers , local wines ( Kozani , Amyntaio ), furs ( Kastoria , Siatista ) and specialized arts and crafts industry. The A2 motorway (Egnatia Odos, Trans–European Network) that crosses the region, along with its two vertical National Roads, form a network that dramatically improves

1150-461: The celebration for the liberation of the city from the Turks on 11 October and Saint Nicholas day - Kozani's patron - on 6 December. The municipal Band is named Pandora . It was founded in 1902, and it takes part in all the events and celebrations. A typical dish in Kozani is the so-called Yaprákia . The main ingredients are meat and rice in salty carbage-leaf, having the shape of an egg. It

1200-402: The city are 8, and there are two more in the municipal departments of Lefkopigi and Xirolimni. There are also 4 Lyceums , 4 Vocational Schools (EPAL), some Business Schools and one municipal Odeum . The city is the seat of the University of Western Macedonia which has 7 Faculties and 22 Departments in 5 cities (Kozani, Florina, Kastoria, Ptolemaida, and Grevena). The main campus is located in

1250-627: The city of Kozani. The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 4.0 billion € in 2018, accounting for 2.1% of Greek economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 17,700 € or 59% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 79% of the EU average. The unemployment rate stood at 19.7% in 2021, one of the highest regional unemployment rates in the European Union . As one of thirteen administrative regions ,

1300-581: The city's dialect, Kozani Greek. In 2010, Theodoros Lakkas, one of the most prominent figures of the fanoi , lead singer of the fanos Lakkos t' maggan and writer of funny short stories, published the first anthology of Kozani's carnival songs, entitled Ivgati Agoria m stou chouro [Go dance, my boys]. This has been the first attempt so far to collect all the songs in one volume. At the end of summer Lassaneia Events are organised. They consist of theatrical representations, concerts, athletic events etc. The name "Lassaneia" comes from Georgios Lassanis , who

1350-506: The clock tower, the town hall, the folklore museum , the "Valtadoreio" Gymnasium , the National Bank of Greece building, the "Ermioneion" Hotel and the mansions of Georgios Lassanis and Grigorios Vourkas . The Municipal Library of Kozani called "Kovendareios" is the second biggest in Greece, and it has 150,000 books, rare publications, valuable documents, and one of the rare copies of Rigas Feraios ' charter. For this reason Kozani

1400-638: The country's 81.96 per km average). This is mainly due to the mountainous nature of the region, as 82% of the total surface are mountainous and semi-mountainous areas. This is also reflected in the population distribution, as a majority of the population (56%) lives in rural areas. The capital of the region is Kozani with 53,880 inhabitants. Other main towns are Ptolemaida (37,289), Grevena (17,610), Florina (19,985) and Kastoria (16,958). The region has one operational Industrial Area in Florina and another one under construction in Kozani. The secondary sector

1450-510: The lands of the Argeads, who were based at Aegae . The populations of Upper Macedonia shared a common language and a common way of life with that of Lower Macedonia which differed from those inhabiting Illyria and Thrace. Available inscriptional and ancient literature points that the local population spoke a Northwest Greek dialect in contrast to those of Lower Macedonia who spoke Aeolic Greek . The region witnessed occasional raids and became

1500-597: The late 19th and early 20th century, Kozani was part of the Manastir Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire . In the 1881–1893 census , the kaza of Kozana had a total population of 27,652; consisting of 15,017 Muslims, 12,633 Greek Orthodox , and two Armenians . According to the 1904 population census of the Greek Kingdom's consulate, 12,000 Greeks and 350 Aromanians were living in Kozani at

1550-501: The local population—who profess a Slavic Macedonian identity. Other smaller communities include Aromanians and Arvanites . The region has shrunk by 28,633 people between 2011 and 2021, experiencing a highest percentage population loss in Greece of 10.1%. The biggest towns in each regional unit, according to the census of 2011 (only communities with population more than 2,000 recorded): The University of Western Macedonia provides technical education to stimulate growth throughout

Upper Macedonia - Misplaced Pages Continue

1600-429: The most important Hellenistic dynasties originated from Upper Macedonia: the Lagids from Eordaea , the Seleucids from Orestis and the Antigonids from Elimiotis . West Macedonia Western Macedonia ( Greek : Δυτική Μακεδονία , romanized :  Ditikí Makedonía , Greek pronunciation: [ðitiˈki makeðoˈnia] ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece , consisting of

1650-423: The north at the international borders of Greece with the Republic of North Macedonia ( Bitola , Resen and Novaci municipalities) and Albania ( Korçë County ). Although it covers a total surface of 9,451 km (3,649 sq mi) (7.2% of country's total), it has a total population of 283,689 inhabitants (2.6% of the country's total), thus it is a low-density populated region (30 per km , as compared to

1700-751: The possible existence of Mycenaean Greek settlements in Upper Macedonia. Following the withdrawal of the Bryges in c. 800 BC the local populations of the Eordoi, Elimiontae, Orestae, Lyncestae and Pelagonians formed their separate political entities. As early as the 7th century BC occasional Illyrian invasions against Argead Macedonia inevitably also involved the Upper Macedonian regions of Lynkestis, Orestis , Eordaea , Elimea and Tymphaea , because they were located between Illyrian territory and

1750-452: The region is being developed in tourism mainly on winter. It is the only Greek region without sea coast, but there are a lot of lakes, mountains, villages and two big ski centers in Florina ( Vigla ) and Grevena ( Vasilitsa ) and one other under construction in Kozani ( Velvendos ). The administrative building of Western Macedonia region is located in Zone of Alternate Urban Planning (ZEP) in

1800-850: The region, and is located in Kozani , Florina and Kastoria . Programs at the university in Florina include courses of study in the Pedagogic Department and the Department of Balkan studies. The Technological Educational Institute of Western Macedonia (TEIWM) provides undergraduate degrees in Engineering, Business and Finance, Agriculture, Health and Welfare. Based in Kozani, it operates satellite campuses in Kastoria, Florina, Grevena and Ptolemaida . Kozani Kozani ( Greek : Κοζάνη , pronounced [koˈzani] )

1850-560: The same place there was a town named Tyrissa (Greek: Τύρισσα). In the south-west of the modern city, on Siopoto hill, there was a settlement named Kalyvia , between 1100 and 1300, traces of which are still preserved. Kozani was probably founded by Christian settlers who, after the Ottoman conquest, withdrew from the plains of Macedonia into the mountains, during the 14th and 15th centuries. Its secure position soon attracted other Christians expelled from Epirus , in 1392. Together with

1900-465: The settlers from Epirus, many cattle-breeders moved in the region. The first recorded mention of Kozani is in an Ottoman register of 1528, as a settlement with 91 houses, 23 singles and 15 widows. In the Ottoman tahrir defter (number 167) of 1530, the settlement is recorded as a village with the name Kozani , and was within the kaza of Serfice . One of the most important colonizers of Kozani

1950-518: The time. The Greek army entered Kozani on 11 October 1912, during the First Balkan War , after its victory against the Ottoman army in the Battle of Sarantaporo . By this time, the population of the town was 12,000 Orthodox Greeks . In 1923, during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey , about 1,400 Greek families from Pontus and Asia Minor were settled in Kozani. In

2000-400: The town's prosperity; even more catastrophically, the city was pillaged by Turkish beys in 1770. A subsequent incursion by Aslan bey, in 1830, ravaged the city immensely. In 1855 next to St. Nicholas Church a 26 meters high bell tower was built, which would become the symbol of the city. In 1939, a clock was added to the top of the tower, donated by Greek-American, Konstantinos Mamatsios. In

2050-438: The transport conditions in the Region and alter its traditional "isolation" image, mainly due to its mountainous landscape. On the other hand, the railroad network is insufficient and the two airports (Kozani and Kastoria) can only serve small passenger planes. The telecommunication network has dramatically improved over the last decade, providing the regional population with adequate services and modern facilities. The last years

Upper Macedonia - Misplaced Pages Continue

2100-482: The western part of Macedonia . Located in north-western Greece , it is divided into the regional units of Florina , Grevena , Kastoria , and Kozani . With a population of approximately 255,000 people, as of 2021, the region had one of the highest unemployment rates in the European Union . The region of Western Macedonia is situated in north-western Greece, bordering with the regions of Central Macedonia (east), Thessaly (south), Epirus (west), and bounded to

2150-519: Was built. In 1668, the library and the famous school of Kozani were founded. During the 17th and 18th century, commercial relations with the countries of central Europe gave the opportunity for the city to flourish economically. During the 19th century, as foreign travellers relate, the population of the town was Greek , and was growing. The town's growth was disrupted in 1770, because of conflict that erupted between Kozani's local inhabitants and Kozanite merchants in central Europe, who contributed to

2200-575: Was established in order to implement the projects of the ZEP. The ZEP is strategically located on 50 ha south-west of Kozani, and aims to become a model development centre, attracting an urban population and economic activities from throughout Western Macedonia in Greece and the Western Balkans. Other known neighborhoods of Kozani are Sk'rka , Ipirotika , Gitia , Agios Athanasios , Platania . The province of Kozani ( Greek : Επαρχία Κοζάνης )

2250-486: Was first named Kózdiani, which then, it was changed into Kóziani, and in the end into Kozáni. Antiquities from the prehistoric to the Byzantine period have been unearthed in many sectors of the city. In the east part of Kozani, an ancient necropolis has been found, dating to the early Iron Age . During Philip II of Macedon 's reign, the region was named Elimeia , which was part of Upper Macedonia and probably in

2300-573: Was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following five former municipalities, that became municipal units: The total population is 71,388 (2011). It is developing into a nodal town of the Western Balkans, with areas and activities of a wider regional nature. Within this context, the municipality of Kozani is creating a modern satellite town, the Kozani Zone of Alternate Urban Planning (ZEP). The Municipal Corporation of alternate planning and development of Kozani S.A.(DEPEPOK)

2350-539: Was from Kozani and participated in the Greek War of Independence. A part of those events is also the new authors song festival " Nikolas Asimos " . Niaimeros is a fair in the north of the city in Niaimeros Place. It takes place on the first Tuesday of October. It used to last nine days ( niaimeros , lit.   ' nine days ' ), but now it lasts only 3 days. Official local public holidays are

2400-591: Was included in the National Cultural Network of Cities with object the promotion of the Book and Reading. The Institute of Book and Reading was established and Kozani is now known as City of Books . Kozani is the administrative, commercial, economic, and transport centre of the region of West Macedonia . The city is mostly known for its important contribution to the Greek electricity supply, and

2450-626: Was one of the provinces of the Kozani Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipalities Kozani (except a few villages that were part of the Eordaia province) and Servia-Velventos . It was abolished in 2006. Under the Köppen climate classification , Kozani has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). Summers are warm to hot, while winters can be cold with several snowfalls, though few of them are heavy. Rainfall

2500-465: Was the chief shepherd Ioannis Trantas , who settled about 100 families. His son, Charisios Trantas , managed to obtain a Sultan's firman in 1664, according to the terms of which the town came under the protection of the Sultan's mother, was endowed with many privileges, and became forbidden for the Turks to settle in. In 1664, the magnificent church of Agios Nikolaos ( St. Nicholas Cathedral )

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