Aridaia
Aridaía (Greek: Αριδαία; Macedonian: С'ботско, S'botsko; Bulgarian: Съботско) is a town and a former municipality in the Pella regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Almopia, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] It was the capital of the former Almopia eparchy. It is located in the northwest corner of the Pella regional unit, bordering the southern part of the North Macedonia and the northeast corner of the Florina regional unit. Its land area is 562.910 km2 (217.341 sq mi).[3] The population of Aridaia proper is 7,057, while that of the entire municipal unit is 20,313 (2011 census).[1] Its largest other towns are Prómachoi (pop. 1,740), Sosándra (1,078), Ápsalos (1,121), Loutráki (1,146), Polykárpi (1,049), Tsákoi (961), Voreinó (766), and Χifianí (767). The municipal unit is divided into 17 communities.
Aridaia
Αριδαία | |
---|---|
![]() View of the central square of Aridaia with Aggelis Gatsos' statue. | |
![]() ![]() Aridaia Location within the region ![]() | |
Coordinates: 40°58′N 22°03′E | |
Country | Greece |
Administrative region | Central Macedonia |
Regional unit | Pella |
Municipality | Almopia |
Districts | 17 |
• Municipal unit | 562.91 km2 (217.34 sq mi) |
Elevation | 320 m (1,050 ft) |
Highest elevation | 98 m (322 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 70 m (230 ft) |
Population (2011)[1] | |
• Municipal unit | 20,313 |
• Municipal unit density | 36/km2 (93/sq mi) |
Community | |
• Population | 7,057 (2011) |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Postal code | 584 00 |
Area code(s) | 23840-2 |
Vehicle registration | ΕΕ |
Website | dimosalmopias.gov.gr |
![](../I/Aridea_228.jpg.webp)
![](../I/%CE%A0%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B9%CF%8C%CF%82_%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B4%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%82_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B8%CE%BC%CF%8C%CF%82_%CE%91%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82_09.jpg.webp)
The town was used to be called "Αρδέα" (Ardea).[4][5]
The Municipal Department of Aridea includes the settlement of Ydrea with a population of 600 inhabitants.
A Greek battalion entered Aridea on November 4, 1912, during the 1st Balkan War, and it started to develop as a town after the installment of refugees from Asia Minor.[6]
Etymology
There are two possible etymologies of the name Aridea. One is that "Aridea", is a corruption of the old name of the town "Ardea", which comes from the verb "Greek: Αρδεύω, lit. 'Irrigate', which is explained by the multiple rivers, streams, irrigation canals, etc. Another explanation is that the name "Aridea" comes from Philip III Arrideus, half-brother of Alexander the Great.[7]
Sights
At a distance of 7 km from Aridea is the Byzantine Castle of Chrysi which dates back to the 8th century AD.[8][9] North of Aridea is a historic, though not very well known Monastery of the Province of Almopia, the Holy Monastery of Saint Hilarion, bishop of Moglena. This monastery has as its owner and founder Saint Hilarion himself, who was a great Hierarch of the Church of Greece in the 12th century, who lived and worked in the area of today's Almopia.[10]
At a distance of 10 km from Aridea are the Pozar Baths with impressive natural beauty and thermal waters. It is a tourist destination with many infrastructures and all the amenities in combination with the Kaimaktsalan Ski Center which geographically belongs to the Municipality of Almopia.[11][12] Next to the tourist village of Loutraki, seat of Loutra Pozar, is the tourist village of Orma from which the road to the Ski Center starts.[13]
Sports
A well-known football team based in Aridea is Almopos Arideas.[14]
Transport
Bus service
The KTEL station is located on Passia Street, on the road to Exaplatanos and Notia. The KTEL of Pella connects Aridea locally with Edessa, with regular itineraries,[15] and there are also routes to Athens, Skydra and Thessaloniki.
Rail service
The town does not have a railway station and is served by the railway stations of Edessa and Skydra, while in the period 1916-1936 there was a railway station, since there was a railway line from Skydra to Aridea and Orma that closed in 1936. Railway Station, houses the Museum of Natural History. On February 19, 2019, the construction of the railway line Agios Athanasios – Chalkidona – Koufalia – Pella – Nea Pella – Giannitsa – Galatades – Karyotissa – Dafni – Kalivia – Skydra-Edessa and bypass from Skydra to Aridaia was announced,[16] however no study has been presented, and it is currently unknown when the project will be completed.[17]
Roads
There is no National Road passing through the town, but there are five (5) provincial roads that connect Aridea with the surrounding settlements. The following streets pass through the town[18]
- Edessa - Apsalos - Aridea. (Pella 1)
- Aridea - Exaplatanos to Skra and Axioupoli, Evropos Notia and Lagadia. (Pella 6)
- Aridea - Pozar Baths. (Pella 7)
- Aridea - Tsakona - Polykarpi. (Pella 8)
- Aridea - Sosandra - Promachos. (Pella 9)
![](../I/Map_of_Aridaia.png.webp)
Air service
In the Prefecture of Pella there is no airport, so Aridea is served by the Airport "Macedonia" of Thessaloniki.
![](../I/Dasaki.jpg.webp)
People from Aridaia
- Petros Dourdoumpakis, singer[19]
- Haris Kostopoulos,singer[20]
- Antonis Minou, football player[21]
- Giorgos Paschalides, civil mechanic and minister[22]
- Nikodim Tsarknias, priest of the Macedonian Orthodox Church
- Unboxholics, YouTubers, Twitch streamers[23]
- Loukas Vyntra, Greek footballer[24]
- Nikolaos Xenitides, businessman and benefactor[25]
- Despina Zapounidou, Greek Olympic race walker[26]
References
- "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
- "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- Πανδέκτης, μετονομασίες, Σούμποσκον - Αρδέα
- Πανδέκτης, μετονομασίες, Αρδέα- Αριδαία
- "Αριδαία- Αλμωπία : Ιστορική Αναδρομή 1385- 1912 από τον Γιώργο Λιούγκα". Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- Αριδαία ; Δείτε γιατί.... Λουτρά Πόζαρ | Τουριστικός Οδηγός (in Greek). 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- Παπαθανασίου, Μανώλης. "Κάστρο Χρυσής". Καστρολόγος (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Γνωριμία με το Δήμο Εξαπλατάνου". lyk-exapl.pel.sch.gr. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "ΙΕΡΑ ΜΟΝΗ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΙΛΑΡΙΩΝΟΣ ΜΟΓΛΕΝΩΝ - ΑΡΙΔΑΙΑ". Μοναστήρια της Ελλάδος (in Greek). 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Λουτρά Πόζαρ: Θεραπεία και χαλάρωση σε καυτά νερά". ProtoThema (in Greek). 2015-12-15. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Λίγα λόγια για το Χιονοδρομικό Κέντρο Καϊμακτσαλάν". www.touristorama.com (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Λουτρά Πόζαρ - Ορμα". www.touristorama.com (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Επίσημη Ιστοσελίδα | Aλμωπός Αριδαίας - 1926 -". Eπίσημη Ιστοσελίδα | Αλμωπός Αριδαίας (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-08-21.
- "ΤΟΠΙΚΑ ΑΡΙΔΑΙΑΣ - ΚΤΕΛ Ν. ΠΕΛΛΑΣ". ΚΤΕΛ Ν. ΠΕΛΛΑΣ. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
- Έρχεται το τρένο στα Γιαννιτσά. Πέλλα 24 (in Greek). 2019-02-19. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ΤΟ ΤΡΕΝΟ. Μεγαπλάτανος. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
- "ΝΟΜΟΣΚΟΠΙΟ". www.technologismiki.com. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- "Πέτρος Δουρδουμπάκης". MusicHeaven (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- "Διάσημοι έλληνες καλλιτέχνες, έλληνες μουσικοί. Αρχαίοι, σύγχρονοι, διάσημοι έλληνες μουσικοί". 2016-07-04. Archived from the original on 2016-07-04. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- "Antónis Mínou | National Football Teams". 2016-03-27. Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- "ΠΑΣΧΑΛΙΔΗΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ". www.enpe.gr. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- "ΣΥΝΕΝΤΕΥΞΗ - Στην Αριδαία με τους Unboxholics, τους μάστερ του unboxing στην Ελλάδα (pics)". E-Daily.gr. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- "Σε απίστευτη κατάσταση ποδοσφαιριστής- Δείτε τον να παίζει ρακέτες με το γιο του [picks]". 22 August 2020.
- "Πέθανε ο ευεργέτης της Αλμωπίας Νικόλαος Ξενιτίδης που με το έργο του δίδαξε ανθρωπιά και αλληλεγγύη!". karatzova.com. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- "Η Δέσποινα Ζαπουνίδου ...από την Αριδαία στη Ζυρίχη!". SEGAS (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-08-22.
External links
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