Karditsa

Karditsa (Greek: Καρδίτσα [karˈðitsa]) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa regional unit of region of Thessaly.

Karditsa
Καρδίτσα
Street in Karditsa
Street in Karditsa
Karditsa is located in Greece
Karditsa
Karditsa
Location within the region
Coordinates: 39°22′N 21°55′E
CountryGreece
Administrative regionThessaly
Regional unitKarditsa
Government
  MayorVasilios Tsiakos (New Democracy)
Area
  Municipality647.4 km2 (250.0 sq mi)
  Municipal unit110.1 km2 (42.5 sq mi)
Elevation
108 m (354 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
  Municipality
56,747
  Municipality density88/km2 (230/sq mi)
  Municipal unit
44,002
  Municipal unit density400/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Community
  Population39,119 (2011)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
431 00
Area code(s)24410
Vehicle registrationΚΑ
Websitedimoskarditsas.gov.gr

Inhabitation is attested from 9000 BC. Karditsa ls linked with GR-30, the road to Karpenisi, and the road to Palamas and Larissa. Karditsa is south-west of Palamas and Larissa, west of Farsala and the Volos area, north-west of Athens, Lamia, Domokos and Sofades, north of Karpenisi, north-east of Arta, and east-south-east of Trikala, Grevena, Ioannina, and Kalampaka.

Karditsa has elementary schools, high schools, junior high schools, the Veterinary Medicine Department of the University of Thessaly which is one of only two Veterinary departments in Greece, three other university departments of the University of Thessaly, churches, banks, a post office, a railway station, a sports ground, a water tower, and squares. Karditsa is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in Greece with an extensive network of bicycle paths. Approximately 30% of all the city transportation, according to the National Technical University of Athens, is done by bicycles.

Climate

Karditsa has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa). Karditsa experiences hot, dry summers and cool winters with substantial precipitation.

Climate data for Karditsa
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 10.25
(50.45)
13.54
(56.37)
11.76
(53.17)
20.28
(68.50)
25.29
(77.52)
30.73
(87.31)
32.31
(90.16)
31.39
(88.50)
27.78
(82.00)
21.85
(71.33)
15.33
(59.59)
10.36
(50.65)
20.91
(69.63)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.36
(41.65)
6.83
(44.29)
10.49
(50.88)
14.86
(58.75)
19.85
(67.73)
25.59
(78.06)
26.68
(80.02)
25.38
(77.68)
21.73
(71.11)
15.95
(60.71)
10.38
(50.68)
6.47
(43.65)
15.80
(60.43)
Average low °C (°F) 1.94
(35.49)
2.81
(37.06)
5.28
(41.50)
8.65
(47.57)
13.08
(55.54)
16.28
(61.30)
17.75
(63.95)
17.29
(63.12)
13.91
(57.04)
10.50
(50.90)
5.49
(41.88)
2.46
(36.43)
9.62
(49.32)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 82.64
(3.25)
77.22
(3.04)
59.32
(2.34)
62.20
(2.45)
45.88
(1.81)
19.50
(0.77)
14.01
(0.55)
16.78
(0.66)
26.91
(1.06)
91.44
(3.60)
90.18
(3.55)
91.01
(3.58)
677.09
(26.66)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 113.51 122.05 165.50 206.01 267.05 330.90 333.92 310.91 237.76 170.41 121.35 102.84 2,482.21
Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[2]

History

View of the cathedral church of Saints Constantine and Helena.

The origin of the name Karditsa is unclear. According to some sources, it may be a corruption of the Slavic word Gradista meaning "fortified place" while other sources suggest it derives from the word Karyditsa, which means "little walnuts" in the local Greek dialect.

During the period of Ottoman rule in Thessaly, the main settlement in the location of modern Karditsa was called Sotira.[3] In 1810, the English traveler William Martin Leake mentioned a sprawling village named Kardhítza, consisting of between 500-600 houses, of which the majority of the inhabitants were Turkish.[4]

Karditsa was incorporated as a new city in 1882, the year after its liberation from the Ottoman Empire.

During World War II, the resistance in Thessaly was fought primarily by the ELAS. On March 12, 1943 Karditsa was liberated temporarily by ELAS after the Italian capitulation.

In September 2020, the city was badly hit from catastrophic floods that resulted in 4 deaths.

Municipality

The municipality Karditsa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[5]

The municipality has an area of 647.3878 km2, the municipal unit 110.086 km2.[6] Formerly, Karditsa had a neighbourhood known as Vlachomahalas, which was populated by Vlachs (Aromanians).[7]

Subdivisions

The municipal unit of Karditsa is divided into six parts (communities):[5]

Historical population

Statue of Nikolaos Plastiras (1883-1953) in Karditsa.
YearMunicipal unitMunicipality
199132,88455,702
200135,75057,089
201138,55456,747

Education

Veterinary Medicine Department of the University of Thessaly which is one of only two Veterinary departments in Greece and three other university departments of the University of Thessaly based in the city.

Transport

Karditsa is served by trains on the Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka line, with connections to both Athens and Thessaloniki.

Sports

Karditsa has many clubs in various sport. The most of them are active in football such as Anagennisi Karditsa, AO Karditsa, Asteras Karditsa and Elpides Karditsas. The club SPA Karditsa is active in volleyball.

Sport clubs based in Karditsa
Club Founded Sports Achievements
Anagennisi Karditsas1904FootballPresence in Beta Ethniki
AO Karditsa1966FootballEarlier presence in Beta Ethniki
ASK Karditsa2006BasketballPresence in Alpha Ethniki
SPA Karditsa1987VolleyballPresence in A2 Ethniki volleyball
Elpides Karditsas1994FootballPresence in A Ethniki women

People

Seal of Bartholomew, Latin Bishop of Karditsa and Velestino in the early 13th century

See also

References

  1. "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
  2. "Karditsa Climatic Data". Hellenic National Meteorological Service. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  3. Arrowsmith, John. "Turkey in Europe, 1832".
  4. Leake, William Martin. Travels in Northern Greece. (1835).
  5. "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  6. "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.
  7. Rousiakis, Sotirios (2021). THE MODERN GREEK DIALECT OF THE KARAGOUNS IN WEST THESSALY. p. 19.
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