Markopoulo Mesogaias

Markopoulo Mesogaias (Greek: Μαρκόπουλο Μεσογαίας) is a town and a municipality in East Attica, Greece. The municipality has an area of 81.844 km2 (31.600 sq mi).[1]

Markopoulo Mesogaias
Μαρκόπουλο Μεσογαίας
Markopoulo Mesogaias is located in Greece
Markopoulo Mesogaias
Markopoulo Mesogaias
Location within the region
Coordinates: 37°53′N 23°56′E
CountryGreece
Administrative regionAttica
Regional unitEast Attica
Government
 • MayorKostas Allagiannis (since 9/2019)
Area
 • Municipality81.84 km2 (31.60 sq mi)
Elevation
80 m (260 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Municipality
21,284
 • Municipality density260/km2 (670/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
190 03
Area code(s)22990
Vehicle registrationZ
Websitewww.markopoulo.gr

Geography

The municipality Markopoulo Mesogaias is situated in the Mesogaia plain, in the eastern part of the Attica peninsula, and touches the Aegean Sea coast in the east, where the port town Porto Rafti is located. The town Markopoulo is in the western part of the municipality, at about 80 m (260 ft) elevation. It is 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Kalyvia Thorikou, 6 km (3.7 mi) east of Koropi and 21 km (13 mi) southeast of Athens city centre. Greek National Road 89 (Gerakas - Koropi - Lavrio - Sounio) passes through Markopoulo. Athens International Airport is 4 km (2.5 mi) north of the town. Markopoulo had a railway station on the Athens–Lavrion Railway, which closed for passenger traffic in 1957.

Settlements
  • Agía Triáda (2011 census pop. 218)
  • Vravróna, ancient Brauron (pop. 195) - located in the northeast by the Aegean Sea
  • Chamoliá (pop. 185)
  • Koulidás (pop. 243)
  • Markópoulo (pop. 9,513) - the municipal seat
  • Poriá (pop. 0)
  • Porto Rafti or Limín Markopoúlou (pop. 9,686)

History

Markopoulo along with Malakasa, Kakosalesi and Spata is one of the earliest villages formed by Albanian settlers in medieval Attica and it had already appeared by 1456.[2] As such, Markopoulo has historically been an Arvanite settlement.[3]

Historical monuments

Sports

Markopoulo was the home to two venues of the 2004 Summer Olympics: the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre and the Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre.

Markopoulo's women volleyball team plays in the A1 Ethniki Women's Volleyball, the highest level national competition.

Sport clubs based in Markopoulo
Club Founded Sports Achievements
Marko F.C.1927FootballEarlier presence in Gamma Ethniki
Markopoulo Athletic Club - AOM1988VolleyballPresence in A1 Ethniki women volleyball

Economy

Historically, the economy of the region has been largely agricultural, with grapes and wine being the major components of the local economy until today. The Merenda quarry also allowed for a major economic expansion during the 1990s, however operations have ceased since 2014. Today, tourism is a major driver as the nearby seaside town, Porto Rafti, is a very popular tourist destination in Attica.

Multiple companies, including SkyGreece Airlines have had their corporate headquarters in Markopoulo Mesogaias due to the easy access to Athens International Airport.

Historical population
YearPopulation
19819,388
199114,499
200115,608
201120,040
202121,284

See also

References
  1. "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.
  2. Karidis, Dimitris (2014). Athens from 1456 to 1920: The Town under Ottoman Rule and the 19th-Century Capital City. Archaeopress. p. 34. ISBN 1784910724. Therefore a few years before the Ottomans captured Athens (1456) several Albanian villages had already spread across Attica (villages such as Kakosalesi, Markopoulo, Malakasa fall under this category).
  3. Hans-Jürgen Sasse (1991). Arvanitika: die albanischen Sprachreste in Griechenland. Vol. 1. p. 18. ISBN 9783447027588.
  4. ".:BiblioNet : Γεώργιος Μάρκου ο Αργείος / Ανδρέου, Ευάγγελος". www.biblionet.gr. Retrieved 2018-11-16.


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