Corinthia
Encyclopedia
Corinthia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated around the city of Corinth
, in the north-eastern part of the Peloponnese
peninsula.
to the west and southwest, the Gulf of Corinth
and Attica
to the north, the Saronic Gulf
to the east, Argolis
to the south and Arcadia
to the southwest.
The Corinth Canal
, carrying ship traffic between the Ionian
and the Aegean
seas, is about 4 km east of Corinth
, cutting through the Isthmus of Corinth
. The prefecture is increasingly seen as part of the wider metropolitan area of Athens
, with municipalities, such as Agioi Theodoroi
in the easternmost part of Corinthia, being considered suburbs of Athens.
The area around Corinth and the western Saronic
including the southeastern part are made up of fault lines including the Corinth Fault, the Poseidon Fault and a fault running from Perahcora to Agioi Theodoroi. More faults are near Kiras Vrysi and Sofiko.
The eastern coastlands of Corinthia are made up of pastures and farmlands where olives, grapes, tomatoes and vegetables are cultivated. The rest of Corinthia is mountainous. Its tallest mountain is Kyllini in its west and the largest lake is Lake Stymphalos situated in the southwest. The reservoir will become one of the largest lakes after its completion.
The climate of Corinthia consists of hot summers and mild winters at the coastal areas and somewhat more cold winters with occasional snowfalls at the mountain areas.
Corinthia . The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
and was known as Argolidocorinthia. It included Hydra
, Spetses
and Kythira
. Argolis joined Corinthia to reform Argolidocorinthia again in 1909. Forty years later, in 1949, the prefecture was finally separated from Argolis.
The highway was first paved at the turn of the 20th century. The mid to late-20th century saw the population shifting from agriculture to other jobs, as people migrated to larger towns and cities as well as other parts of the world. In the 1960s, a superhighway was constructed to handle the increasing traffic between Corinth and Athens and allow higher speed limits (60 km/h to 80 km/h). This highway consists of the GR-8A
, partly E65
and E94 and is tolled. The section from the old Corinth interchange eastward in Corinthia was opened in 1962 and the section west of Corinthia was added in 1969. The new highway had a significant effect on the prefecture's industry, as it lowered the cost of transportation of goods between Corinthia and the Athens metropolitan area.
In late 2006, the prefect of Corinthia announced the construction of a new dam, to be located 5 to 7 km south of Kiato
and Sicyon
, near Stimanika, over the Elissos River. It will be the second largest body of water (lakes, reservoirs) in the prefecture and also the first o be built by a prefecture in the Peloponnese
. The dam will be designed to withstand earthquakes and natural disasters, including flooding.
On July 17, 2007, a forest fire struck the area around the historic Acrocorinth
and its castle.
and its acropolis, Acrocorinth
, the thermal springs of Loutraki
, the Corinth Canal
, Nemea
and the Heraion of Perachora
.
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, in the north-eastern part of the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
peninsula.
Geography
Corinthia borders on AchaeaAchaea
Achaea is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.-Geography:...
to the west and southwest, the Gulf of Corinth
Gulf of Corinth
The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece...
and Attica
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
to the north, the Saronic Gulf
Saronic Gulf
The Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus.-Geography:The gulf includes the islands of; Aegina, Salamis, and Poros along with...
to the east, Argolis
Argolis
Argolis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.-Geography:...
to the south and Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
to the southwest.
The Corinth Canal
Corinth Canal
The Corinth Canal is a canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greek mainland, thus effectively making the former an island. The builders dug the canal through...
, carrying ship traffic between the Ionian
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
and the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
seas, is about 4 km east of Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, cutting through the Isthmus of Corinth
Isthmus of Corinth
The Isthmus of Corinth is the narrow land bridge which connects the Peloponnese peninsula with the rest of the mainland of Greece, near the city of Corinth. The word "isthmus" comes from the Ancient Greek word for "neck" and refers to the narrowness of the land. The Isthmus was known in the ancient...
. The prefecture is increasingly seen as part of the wider metropolitan area of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, with municipalities, such as Agioi Theodoroi
Agioi Theodoroi
Agioi Theodoroi is a town and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi, of which it is a municipal unit. It is a suburb of Athens, located around 12 km east of Corinth and about 63 km W...
in the easternmost part of Corinthia, being considered suburbs of Athens.
The area around Corinth and the western Saronic
Saronic Gulf
The Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus.-Geography:The gulf includes the islands of; Aegina, Salamis, and Poros along with...
including the southeastern part are made up of fault lines including the Corinth Fault, the Poseidon Fault and a fault running from Perahcora to Agioi Theodoroi. More faults are near Kiras Vrysi and Sofiko.
The eastern coastlands of Corinthia are made up of pastures and farmlands where olives, grapes, tomatoes and vegetables are cultivated. The rest of Corinthia is mountainous. Its tallest mountain is Kyllini in its west and the largest lake is Lake Stymphalos situated in the southwest. The reservoir will become one of the largest lakes after its completion.
The climate of Corinthia consists of hot summers and mild winters at the coastal areas and somewhat more cold winters with occasional snowfalls at the mountain areas.
Administration
The regional unit Corinthia is subdivided into 6 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):- CorinthCorinth (municipality)The municipality of Corinth is a Greek municipality located in the Peleponnese periphery established on 1 January 2011 under the Kallikratis programme for local government reform. The municipality is made up of five previous municipalities: Assos-Lechaio, Corinth, Saronikos, Tenea and Solygeia...
(Korinthos, 1) - Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi (3)
- NemeaNemea (town)Nemea is a town in Corinthia, Greece, and the seat of municipality with the same name . It is located a few kilometres west of ancient Nemea, with a population of under five thousand people.-Economy:...
(4) - SikyonaSikyonaSikyona is a municipality in Corinthia, Greece. Population 19,455 . The seat of the municipality is in Kiato. Sikyona takes its name from the ancient city Sicyon, which was located in the same territory.-Municipality:...
(6) - Velo-Vocha (2)
- Xylokastro-Evrostina (5)
Prefecture
As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Corinthia was created out of the former prefecturePrefectures of Greece
During the first administrative division of independent Greece in 1833–1836 and then again from 1845 until their abolition with the Kallikratis reform in 2010, the prefectures were the country's main administrative unit...
Corinthia . The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
| New municipality | Old municipalities | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Corinth Corinth (municipality) The municipality of Corinth is a Greek municipality located in the Peleponnese periphery established on 1 January 2011 under the Kallikratis programme for local government reform. The municipality is made up of five previous municipalities: Assos-Lechaio, Corinth, Saronikos, Tenea and Solygeia... (Korinthos) |
Assos-Lechaio Assos-Lechaio Assos-Lechaio is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 9,850 . The seat of the municipality was in Perigiali.... |
Corinth |
| Corinth Corinth Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit... |
||
| Saronikos | ||
| Solygeia Solygeia Solygeia is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,047 . The seat of the municipality was in Sofiko.... |
||
| Tenea Tenea Tenea is an ancient city and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Chiliomodi. Ancient Tenea was established approximately 15... |
||
| Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi | Agioi Theodoroi Agioi Theodoroi Agioi Theodoroi is a town and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi, of which it is a municipal unit. It is a suburb of Athens, located around 12 km east of Corinth and about 63 km W... |
Loutraki |
| Loutraki-Perachora Loutraki-Perachora Loutraki-Perachora is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi, of which it is a municipal unit. Loutraki being the most important settlement is a seaside town having a population of... |
||
| Nemea Nemea (town) Nemea is a town in Corinthia, Greece, and the seat of municipality with the same name . It is located a few kilometres west of ancient Nemea, with a population of under five thousand people.-Economy:... |
Nemea Nemea (town) Nemea is a town in Corinthia, Greece, and the seat of municipality with the same name . It is located a few kilometres west of ancient Nemea, with a population of under five thousand people.-Economy:... |
Nemea |
| Sikyona Sikyona Sikyona is a municipality in Corinthia, Greece. Population 19,455 . The seat of the municipality is in Kiato. Sikyona takes its name from the ancient city Sicyon, which was located in the same territory.-Municipality:... |
Feneos Feneos Feneos is a village and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sikyona, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population was 2,359 as of 2001. The seat of the municipality was in Goura.In ancient times the area... |
Kiato Kiato Kiato is a coastal town in Greece that is agricultural-based. The town is located in the northern part of the prefecture of Corinthia in the Peloponnese, Greece. Kiato is located in a sandy area which features lemon trees, orange trees, and other fruit-bearing trees. It has a lot of tourist... |
| Sikyona Sikyona Sikyona is a municipality in Corinthia, Greece. Population 19,455 . The seat of the municipality is in Kiato. Sikyona takes its name from the ancient city Sicyon, which was located in the same territory.-Municipality:... |
||
| Stymfalia Stymfalia Stymphalia is a village and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sikyona, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,852 . The seat of the municipality was in Kalianoi, 41 km southwest of the town of... |
||
| Velo-Vocha | Velo Velo, Greece Velo is a town and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Velo-Vocha, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located about 15 km west from Corinth, and 5 km southeast of Kiato... |
Zevgolateio Zevgolateio Zevgolateio is a town in the municipality Velo-Vocha, Corinthia, Greece, which is located 99 kilometers southwest of Athens. In 2004, the town had a population of 4,119.... |
| Vocha Vocha Vocha is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Velo-Vocha, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 10,112 . The seat of the municipality was in Zevgolateio.... |
||
| Xylokastro-Evrostina | Evrostina | Xylokastro |
| Xylokastro Xylokastro Xylokastro is a town and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Xylokastro-Evrostina, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 40 km W of Corinth via Greek National Road 8A/E65... |
Main towns and cities
The main cities and towns of Corinthia are (ranked by 2001 census population):- CorinthCorinthCorinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
29,787 - LoutrakiLoutrakiLoutraki is a seaside resort located 84 km W of Athens and 4 km NE of Corinth in the Prefecture of Corinthia, Greece. Loutraki is the seat of the municipality Loutraki-Perachora. The town is well-known for its vast natural springs and its therapeutic spas.-History:In antiquity a town...
13,239 - KiatoKiatoKiato is a coastal town in Greece that is agricultural-based. The town is located in the northern part of the prefecture of Corinthia in the Peloponnese, Greece. Kiato is located in a sandy area which features lemon trees, orange trees, and other fruit-bearing trees. It has a lot of tourist...
9,743 - Agioi TheodoroiAgioi TheodoroiAgioi Theodoroi is a town and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi, of which it is a municipal unit. It is a suburb of Athens, located around 12 km east of Corinth and about 63 km W...
5,960 - XylokastroXylokastroXylokastro is a town and a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Xylokastro-Evrostina, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 40 km W of Corinth via Greek National Road 8A/E65...
5,618
History
From 1833 to 1899, the prefecture included ArgolisArgolis
Argolis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.-Geography:...
and was known as Argolidocorinthia. It included Hydra
Hydra, Saronic Islands
Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. It is separated from the Peloponnese by narrow strip of water...
, Spetses
Spetses
Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
and Kythira
Kythira
Cythera is an island in Greece, once part of the Ionian Islands. It lies opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is administratively part of the Islands regional unit, which is part of the Attica region , Greece.For many centuries, while naval travel was the only means...
. Argolis joined Corinthia to reform Argolidocorinthia again in 1909. Forty years later, in 1949, the prefecture was finally separated from Argolis.
The highway was first paved at the turn of the 20th century. The mid to late-20th century saw the population shifting from agriculture to other jobs, as people migrated to larger towns and cities as well as other parts of the world. In the 1960s, a superhighway was constructed to handle the increasing traffic between Corinth and Athens and allow higher speed limits (60 km/h to 80 km/h). This highway consists of the GR-8A
Greek National Road 8A
Greek National Road 8A is a toll road running from Kifissou avenue, in Athens up to the northeast of Patras. It is a highway from Kifissou avenue up to Corinth, for about 85 km and the rest is an undivided highway with just one lane per direction. The total length is 215 km, but for the...
, partly E65
European route E65
European route E 65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chaniá, Greece. The road is about in length.-Itinerary:* Sweden** E 65: Malmö – Ystad* Baltic sea, ferry Ystad-Świnoujście* Poland...
and E94 and is tolled. The section from the old Corinth interchange eastward in Corinthia was opened in 1962 and the section west of Corinthia was added in 1969. The new highway had a significant effect on the prefecture's industry, as it lowered the cost of transportation of goods between Corinthia and the Athens metropolitan area.
In late 2006, the prefect of Corinthia announced the construction of a new dam, to be located 5 to 7 km south of Kiato
Kiato
Kiato is a coastal town in Greece that is agricultural-based. The town is located in the northern part of the prefecture of Corinthia in the Peloponnese, Greece. Kiato is located in a sandy area which features lemon trees, orange trees, and other fruit-bearing trees. It has a lot of tourist...
and Sicyon
Sicyon
Sikyon was an ancient Greek city situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea on the territory of the present-day prefecture of Corinthia...
, near Stimanika, over the Elissos River. It will be the second largest body of water (lakes, reservoirs) in the prefecture and also the first o be built by a prefecture in the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
. The dam will be designed to withstand earthquakes and natural disasters, including flooding.
On July 17, 2007, a forest fire struck the area around the historic Acrocorinth
Acrocorinth
Acrocorinth , "Upper Corinth", the acropolis of ancient Corinth, is a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth, Greece. "It is the most impressive of the acropoleis of mainland Greece," in the estimation of George Forrest. Acrocorinth was continuously occupied from archaic times to...
and its castle.
Economy
The main sources of income are goods and services, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture.Transport
Below are Coritnhia's road network.- Motorways:
- Olympia OdosOlympia OdosOlympia Odos is a planned major motorway, currently under construction. The motorway will run from Athens all the way down to Tsakona, spanning a total of . Part of the motorway will run parallel to and replace Greek National Road 8A, while parts of it will be upgraded to modern motorway standards...
(which integrates Greek National Road 8AGreek National Road 8AGreek National Road 8A is a toll road running from Kifissou avenue, in Athens up to the northeast of Patras. It is a highway from Kifissou avenue up to Corinth, for about 85 km and the rest is an undivided highway with just one lane per direction. The total length is 215 km, but for the...
) - Moreas Motorway
- Olympia Odos
- Highways-National Roads:
- Greek National Road 7Greek National Road 7The Moreas Motorway is a motorway in Peloponnese, Greece. Locally it is known as the Moréas , which was the medieval name of the Peloponnese. The A7 begins just west of the Isthmus of Corinth, branching off from Greek National Road 8A...
- Greek National Road 8Greek National Road 8The National Road 8 in Greece is a single carriageway with at-grade intersections in the Attica and Peloponnese regions. It links the cities of Patras, Corinth and Athens. Until the 1960s when the National Road 8A, a toll road, replaced it as a major route, it was the only road linking Athens and...
- Greek National Road 66Greek National Road 66Greek National Road 66 is a national highway of Greece. It connects Nemea with Levidi....
- Greek National Road 7
Culture
Famous attractions include Ancient CorinthAncient Corinth
Corinth, or Korinth was a city-state on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece, roughly halfway between Athens and Sparta. The modern town of Corinth is located approximately northeast of the ancient ruins...
and its acropolis, Acrocorinth
Acrocorinth
Acrocorinth , "Upper Corinth", the acropolis of ancient Corinth, is a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth, Greece. "It is the most impressive of the acropoleis of mainland Greece," in the estimation of George Forrest. Acrocorinth was continuously occupied from archaic times to...
, the thermal springs of Loutraki
Loutraki
Loutraki is a seaside resort located 84 km W of Athens and 4 km NE of Corinth in the Prefecture of Corinthia, Greece. Loutraki is the seat of the municipality Loutraki-Perachora. The town is well-known for its vast natural springs and its therapeutic spas.-History:In antiquity a town...
, the Corinth Canal
Corinth Canal
The Corinth Canal is a canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greek mainland, thus effectively making the former an island. The builders dug the canal through...
, Nemea
Nemea
Nemea is an ancient site near the head of the valley of the River Elissos in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. Formerly part of the territory of Cleonae in Argolis, it is today part of the prefecture of Corinthia...
and the Heraion of Perachora
Heraion of Perachora
The Heraion of Perachora was a sanctuary of the goddess Hera situated in a small cove of the Corinthian gulf at the end of the Perachora peninsula. In addition to a temple of Hera of unusual construction and antiquity, the remains of a number of other structures have also been found, including a...
.