Kalamaria
Encyclopedia
Kalamariá is a municipality (Borough
) of the Thessaloniki Urban Area
, located about 7 km southeast of downtown Thessaloniki. It is the second largest municipality (with a population of 87,255 as of 2001) of the Thessaloniki Urban Area as well as one of the largest in Greece, with a population increase of 8% since the 1991 census.
cape.
The name Kalamaria was first used in 1083 to denote the area southeast of Thessaloniki, including but not limited to the area of the present-day municipality. During the Byzantine
and the Ottoman periods
, the area was mostly uninhabited, except for a few fishing lodges.
The first settlement was created in the early 1920s to house refugees from the Greek diaspora in Georgia
and Asia Minor
, who fled or were forcibly sent to Greece as a result of the Greco-Turkish War
. As many as 100,000 refugees relocated to Thessaloniki, primarily to the city's suburbs. Refugees of Pontic
descent mainly relocated in Kalamaria, and the municipality's population is predominantly of Pontic descent to this day.
Kalamaria has seen substantial recent growth as part of a population shift from rural and urban areas to suburban areas, particularly to those east of Thessaloniki. Between the 1981 and 2001 censuses, the population of Kalamaria grew by about 36,000 (or, 69%). Up until 1943 Kalamaria was part of the Municipality of Thessaloniki
. On 1 January 1943 it became an independent administrative unity.
Kalamaria had a population of 14,000 residents as recorded by an inventory in 1947, but this has considerably increased, as shown by the Greek census of 2001 where Kalamaria had a total of 87,255 residents. Kalamaria has the second highest population in the Council of the Town Planning Group of Thessaloniki but also of Northern Greece and ninth in all of Greece.
Though it was originally separated from the main City of Thessaloniki, the municipality has grown so much in the post-war period that the older physical boundaries are virtually non-existent. Nowadays, the border between the two municipalities exists purely for administrative purposes.
The total area of the Municipality of Kalamaria covers 7200 acres (29.1 km²). About two thirds of the perimeter are 6.5 km of coastline.
The municipality is separated into 10 geographical districts, which have been given names reminiscent of the refugees' former homelands.
with: Saranda, Albania
Dimitrovgrad
, Bulgaria
Paphos
, Cyprus
Clearwater
, Florida
, United States
Liptovský Mikuláš
, Slovakia
, (the Thessaloniki-Chalkidiki motorway), Taki Ekonomidi Avenue (which links the popular district of Nea Krini
with Thessaloniki's city center), Megalou Alexandrou Avenue - the biggest avenue in Thessaloniki and Georgikis Sxolis Highway, which provides the main access from Kalamaria to the airport and the outer south-eastern suburbs of Thessaloniki
. Other main road links exist with Thermi
, while the southeast end of the Thessaloniki ring road (which bypasses the Thessaloniki Urban Area
) lies to the southeast of Kalamaria.
The first Mobility Centre in Greece started functioning in Kalamaria (June 2008).
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
) of the Thessaloniki Urban Area
Thessaloniki Urban Area
The Thessaloniki Urban Area is the contiguous densely built-up urban area around the municipality of Thessaloniki, Greece, which is the second largest municipality by population in the country behind Athens. The contiguous built-up area consists of 13 municipalities and forms the urban core of the...
, located about 7 km southeast of downtown Thessaloniki. It is the second largest municipality (with a population of 87,255 as of 2001) of the Thessaloniki Urban Area as well as one of the largest in Greece, with a population increase of 8% since the 1991 census.
History
The area was first settled by humans in prehistoric times, and remains from that settlement have been found around the KarabournakiKarabournaki
Karabournaki , Mikro Karabournou or Mikro Emvolo , is the cape of Kalamaria and a district of the local municipality as well, south of downtown Thessaloniki...
cape.
The name Kalamaria was first used in 1083 to denote the area southeast of Thessaloniki, including but not limited to the area of the present-day municipality. During the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and the Ottoman periods
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the area was mostly uninhabited, except for a few fishing lodges.
The first settlement was created in the early 1920s to house refugees from the Greek diaspora in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, who fled or were forcibly sent to Greece as a result of the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
. As many as 100,000 refugees relocated to Thessaloniki, primarily to the city's suburbs. Refugees of Pontic
Pontic Greeks
The Pontians are an ethnic group traditionally living in the Pontus region, the shores of Turkey's Black Sea...
descent mainly relocated in Kalamaria, and the municipality's population is predominantly of Pontic descent to this day.
Kalamaria has seen substantial recent growth as part of a population shift from rural and urban areas to suburban areas, particularly to those east of Thessaloniki. Between the 1981 and 2001 censuses, the population of Kalamaria grew by about 36,000 (or, 69%). Up until 1943 Kalamaria was part of the Municipality of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. On 1 January 1943 it became an independent administrative unity.
Kalamaria had a population of 14,000 residents as recorded by an inventory in 1947, but this has considerably increased, as shown by the Greek census of 2001 where Kalamaria had a total of 87,255 residents. Kalamaria has the second highest population in the Council of the Town Planning Group of Thessaloniki but also of Northern Greece and ninth in all of Greece.
Though it was originally separated from the main City of Thessaloniki, the municipality has grown so much in the post-war period that the older physical boundaries are virtually non-existent. Nowadays, the border between the two municipalities exists purely for administrative purposes.
The total area of the Municipality of Kalamaria covers 7200 acres (29.1 km²). About two thirds of the perimeter are 6.5 km of coastline.
The municipality is separated into 10 geographical districts, which have been given names reminiscent of the refugees' former homelands.
- Nea KriniNea KriniNea Krini is a district of the municipality of Kalamaria. It is considered among the best districts of the city. Many local footballers, basketball players and singers live in Nea Krini...
(GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Νέα Κρήνη") - Nea Trapezounta (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Νέα Τραπεζούντα") - KarabournakiKarabournakiKarabournaki , Mikro Karabournou or Mikro Emvolo , is the cape of Kalamaria and a district of the local municipality as well, south of downtown Thessaloniki...
(GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Καραμπουρνάκι") - Kouri (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Κουρί") - Katirli (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Κατιρλί") - Aretsou (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Αρετσού") - Ag. Ioannis (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Άγιος Ιωάννης") - Vyzantio (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Βυζάντιο") - Ag. Pantelimonas (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Άγιος Παντελεήμωνας") - Navarchos Votsis (in honour of Admiral Nikolaos VotsisNikolaos VotsisNikolaos Votsis was a Greek naval officer who distinguished himself during the Balkan Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral.- Life :Votsis was born in the island of Hydra to a family that had participated in the Greek War of Independence. His studies at the Naval Academy were followed in...
) (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Νάβαρχος Βότσης") - Finikas (Fenekas in local language) (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "Φοίνικας")
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 51,676 |
| 1991 | 80,698 |
| 2001 | 87,255 |
Twin towns — Sister cities
Kalamaria is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Saranda, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
Dimitrovgrad
Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria
Dimitrovgrad is a town in Haskovo Province, South-central Bulgaria, located close to the province capital - Haskovo. It is a newly founded settlement, built in the end of the 1940s. and named after the communist leader Georgi Dimitrov. The town is the administrative centre of the homonymous...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Liptovský Mikuláš
Liptovský Mikuláš
Liptovský Mikuláš is a town in northern Slovakia, on the Váh River. It lies in the Liptov region, in Liptov Basin near the Low Tatra and Tatra mountains...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
Notable residents
- The notable musicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
composer, Stavros KoujioumtzisStavros KoujioumtzisStavros Kouyioumtzis, also Kougioumtzis, Kouyoumtzis, or Koujioumtzis, is one of the most significant Greek music composers of the 20th century....
(1932–2005), was a resident of Kalamaria during the last years of his life. He was buried at Kalamaria's municipal cemetery. - One of the most famous natives of Kalamaria is the popular actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian Harry Klynn (originally Vassilis Triantafylides) (born 1940). Klynn was candidate for Mayor of Kalamaria at the local elections of 2006.
Transportation
The main roads that feed into the municipality are those of Konstantinos Karamanlis Avenue (formerly Nea Egnatia) to the east (which links with the ΕΟ67Greek National Road 67
The Greek National Road 67 is a highway or route that links the city of Thessaloniki with Nea Moudania and southern Chalkidiki...
, (the Thessaloniki-Chalkidiki motorway), Taki Ekonomidi Avenue (which links the popular district of Nea Krini
Nea Krini
Nea Krini is a district of the municipality of Kalamaria. It is considered among the best districts of the city. Many local footballers, basketball players and singers live in Nea Krini...
with Thessaloniki's city center), Megalou Alexandrou Avenue - the biggest avenue in Thessaloniki and Georgikis Sxolis Highway, which provides the main access from Kalamaria to the airport and the outer south-eastern suburbs of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. Other main road links exist with Thermi
Thermi
Thermi is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece.-Municipality:The municipality Thermi was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:*Mikra*Thermi...
, while the southeast end of the Thessaloniki ring road (which bypasses the Thessaloniki Urban Area
Thessaloniki Urban Area
The Thessaloniki Urban Area is the contiguous densely built-up urban area around the municipality of Thessaloniki, Greece, which is the second largest municipality by population in the country behind Athens. The contiguous built-up area consists of 13 municipalities and forms the urban core of the...
) lies to the southeast of Kalamaria.
The first Mobility Centre in Greece started functioning in Kalamaria (June 2008).