Skaramagas
Encyclopedia
Skaramagkas is a small town in the western part of Athens
, Greece
. It is part of the municipality of Chaidari
. The town has a refinery and a neighboring shipyard and docks to carry oil production to other parts of the Mediterranean and the world. The bay area is one of the most productive oil-producing areas in Greece. The town is located east of Eleusis, south of Attiki Odos
(highway 6), west of Athens
, north of Piraeus
and northeast of Perama
.
/E94 runs to the north. An interchange connecting it to the road to Piraeus is in the central part of town. In the future, Skaramagas will be accessed via the Aigaleo Ring (highway 65) of Attiki Odos
.
. Part of the bay is a lagoon to the northeast. Part of the area near the bay is forested. The Hellenic Navy
(then the Royal Hellenic Navy) founded the Royal Hellenic Naval Shipyard (RNHS) (now the Hellenic Naval Shipyard) in 1939 to construct two torpedo vessels. The facility is now known as the Skaramagkas Shipyard (Greek: Ναυπηγεία Σκαραμαγκά Nafpigeia Skaramagka).
In 1973, the Skaramagas naval base was the scene of an experiment carried out by Greek scientist Ioannis Sakkas, to test whether or not it was possible for Archimedes
to use focused sunlight as "a heat ray" to burn Roman ships during the Siege of Syracuse
. This event is mentioned in ancient accounts but often doubted by modern historians. In the 1973 experiment at Skaramagas, 70 mirrors with a copper coating, such as were available in Archimedes' time, did focus enough sunlight to set on fire a plywood of a Roman warship at a distance of around 50 metres (164 ft).
Between November 1978 and May 1979, the ship Tombazis underwent structural modifications at Hinder IV shipyard.
On September 9, 2001, the port was put up for sale, and the privatization was signed a month later. On March 6, 2002, the port became entirely owned by a German
group of investors under the industrial leadership of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, which became a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp
in 2005.
The Aspropyrgos Refinery
is near Skaramangas Bay, with oil depots near the refinery. Most of the oil is exported.
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...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It is part of the municipality of Chaidari
Chaidari
Chaidari , is a suburb in the west northwestern part of Athens, Greece. The two mountaintops of Aigaleo lies to the north and south...
. The town has a refinery and a neighboring shipyard and docks to carry oil production to other parts of the Mediterranean and the world. The bay area is one of the most productive oil-producing areas in Greece. The town is located east of Eleusis, south of Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos is a privately owned toll motorway in Greece. The Proastiakos high-speed suburban rail is set almost entirely in the median of the motorway, along its main section. The motorway's numbers are 6 for the main section, 64 for the Hymettus Beltway and 65 for the Aigaleo Beltway...
(highway 6), west 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...
, north of Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
and northeast of Perama
Perama
Perama is a port city and a suburb of Piraeus that lies on the southwest edge of the Aegaleo mountains. It creates the western terminus of the Port of Piraeus and there is also a port that provides ferry services to Salamis. The town has only one main road connecting Lambrakis and Ralli Avenues,...
.
Access
Athinon Avenue, part of Greek National Road 8AGreek 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...
/E94 runs to the north. An interchange connecting it to the road to Piraeus is in the central part of town. In the future, Skaramagas will be accessed via the Aigaleo Ring (highway 65) of Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos
Attiki Odos is a privately owned toll motorway in Greece. The Proastiakos high-speed suburban rail is set almost entirely in the median of the motorway, along its main section. The motorway's numbers are 6 for the main section, 64 for the Hymettus Beltway and 65 for the Aigaleo Beltway...
.
Nearest places
- AspropyrgosAspropyrgosAspropyrgos is a suburb of Athens, and a municipality in the West Attica regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is located 20 km NW of the city center of Athens in the Thriasian plain...
, north - ChaidariChaidariChaidari , is a suburb in the west northwestern part of Athens, Greece. The two mountaintops of Aigaleo lies to the north and south...
, east - Nikaia, southeast
- KeratsiniKeratsiniKeratsini is a suburb in the western part of Piraeus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Keratsini-Drapetsona, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:...
, south southeast - PeramaPeramaPerama is a port city and a suburb of Piraeus that lies on the southwest edge of the Aegaleo mountains. It creates the western terminus of the Port of Piraeus and there is also a port that provides ferry services to Salamis. The town has only one main road connecting Lambrakis and Ralli Avenues,...
, southwest
Environs
Mixed farming was common until urban development replaced much of the farmlands between the 1960s and the 1980s. The environment is rocky and bushy to the north and south while the Dafni forest lies to the east. More forests are to the southwest. Mountains are to the north and diagonally to the south. The residential area lies in the northeast and western part of the valley while shops are in the central part. There is an industrial area.Skaramangas Bay
Skaramangas Bay (Greek: Όρμος Σκαραμαγκά Ormos Skaramagka) connects the southeastern part of the Elefsina Bay and the northeastern part of the Saronic GulfSaronic 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...
. Part of the bay is a lagoon to the northeast. Part of the area near the bay is forested. The Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
(then the Royal Hellenic Navy) founded the Royal Hellenic Naval Shipyard (RNHS) (now the Hellenic Naval Shipyard) in 1939 to construct two torpedo vessels. The facility is now known as the Skaramagkas Shipyard (Greek: Ναυπηγεία Σκαραμαγκά Nafpigeia Skaramagka).
In 1973, the Skaramagas naval base was the scene of an experiment carried out by Greek scientist Ioannis Sakkas, to test whether or not it was possible for Archimedes
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an...
to use focused sunlight as "a heat ray" to burn Roman ships during the Siege of Syracuse
Siege of Syracuse
There have been several sieges of the city of Syracuse in Sicily:* Siege of Syracuse by the Athenians during the Sicilian Expedition* Siege of Syracuse by the Carthaginians....
. This event is mentioned in ancient accounts but often doubted by modern historians. In the 1973 experiment at Skaramagas, 70 mirrors with a copper coating, such as were available in Archimedes' time, did focus enough sunlight to set on fire a plywood of a Roman warship at a distance of around 50 metres (164 ft).
Between November 1978 and May 1979, the ship Tombazis underwent structural modifications at Hinder IV shipyard.
On September 9, 2001, the port was put up for sale, and the privatization was signed a month later. On March 6, 2002, the port became entirely owned by a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
group of investors under the industrial leadership of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, which became a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp
ThyssenKrupp
ThyssenKrupp AG is a German multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Duisburg Essen, Germany. The corporation consists of 670 companies worldwide. While ThyssenKrupp is one of the world's largest steel producers, the company also provides components and systems for the automotive...
in 2005.
The Aspropyrgos Refinery
Aspropyrgos Refinery
The Aspropyrgos oil refinery is of a complex type and one of the most modern in Europe . Operated by Hellenic Petroleum Group. Situated near Aspropyrgos, a suburb of Athens...
is near Skaramangas Bay, with oil depots near the refinery. Most of the oil is exported.
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 2,606? |
| 2001 | 968 |
External links
- Official website of Municipality of Chaidari
- Mapquest - Skaramagkas, street map not yet available
- Hellenic Shipyards Co.