:''
Pieria (Syria) was a province of Roman Syria.''
'Pieria' (
Greek: ''Πιερία'') is one of the
prefectures of Greece. It is located in the southern part of
Greek Macedonia (
Central Macedonia) . Its capital is the town of
Katerini. Pieria is the smallest prefecture within Greek Macedonia. The name Pieria originates from the ancient tribe and the ancient country of Pieris. In Pieria, there are many sites of archeological interest, such as
Dion,
Pydna and
Platamonas. Pieria is also home to
Mt. Pierus, home to
Orpheus and the
Muses, as well as the
Pierian Spring.
Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and throne of the ancient Greek gods, is towering at the south side of Pieria. Other ancient cities included
Leivithros and
Pimpleia or Pimplia.
Geography
The Pieria prefecture is bounded with
Larissa in
Thessaly to the south and west, the
Kozani to the west and
Imathia to the north. Until the late-
20th century, it surrounded the village of
Elafos in which it was part of the Imatha prefecture.
The
Pierian Mountains lie to the west. The
Thermian Gulf lies to the east. It also has a valley by the GR-13. Most of the population live within the Olympian Riviera. The lowest point is the Thermian Gulf and the highest point is
Mount Olympus.
Climate
Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cool winters. In most of the central part and the western part receives winter weather especially in the hills, the Pierian Mountains and Mount Olympus.
Municipalities
See also:
List of settlements in the Pieria prefecture
History
Pieria has been in the
Kingdom of Macedonia whereas it was the second province of the ancient kingrom, later the
Roman Empire as well as the
Byzantine Empire. It was later invaded and became a part of the
Ottoman Empire, during that time, the
Greek War of Independence occurred in the area in
1821 but their battle was lost. Pieria did not join the rest of
Greece until the
Balkan Wars in
1913. Until
1947, Pieria was part of the
Thessaloniki Prefecture in that time was the largest prefecture, it was then a
province. Pieria saw an economic boom in agriculture and businesses. During the
Greco-Turkish War, it saw an influx of refugees from
Asia Minor in what is now a part of
Turkey and several places were named after their former homelands including
Nea Trapezounta from Trezibond (now
Trabzon) and
Nea Efesos from
Ephesus (now
Efes), they are now belong to
Turkey. Roads were being paved, Katerini saw electricity. After
World War II and the
Greek Civil War, Pieria was rebuilt and its population was emigrating. Electricity were introduced to the rest of the prefecture in the
1960s, television in the
1970s and the
1980s and also more pavement of roads.
The GR-1 was under construction in the late-1960s and was opened to traffic in
1972 with two lanes, in the
1980s, it became two-laned in the northern part, in the
1990s, it became two laned that it went as far as the prefectural boundary with Larissa in the early-
2000s.
On
June 8,
2007, a low pressure received system from Southern and Central Europe heavy rainfalls ravaged the prefecture and saw damages in fruit and vegetable production, one farm was like a small pond that can be seen in the valley. The hard hit area was
Korinos.
Transport
★
GR-1/
E75, both the old and the new highways
★
GR-13
Sporting teams
★
Pierikos - Greek Third Division (North Club)
See Also
★
Olympus Festival
External links
★
Pieria Tourism
★ http://www.culture.gr/maps/macedon/pieria/pieria.html
★
★
★ http://www.plefsis.gr/pieria.htm
★ http://www.mpa.gr/specials/olympus/pieria.html
★ http://users.pie.sch.gr/amgr1/pieria_photos.htm
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