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Peristeri
View on WikipediaPeristeri (Greek: Περιστέρι, meaning "pigeon/dove" in Greek) is a city and a suburban municipality in the western part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. With 133,630 inhabitants (2021 census),[2] it ranks as the seventh-largest city and municipality in Greece by population.
Key Information
History
[edit]Geography
[edit]Peristeri is located about 4 km (2 mi) northwest of the centre of Athens. It lies between the Mount Aigaleo in the northwest and the Cephissus river in the southeast. The municipality has an area of 10.50 square kilometres (4.05 sq mi).[3] Its built-up area is continuous with that of central Athens and the neighbouring suburbs Aigaleo, Chaidari, Petroupoli, Ilion, and Agioi Anargyroi.
Transportation
[edit]The A1 motorway (Athens–Thessaloniki–Evzonoi) passes through the southeastern part of the municipality. Athinon Avenue (Greek National Road 8 Athens-Korinthos-Patras) passes through the southwestern part. Peristeri is served by three Athens metro stations on Line 2: Anthoupoli, Peristeri, and Agios Antonios. The Kifissos Bus Terminal where long-distance buses from Peloponnese, Epirus, Macedonia, Ionian Islands, and Thrace arrive, stands at the east border of Peristeri near Sepolia.
Historical population
[edit]| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 137,288 |
| 2001 | 137,918 |
| 2011 | 139,981 |
| 2021 | 133,630 |
Sports
[edit]The most important sports clubs that are based in Peristeri are Atromitos, that has had a presence in the Super League Greece and in the UEFA Europa League, and Peristeri, that has had a long-time presence in the Greek Basketball League and in several European-wide competitions, such as the EuroLeague, the FIBA Basketball Champions League, the FIBA Korac Cup, and the FIBA Europe Cup.
| Notable sport clubs based in Peristeri | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Founded | Sports | Achievements |
| Atromitos | 1923 | Football | Presence in the Super League Greece and the UEFA Europa League |
| Peristeri | 1971 | Basketball | Presence in the Greek Basketball League and the EuroLeague |
Peristeri Arena
[edit]The Peristeri Arena (or Andreas Papandreou Arena), is an indoor basketball sporting arena. The seating capacity of the arena is 4,000 people. The arena is owned by the municipality of Peristeri. The arena is currently home to the Greek professional basketball team Peristeri Athens, of the Greek Basketball League.
The arena was opened in the year 1989. The arena is named after the late Andreas Papandreou, who was a former prime minister of Greece. The arena is an older, smaller version of the Larissa Neapolis Arena and the Dimitris Tofalos Arena, which were based on Peristeri Arena, but were built 6 years later, and with larger seating capacities.
Landmarks
[edit]- Cathedral
- Peristeri Arena
- Peristeri Stadium
- Town Hall
Culture
[edit]Peristeri has one municipal outdoor cinema[4] and four municipal theatres.[5]
Economy at 1900s
[edit]On November 5, 1933, the establishment of the company "Lignitoryheia Attikis S.A." was announced, with the aim of exploiting the coal deposits in the area. Mining began two years later.[6]
Notable people
[edit]- Angela Dimitriou, singer
- Evangelos Koronios, professional basketball player and coach
- Giannis Poulopoulos, singer-songwriter
- Grigoris Bithikotsis (1922–2005), singer and songwriter
- Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou (born 1986), Pole vault athlete
- Vangelis Ploios, actor
- Vangelis Mantzaris, basketball player
- Leonidas Michailidis, brain surgeon
- Orfeas Tzortzopoulos, drummer of Suicidal Angels
- Argiris Pedoulakis, professional basketball player and coach
- Demostene Russo
- Konstantinos Argiros, singer
International relations
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Municipality of Peristeri, Municipal elections – October 2023, Ministry of Interior
- ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.
- ^ "Νέος "ΣΙΝΕ ΠΕΡΑΝ" δημοτικός θερινός κινηματογράφος". peristeri.gr.
- ^ "Δημοτικά Θέατρα & Κινηματογράφοι". peristeri.gr.
- ^ "www.metrocity.gr - Περιστέρι - Το Κάρβουνο". 2013-03-15. Archived from the original on 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ "МЕЖДУНАРОДНО СЪТРУДНИЧЕСТВО НА ОБЩИНА РУСЕ - Побратимени градове". Община Русе [Municipality Ruse] (in Bulgarian). Archived from the original on 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2013-08-12.
External links
[edit]- (in Greek) Official website
Peristeri
View on GrokipediaHistory
Ancient Origins
Peristeri is widely regarded as the site of the ancient Attic deme Leuconoe (also spelled Leukonoion), a territorial subdivision within the Athenian city-state established as part of Cleisthenes' democratic reforms around 508 BC. This deme belonged to the phyle Leontis, one of the ten tribal units into which Attica was organized, and was classified within the urban (asty) trittys, the central administrative district encompassing the area near Athens proper. Leuconoe contributed a quota of three bouleutai—representatives to the Council of Five Hundred (Boule)—reflecting its modest size and role in the rotational governance of the polis.[5][6] Literary and epigraphic sources confirm Leuconoe's existence and integration into Athenian civic life. References appear in classical texts, including Demosthenes' orations, where residents like Apollodorus of Leuconoe are noted in legal contexts, and in Plutarch's accounts of notable figures from the deme, such as the statesman Laches. Harpokration's lexicon and the Suda encyclopedia further identify it explicitly as a deme of the Leontis phyle. Inscriptions, including prytany lists like IG II² 2818 and a dedication in SEG 24.238, document its administrative activities, such as participation in council rotations and religious dedications.[7][6] A prominent resident, Demochares of Leuconoe (c. 355–c. 275 BC), nephew and political successor to Demosthenes, exemplifies the deme's influence in Athenian politics during the transition to the Hellenistic era. Exiled from 303 to 286 BC for opposing Macedonian domination under Demetrius of Phalerum, Demochares returned to propose key decrees restoring democratic institutions and honoring liberators like Demetrius Poliorcetes before later critiquing him. His historical writings and oratory advanced anti-Macedonian resistance, underscoring Leuconoe's ties to broader struggles for Athenian autonomy.[8][5] Archaeological confirmation of Leuconoe relies on epigraphic findspots in modern Peristeri, including inscriptions attesting to deme officials and activities, which align with literary descriptions of its urban location northwest of Athens. The site's tentative placement is supported by the Barrington Atlas, mapping it near coordinates 38.0077° N, 23.6916° E. While Attica as a whole preserves Bronze Age settlements and Mycenaean remains indicating early habitation from the 2nd millennium BC, specific prehistoric evidence directly linked to Peristeri remains limited, with classical-period artifacts forming the primary record.[6][9]20th-Century Development
Following Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire in the early 1830s, the area now known as Peristeri transitioned from a collection of rural villages and agricultural lands in Ottoman Attica to integration into the expanding Kingdom of Greece, with Athens designated as the national capital in 1834.[10] This incorporation placed Peristeri within the burgeoning metropolitan region, though it remained largely undeveloped and sparsely populated as farmland on the western outskirts of Athens into the early 20th century. The influx of over 1.2 million Greek refugees from Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace following the 1922 Greco-Turkish War and the Asia Minor Catastrophe dramatically accelerated Peristeri's transformation, with refugees comprising up to 95% of the local population by the mid-1920s.[11][12] Initially settled in makeshift tents and shacks amid poor infrastructure, these newcomers—primarily from urban centers like Smyrna and including Pontic Greeks and Armenians—prompted the Greek government to initiate housing projects through the Refugee Settlement Commission. By 1926, over 9,000 solid units of basic, 36-square-meter detached houses with minimal amenities were constructed in refugee quarters, including Peristeri, marking the onset of suburban urbanization amid high mortality rates from disease and overcrowding.[11] Peristeri's growth intensified through the interwar period, fueled by industrial opportunities such as lignite coal mining, which began in the Peristeri-Kalogreza basin around 1930 and provided employment for local workers.[13] On January 18, 1934, due to its swelling population from refugee settlements, Peristeri was detached from the Municipality of Athens and officially established as an independent municipality; the first municipal elections followed on February 11.[14] Post-World War II economic recovery and internal migration spurred further rapid urbanization in Peristeri during the 1950s, with the population increasing from 35,733 in the 1951 census to 137,288 by the 1981 census, driven by demand for affordable housing.[13] This expansion ended coal mining operations by 1959, as residential development encroached on extraction sites, leading to subsidence issues from abandoned underground galleries, while state and private initiatives constructed social housing complexes to accommodate the growing suburban workforce.[13][15]Geography
Location and Physical Features
Peristeri is situated in the northwestern part of the Athens metropolitan area, with geographic coordinates approximately 38°01′N 23°41′E. It lies about 4 km northwest of central Athens, forming part of the densely urbanized western suburbs.[16][17] The municipality is bordered by Mount Aigaleo to the west, which provides a natural elevation boundary, and the Cephissus River to the east, serving as a significant hydrological divide. To the north and northwest, it adjoins suburbs such as Ilion and Petroupoli, while to the south it connects with Aigaleo and Chaidari, contributing to the continuous built-up fabric of the Athens agglomeration.[18] The total area spans 10.95 km², encompassing a compact urban landscape. Peristeri's topography consists primarily of flat to gently undulating plains, with an average elevation of around 50-65 m above sea level, reflecting its position in the Athens basin. The terrain is predominantly urbanized, featuring limited green spaces interspersed among residential and commercial developments.[19][20][21] Administratively, Peristeri is divided into several districts, including Anthoupoli in the north and Peristeri Center, which serves as the municipal core with key public facilities and commercial hubs. These divisions facilitate local governance and urban planning within the municipality's boundaries.[22][23]Climate and Environment
Peristeri experiences a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, classified as Köppen Csa, characterized by distinct seasonal variations typical of the Attica region. Summers are hot and dry, with average high temperatures reaching 32–33°C in July, while winters are mild and wetter, with average lows around 7°C in January. Annual precipitation averages approximately 400–415 mm, concentrated primarily from October to March, supporting limited vegetation during the cooler months but contributing to occasional urban flooding risks.[24] These patterns align closely with broader Athens metropolitan data, reflecting the area's coastal influence and topography. As an urban suburb integrated into the greater Athens area, Peristeri faces notable environmental challenges, including intensified urban heat island (UHI) effects that elevate local temperatures by 6–12°C compared to rural surroundings during peak summer periods. The dense built environment exacerbates this, with limited green spaces such as the Alsos Peristeriou park—opened in 2012 and spanning about 15 acres—offering some mitigation through shaded walking paths and recreational areas, though overall park coverage remains modest relative to the population.[4] Proximity to central Athens also contributes to air pollution issues, with PM2.5 levels frequently reaching moderate concentrations (AQI 51–100), influenced by traffic emissions and regional industrial activity.[25] In response to these pressures, Peristeri has participated in post-2021 green initiatives aligned with Athens-wide sustainability efforts, including tree-planting programs aimed at enhancing urban biodiversity and reducing heat stress.[26] These efforts, such as converting underused plots into pocket parks and expanding afforestation, build on municipal collaborations to promote ecological resilience, though implementation in Peristeri focuses on localized enhancements like those around existing green areas.[27]Demographics
Population Trends
Peristeri's population has shown relative stability over the past three decades, with modest growth until the early 2010s followed by a slight decline. According to official census data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), the municipality recorded 137,288 residents in 1991, increasing marginally to 137,918 in 2001 and reaching a peak of 139,981 in 2011. By 2021, the population had decreased to 133,630, reflecting an overall annual change of approximately -0.44% between 2011 and 2021.[28][29][1]| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 137,288 |
| 2001 | 137,918 |
| 2011 | 139,981 |
| 2021 | 133,630 |

