Agia Paraskevi (Greek: Αγία Παρασκευή, namit efter Saunt Paraskevi o Roum), is a suburb o Athens, Greece, in the northeast o Athens, aboot nine kilometres awa frae the ceety centre. It is linkit tae Athens bi Mesogeion Avenue, a major road in the greater Athens aurie. It is a municipality athin Attica region.
Agia Paraskevi Αγία Παρασκευή | |
|---|---|
  Agia Paraskevi Location within the region  | |
| Coordinates: 38°00′N 23°49′E | |
| Kintra | Greece |
| Admeenistrative region | Attica |
| Regional unit | North Athens |
| Govrenment | |
| • Mayor | Vasilis Zorbas (ND) |
| Area | |
| • Municipality | 7.935 km2 (3.064 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 206 m (676 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Municipality | 59704 |
| • Municipality density | 7,500/km2 (19,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 153 xx, 154 xx |
| Aurie code(s) | 210 |
| Vehicle registration | I |
| Website | www.agiaparaskevi.gr |
History
Till the 1950s, the suburb wis spairsely inhabitit, wi maist o its inhabitants practising agricultur. In the 1960s, the rapid economic development that the kintra wis experiencin drove an influx o immigrants tae the big ceeties, an a burst o construction activity. Thus the population o suburban Athens (an Agia Paraskevi) dramatically increased; a process that went on intae the 1980s an 1990s (see table belaw). The day, Agia Paraskevi, like the majority o Athens' suburbs, is densely populatit.
Agia Paraskevi consists o 7 destricts: Kontopefko (Greek Κοντόπευκο for short pine tree, Ancient/Katharevousa Kontopefkon), Nea Zoi (Νέα Ζωή Greek for new life), Tsakos (Τσακός), Stavros, Agios Ioannis (Άγιος Ιωάννης the Greek equivalent o Saunt John), Pefkakia an Paradisos (Heiven). In the dountoun aurie lees the central Agia Paraskevi Square wi a cathedral dedicatit tae the Orthodox Saunt Agia Paraskevi, efter whom the suburb is namit.
Agia Paraskevi operates the nuclear research centre Demokritos, which hosts the sole nuclear reactor in Greece. It is hame o the Greek Meenistry o Agricultur an aw.
The fitbaa team o the ceety is Agia Paraskevi F.C., but is kent as "Santa", attractin devotit fans. Durin the Olympic gemmes in 2004, a pairt o the historical Marathon passed throu Agia Paraskevi in Mesogeion avenue, an this wis deemit a great moment for the municipality.
1993 riot
In 1993, thare wis considerable opposition frae inhabitants o the suburb tae the construction o the Hymettus ring road. The ring road wis tae form a major heich-gate on the muntainside linkit directly tae the Attiki Odos, an the construction o baith the ring an Attiki Odos wur tae commence immediately. The realization that this plan wad demand the fellin o a considerable nummers o trees, as well as spurrin an increase in noise pollution, predictably aroused the opposition o the local population, who requestit a different solution: a covered road. Housomeivver, the govrenment wad no reverse the decision an, in fact, sent bulldozers tae the muntainside. This led tae a riot in Apryle 1993. Thoosans o fowk travelled up the muntainside an facit the bulldozers, forcin the drivers tae leave. At lenth polis arrivit an managit tae force the demonstrators aff the steid; eventually the construction o the twa heich-gates began, an wis completit in 2001. The road wis covered anerly at a smaw section, that runnin ower the Deree College.
Geografie
Built at the fuit o munt Hymettus, Agia Paraskevi is ane o the few suburbs o Athens tae retain plenty o trees, an affers guid opportunities for leisur activities, such as trekkin, joggin an picnics. A bonnie route on the muntainside leads throu the pine trees, tae the smaw monastery o Saunt John, kent as "the hunter" in the aurie. Thare are spectacular views at the summit, tae aw Athens as far as Piraeus.
Climate
The climatic conditions in Agia Paraskevi are teepically Mediterranean: simmers are hot an dry, an winters are mild. Snawfaws are no uncommon, but they daena occur ivery winter, while heatwaves occur every simmer an aw, wi temperaturs reachin 40 or even 42 Celsius degrees. Due tae these condeetions, fowk sufferin frae serious illnesses wur ance brocht here as pairt o their recovery process, afore the great wave o urban development.
Transportation
Although thare is a vera satisfactory heich-gate connection, Agia Paraskevi is still poorly linkit tae ither auries o Attica via public transport; a major reason for this is the town's geografical position. Thare are few bus lines leadin tae the centre o Athens an ane goin tae Agioi Anargyroi. An aw thare are twa Metro stations that are servin the ceety, cried Nomismatokopio an Agia Paraskevi.
Internaitional relations
Twin touns – Sister ceeties
Agia Paraskevi is twinned wi:
Saint-Brieuc in Fraunce
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 32,904 |
| 1991 | 47,463 |
| 2001 | 56,836 |
| 2011 | 59,704 |
References
Freemit airtins
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