Larissa (/ləˈrɪsə/;Greek:Λάρισα,Lárisa,pronounced[ˈlarisa]ⓘ) is the capital and largest city of theThessalyregion in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 148,562 in the city proper, according to the 2021 census.[2] It is also the capital of theLarissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transport hub, linked by road and rail with the port ofVolos, the cities ofThessaloniki andAthens. The municipality of Larissa has 164,095 inhabitants, while the regional unit of Larissa reached a population of 268,963 (in 2021[update]).[2]
Legend has it thatAchilles was born here.Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine", died here. Today, Larissa is an important commercial, transportation, educational, agricultural and industrial centre of Greece. The city straddles thePineios river and N.-NE. of the city are theMount Olympus andMount Kissavos.
According toGreek mythology, it is said that the city was founded byAcrisius, who was killed accidentally by his grandson,Perseus.[3] There livedPeleus, the hero beloved by the gods, and his sonAchilles.
In mythology, the nymphLarissa was a daughter of the primordial manPelasgus.[4]
The city of Larissa is mentioned in Book II of theIliad byHomer: "Hippothous led the tribes of Pelasgian spearsmen, who dwelt in fertile Larissa—Hippothous, andPylaeus of the race of Mars, two sons of the Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus."[5][6] In this paragraph, Homer shows that thePelasgians, Trojan allies, used to live in the city of Larissa. This city of Larissa was likely different from the city that was the birthplace ofAchilles. The Larissa that features as a Trojan ally in theIliad was likely to be located in theTroad, on the other side of theAegean Sea.
Silver drachma of Larissa (410-405 BC). Head of the nymph Larissa left, wearing pearl earring, her hair bound in sakkos / ΛΑΡΙΣΑ above, [IA] below (retrograde), bridled horse -symbol of the city- galloping right.
Traces ofPaleolithic human settlement have been recovered from the area, but it was peripheral to areas of advanced culture.[7] The area around Larissa was extremely fruitful; it was agriculturally important and inantiquity was known for its horses.
The name Larissa (ΛάρισαLárīsa) is in origin aPelasgian word for "fortress".[citation needed] There were many ancient Greek cities with this name.[8]The name of Thessalian Larissa is first recorded in connection with the aristocraticAleuadai family.[9] It was also apolis (city-state).[10]
Larissa was apolis (city-state) during the Classical Era.[11] Larissa is thought to be where the famous Greek physicianHippocrates and the famous philosopherGorgias of Leontini died.
Coinage of Thessaly, possibly king Hellokrates, with portrait ofAleuas.Obv: head of Aleuas facing slightly left, wearing conical helmet, ALEU to right; labrys behind.Rev: Eagle standing right, head left, on thunderbolt; ELLA to left, LARISAYA to right. Thessaly, Larissa.c. 370–360BC.
When Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its coinage in the late fifth century BC, it chose local types for its coins. The obverse depicted the nymph of the local spring, Larissa, for whom the town was named; probably the choice was inspired by the famous coins ofKimon depicting the Syracusan nymphArethusa. The reverse depicted a horse in various poses. The horse was an appropriate symbol of Thessaly, a land of plains, which was well known for its horses. Usually, there is a male figure; he should perhaps be seen as the eponymous hero of the Thessalians, Thessalos, who is probably also to be identified on many of the earlier, federal coins of Thessaly.
Thefirst ancient theatre of the city. It was constructed inside the ancient city's centre during the reign ofAntigonus II Gonatas towards the end of the third century BC. The theatre was in use for six centuries, until the end of the third century AD.Pedestrian zone beside the First Ancient Greek theatreRuins of thesecond ancient theatre
Larissa, sometimes written Larisa on ancient coins and inscriptions, is near the site of the Homeric Argissa. It appears in early times, whenThessaly was mainly governed by a few aristocratic families, as an important city under the rule of theAleuadae, whose authority extended over the whole district ofPelasgiotis. This powerful family possessed for many generations before 369 BC the privilege of furnishing theTagus, the local term for thestrategos of the combined Thessalian forces. The principal rivals of the Aleuadae were theScopadae ofCrannon, the remains of which are about 14 miles southwest.
Larissa was the birthplace ofMeno, who thus became, along withXenophon and a few others, one of the generals leading several thousands of Greeks from various places, in the ill-fated expedition of 401 (retold in Xenophon'sAnabasis) meant to helpCyrus the Younger, son ofDarius II, king ofPersia, overthrow his elder brotherArtaxerxes II and take over the throne of Persia (Meno is featured inPlato's dialogue bearing his name, in whichSocrates uses the example of"the way to Larissa" to help explain to Meno the difference between trueopinion andscience (Meno, 97a–c); this "way to Larissa" might well be on the part of Socrates an attempt to call to Meno's mind a "way home", understood as the way toward one's true and "eternal" home reached only at death, that each man is supposed to seek in his life).[12]
The constitution of the town wasdemocratic, which explains why it sided withAthens in thePeloponnesian War. A festival celebrated near Larissa resembled the RomanSaturnalia, and at which the slaves were waited on by their masters. As the chief city of ancient Thessaly, Larissa was taken by theThebans and later directly annexed byPhilip II of Macedon in 344. It remained under Macedonian control afterwards, except for a brief period whenDemetrius Poliorcetes captured it in 302 BC.
Larissa is frequently mentioned in connection with theRoman civil wars which preceded the establishment of theRoman Empire andPompey sought refuge there after the defeat ofPharsalus.
Larissa was conquered by theOttoman Empire in 1386/87 and again in the 1390s, but only came under permanent Ottoman control in 1423, byTurahan Bey.[14] Under the Ottoman rule, the city was known asYeni-şehir i-Fenari, "new citadel". As the chief town and military base ofOttoman Thessaly, Larissa was a predominantly Muslim city.[14] In 1521 (Hijri 927) the town had 693 Muslim and 75 Christian households;[15] according to Gökbilgin (1956), it also includedAlbanian andJewish communities.[16] During Ottoman rule the administration of theMetropolis of Larissa was transferred to nearbyTrikala where it remained until 1734, when Metropolitan Iakovos II returned the see from Trikala to Larissa and established the present-day metropolis of Larissa and Tyrnavos.
The town was noted for its trade fair in the 17th and 18th centuries, while the seat of the pasha of Thessaly was also transferred there in 1770.[14] Larissa was the headquarters ofHursid Pasha during theGreek War of Independence. It was also renowned for itsmosques (four of which were still in use in the late 19th century) and itsMuslim cemeteries.[citation needed]
The city remained a part of the Ottoman Empire untilThessalybecame part of the independentKingdom of Greece in 1881, except for a period when Ottoman forces re-occupied it during theGreco-Turkish War of 1897.[14] In the late 19th century, there was still a small village on the outskirts of the town inhabited by Africans fromSudan, a curious remnant of the forces collected byAli Pasha.
In the 19th century, the town producedleather,cotton,silk andtobacco. Fevers and agues were prevalent owing to bad drainage and the overflowing of the river; and the death rate was higher than the birth rate.[dubious –discuss]
In 1881, the city, along with the rest ofThessaly, was incorporated into theKingdom of Greece during the prime ministry ofAlexandros Koumoundouros. On 31 August 1881, a unit of the Greek Army headed by GeneralSkarlatos Soutsos entered the city. A considerable portion of the Turkish population emigrated to the Ottoman Empire at that point. In this new era, the city starts gradually to expand and to be rebuilt by the Greek authorities.
A German Messerschmitt which was crash-landed on the military airfield at Larissa, shot down byRAF pilots during WWII
During theGreco-Turkish War of 1897, the city was the headquarters of Greek Crown PrinceConstantine. The flight of the Greek army from here toFarsala took place on 23 April 1897. Turkish troops entered the city two days later. After a treaty for peace was signed, they withdrew and Larissa remained permanently in Greece. This was followed by a further exodus of Turks in 1898. The Hassan Bey mosque (which was built in the early 16th century) was demolished in 1908.
During theAxis Occupation of the country, the Jewish community of the city (dated back to the 2nd century BC, seeRomaniotes[citation needed]) suffered heavy losses. Today in the city there is a Holocaust memorial and a synagogue.
The "floating river" fountain in Central Square of Larissa (Sapka, former Themidos)
After WWII the city was expanded rapidly. Today Larissa is the fourth largest Greek city with many squares, taverns and cafes. It has three public hospitals with one being a military hospital. It hosts theHellenic Air Force Headquarters andNATO Headquarters in Greece. It has a School of Medicine and a School of Biochemistry – Biotechnology and the third largest in the country Institute of Technology. It occupies the first place among Greek cities in green coverage rate per square-metre urban space and the first place with the highest percentage of bars-taverns-restaurants per capita in Greece. It also has two public libraries and five museums.[17]
Pineios river with the church ofSt. Achillios in the background, patron saint of the city
Christianity penetrated early to Larissa, though its first bishop was recorded only in 325, at theCouncil of Nicaea.St. Achillius of the fourth century is celebrated for his miracles.Le Quien cites twenty-ninebishops from the fourth to the 18th centuries;[18] the most famous is Jeremias II, who occupied the see until 733 when EmperorLeo III the Isaurian transferred it from the jurisdiction of thePope of Rome to thePatriarchate of Constantinople. In the first years of the tenth century it had ten suffragan sees;[19] subsequently the number increased, and inc. 1175, under EmperorManuel I Comnenus, it reached twenty-eight.[20] At the close of the 15th century, under Ottoman domination, there were only ten suffragan sees,[21] which gradually grew less and finally disappeared.
Interior of the Jewishsynagogue of LarissaPublic Christmas tree near St. Achillios
It was also briefly aLatin archbishopric in the early 13th century, and remains a Latin Metropolitan (top-ranking)titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, which must not be confused with the Latin episcopal (low-ranking) titular seeLarissa in Syria. Today there is a Catholic church in the city (Sacred Heart of Jesus).
In the area from the Frourio hill to the Central square is located the old part of the city where some of its main landmarks are. Sights of the city are:
TheFrourio Hill and the adjacent First Ancient Greek Theatre area.
ThePineios river that crosses the city center near the St. Achillios church and the Alkazar Park next to the lush river banks of Pineios river.
Historical buildings that have been listed as architecturally preserved, such as the Mill of Pappas, the Cine Palace (architect Colonello), the Charokopos Tower (arch.Anastasios Metaxas, built in 1902, endangered to collapse as of 2022) and the neoclassical complex of the Averofeios Agricultural School (built in 1908).
Plain of LarissaMount Kissavos viewed fromPineios bridge in LarissaView of the plains of Larissa from the heights of Domokos
Larissa is around 120 kilometres (75 mi) south-west ofThessaloniki and around 210 kilometres (130 mi) north-west ofAthens.
There are a number of highways, includingE75,E65, and the main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki (Salonika) crossing through Thessaly. The region is directly linked to the rest of Europe through theInternational Airport of Central Greece located inNea Anchialos a short distance from Larissa (about 60 km [37 mi]). Larissa lies on the riverPineios.
The municipality of Larissa has an area of 335.98 km2 (129.72 sq mi), the municipal unit Larissa has an area of 122.586 km2 (47.331 sq mi), and the community Larissa has an area of 88.167 km2 (34.041 sq mi).[22]
The city is in close proximity of destinations such as Mount Olympus, Mount Kissavos, Meteora, Lake Plastira, Pilio, etc.
TheLarissa Chasma, a deep gash in the surface ofDione, a natural satellite ofSaturn, was named after Larissa.
The climate of Larissa is coldsemi-arid (Köppen:BSk) with someMediterranean climate (Csa) characteristics such as the drier summers and the somewhat wetter winters.[23] The winter is cold, and some snowfalls may occur, though few of them are heavy. The summer is particularly hot, and temperatures near or above 40 °C (104 °F) typically occur every year for a few days. Thunderstorms during the summer months are sometimes heavy and may cause agricultural damage. Larissa receives about 413 mm (16 in) of rain per year and has an average annual average temperature of 15.4 °C (59.7 °F).[24]
Climate data for Larissa (1955–2010, extremes 1955–present)
The municipality Larissa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[29]
The municipal unit of Larissa is divided into four city-districts or municipal communities (29 city areas) plus 2 suburban communities (Amphithea and Koulourion). The municipality includes also the Community of Terpsithèa (with the suburban community of Argyssa).
1st Municipal District(pop. 26,035)
Papastàvrou
Saint Athanàsios
Alkazàr
Hippocrates-Pèra
Potamòpolis
Philippòpolis
Livadàki
Saint Thomas
Saint Paraskevi-Mezourlo
Neàpolis
2nd Municipal District(pop. 41,816)
Saint Achellios
Saint Nikòlaos
Ambelòkipoi
Saints Sarànta
Saint Konstantinos
Stathmòs
3rd Municipal District(pop. 30,121)
Lachanòkipoi
Nèa Smyrne-Kamynia
Kalyvia-Saint Marina
Saint Geòrgios
Anatoli
Koulouri
Amphithèa
4th Municipal District(pop. 26,814)
Charavgi-Toumba-OKE
Pyrovolikà-Pharos
Avèrof-Sèkfo
Nèa Politia
Epiròtika
Anthoupolis
Neràida
Kàmpos
Community of Terpsithèa(pop. 1,290)
Terpsithèa
Argyssa
From 1 January 2011, in accordance with theKallikratis Plan (new administrative division of Greece), the new municipality of Larissa includes also the former municipalities ofGiannouli andKoilada.
The province of Larissa (Greek:Επαρχία Λάρισας) was one of theprovinces of the Larissa Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipalities Larissa (except the municipal unitGiannouli) andTempi (except the municipal unitsGonnoi andKato Olympos).[30] It was abolished in 2006.
In manufacturing sector, Larissa is among others home toBiokarpet carpet company (whose owners were also major shareholders ofAEL FC in the past) andOrient Bikes.
It comes also in first place with the highest percentage of bars-taverns-restaurants per capita in Greece.Mikel Coffee Company andBruno Coffee Stores chains started and have also their base in the city.
Among the notable festivals that the city hosts, is the "Pineiou Festival" (mainly music), "Mill of Performing Arts" and "AgroThessaly", a major agricultural fair.
Two other professional football clubs with long histories also represent the city:Apollon andIraklis.
AEL has hosted its home games at theAEL FC Arena, aUEFA 3-star-rated football ground, since November 2010. Other important sport venues are theNational Sport Center of Larissa (EAK Larissas), which includes theAlcazar Stadium and theNeapoli Indoor Hall.
The National Sports Center of Larissa can accommodate a number of sports and events (football, basketball, wrestling, swimming, boxing, martial arts, handball, water polo, etc.), while the Sports Hall has hosted important athletic events (the1995 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, the1997 Women's EuroLeague Final Four, the 2003Greek Basketball Cup Final Four, martial arts events, etc.), and it is also used for cultural events, such as dance festivals.
^Hippothous led the tribes of Pelasgian spearsmen, who dwelt in fertile Larissa — Hippothous, and Pylaeus of the race of Mars, two sons of the Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus.
^Curtis Runnels and Tjeerd H. van Andel. "The Lower and Middle Paleolithic of Thessaly, Greece"Journal of Field Archaeology20.3 (Autumn 1993:299–317) summarises the survey carried out in June 1991.
^"The city and the plain around it were settled in prehistoric times, and its name must be early, but it is first mentioned in connection with the(Richard Stillwell, William L. MacDonald, Marian Holland McAllister, eds.,The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites (Princeton University Press) 1976, 's.v. "Larissa, or Larisa, or Pelasgis, Thessaly").
^Minkov, Anton (2004).Conversion to Islam in the Balkans : Kisve bahası petitions and Ottoman social life, 1670-1730. Leiden: Brill. p. 49.ISBN1-4237-1251-X.OCLC191947039.
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