Spata Σπάτα | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Spata with Athens in the background | |
 Location within the regional unit | |
  Spata | |
| Coordinates:37°58′N23°55′E / 37.967°N 23.917°E /37.967; 23.917 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Attica |
| Regional unit | East Attica |
| Municipality | Spata-Artemida |
| Area | |
| • Municipal unit | 55.042 km2 (21.252 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 12,991 |
| • Municipal unit density | 236.02/km2 (611.29/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 190 04 |
| Area code | 210 |
| Vehicle registration | Z |
| Website | www.spata.gr |
Spata (Greek:Σπάτα) is a town 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of downtownAthens,Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipalitySpata-Artemida, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.[2] The municipal unit (officially namedSpata-Loutsa) has an area of 55.042 km2.[3] It is part of the Athens metropolitan area.
Spata is situated in the middle of theMesogeia plain, east ofMount Hymettus and west of theAegean Sea coast.Athens International Airport ("Eleftherios Venizelos") covers the eastern portion of Spata. It is located southeast ofPallini, southwest ofRafina, west ofArtemida and about 22 kilometres (14 mi) east south east ofAthens city center.
The town proper is made up of residential neighborhoods. Farmland, mostly vineyards and olive groves, lie around.Retsina wine was the traditional cash crop of the whole area, complemented with olives and olive oil, figs, almonds, pistachios, and wheat. Nowadays viticulture is dwindling as a mass occupation, albeit supplanted by the emergence of many modernwineries that mostly specialize in vinifying the localSavatiano grape. The bulk of the grape and wine business is handled by the local co-operative. In 1995, the southern portion was committed to construction of the new Athens International Airport, which was completed in March 2001. TheAttica Zoological Park, or "Attica Zoo", opened in May 2001 and is Athens' and Greece's largest zoo.
Spata has five kindergartens, three elementary schools, two secondary schools, a police station, Post Office, several bank offices, and a junior football/soccer team,Aittitos (Invincible). Thetraining facilities ofAEK FC are also located there.
The municipal unit of Spáta also incorporates various small exurbs: Agía Kyriakí, Neápoli, Ágios Ioánnis, Velanidiá, Christoúpolis, Foínikas, Étos Stéko, Ágios Nikólaos Boúra, and Ímeros Péfkos.
The area included the ancient Atheniandemes ofErkhiá (Ερχιά), the birthplace of the historian and generalXenophon, andKýthēros (Κύθηρος); aMycenean cemetery was excavated at the southern edge of town byPanagiotis Stamatakis in the 1870s, the exhibits being hosted in theNational Archaeological Museum of Athens. Evidence of small ancient settlements abound in the area, the most notable being theNeolithic fortified settlement on Zágani hill. Several of these were excavated during works for the airport and are being exhibited in the main airport building.
Since theMiddle Ages, Spata has been inhabited mainly byArvanites. The town (then village) was re-populated by the medievalTosk Albanian clan ofSpata around the 15th century, after they emigrated fromEpirus. It was named afterJohn Spata, who wasdespot of Arta in the 14th century.[4] His name derives fromAlbanian shpatë (def. and pl. shpata).[5]
The patron saints of the town arePeter andPaul, celebrated on July 29 at the Byzantine chapel of the same name, located near the eastern edge of the town. The feast is accompanied by the medieval custom of the distribution of thestifado, a beef-and-onions stew cooked overnight in cauldrons and distributed to the faithful outside the chapel after Mass.
Olympic Air has its head office inAthens International Airport in Spata.[6][7]Goody's S.A., a Greek fast food company, is also headquartered at the airport.[8]
TheAir Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board has an office at the airport.[9]
| Year | Town population | Municipal unit population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 6,398 | - |
| 1991 | 6,725 | 7,796 |
| 2001 | 8,167 | 10,419 |
| 2011 | 9,198 | 12,333 |
| 2021[1] | 9,453 | 12,991 |
