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Aridaia Αριδαία | |
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 View of the central square of Aridaia withAggelis Gatsos' statue. | |
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  Aridaia | |
| Coordinates:40°58′N22°03′E / 40.967°N 22.050°E /40.967; 22.050 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Geographic region | Macedonia |
| Administrative region | Central Macedonia |
| Regional unit | Pella |
| Municipality | Almopia |
| Districts | 17 |
| Area | |
| • Municipal unit | 562.91 km2 (217.34 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 127 m (417 ft) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 18,864 |
| • Municipal unit density | 33.512/km2 (86.795/sq mi) |
| • Community | 7,118 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 584 00 |
| Area code | 23840-2 |
| Vehicle registration | ΕΕ |
| Website | dimosalmopias.gov.gr |
Aridaía (Greek:Αριδαία,Macedonian:С'ботско,Bulgarian:Съботско) is a town and a formermunicipality in thePella regional unit,Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is part of theAlmopia municipality, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] It was the capital of the formerAlmopiaeparchy. It is located in the northwest corner of the Pella regional unit, bordering the southern part ofNorth Macedonia and the northeast corner of theFlorina regional unit. Its land area is 562.910 km2 (217.341 sq mi).[3] The population of Aridaia proper is 7,118, while that of the entire municipal unit is 18,864 (2021 census).[1] The municipal unit is divided into 17 communities. Its largest other communities arePrómachoi (pop. 1,654),Loutráki (1,176) andSosándra (1,008).
The community of Aridaia includes the settlement of Ydraia with a population of 500 inhabitants.
A Greek battalion entered Aridaia on November 4, 1912, during the1st Balkan War, and it started to develop as a town after the installment ofGreek refugees fromAsia Minor.[4]
There are two possible etymologies of the name Aridaia. One is that "Aridaia" is a corruption of the old name of the town "Ardea", which comes from the verb "Greek:Αρδεύω,lit. 'Irrigate', which is explained by the multiple rivers, streams, irrigation canals, etc. Another explanation is that the name comes fromPhilip III Arrideus, half-brother ofAlexander the Great.[5] The town used to be called "Αρδέα" (Ardea).[6][7]
At a distance of 7 km from Aridaia is the Byzantine Castle ofChrysi which dates back to the 8th century AD.[8][9] North of Aridaia is a historic, though not very well known Monastery of the Province of Almopia, the Holy Monastery ofSaint Hilarion, bishop ofMoglena. This monastery has as its owner and founder Saint Hilarion himself, who was a great Hierarch of the Church of Greece in the 12th century, who lived and worked in the area of today's Almopia.[10]
At a distance of 10 km from Aridaia are thePozar Baths with impressive natural beauty and thermal waters. It is a tourist destination with many infrastructures and all the amenities in combination with theKaimaktsalan Ski Center which geographically belongs to the Municipality of Almopia.[11][12] Next to the tourist village of Loutraki, seat of Loutra Pozar, is the tourist village of Orma from which the road to the Ski Center starts.[13]
A well-known football team based in Aridaia isAlmopos Arideas.[14]
The KTEL station is located on Passia Street, on the road toExaplatanos andNotia. The KTEL of Pella connects Aridaia locally withEdessa, with regular itineraries,[15] and there are also routes toAthens,Skydra andThessaloniki.
The town does not have a railway station and is served by the railway stations of Edessa and Skydra, while in the period 1916-1936 there was a railway station, since there was a railway line from Skydra to Aridaia andOrma that closed in 1936. Railway Station, houses the Museum of Natural History. On February 19, 2019, the construction of the railway lineAgios Athanasios –Chalkidona –Koufalia –Pella –Nea Pella –Giannitsa –Galatades –Karyotissa –Dafni –Kalivia – Skydra-Edessa and bypass from Skydra to Aridaia was announced,[16] however no study has been presented, and it is currently unknown when the project will be completed.[17]
There is no National Road passing through the town, but there are five (5) provincial roads that connect Aridaia with the surrounding settlements. The following streets pass through the town[18]
In the Prefecture of Pella there is no airport, so Aridaia is served by theAirport "Macedonia" of Thessaloniki.
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