As of the 2021 census, the municipality of Patras has a population of 215,922, while the urban population is 173,600. The core settlement has a history spanning four millennia. In the Roman period, it had become a cosmopolitan centre of the eastern Mediterranean whilst, according to the Christian tradition, it was also the place ofSaint Andrew'smartyrdom.
Dubbed as Greece's "Gate to the West", Patras is a commercial hub, while its busy port is a nodal point for trade and communication with Italy and the rest ofWestern Europe. The city has three public universities, hosting a large student population and rendering Patras an important scientific centre[4] with a field of excellence in technological education. TheRio-Antirrio Bridge connects Patras's easternmost suburb ofRio to the town ofAntirrio, connecting thePeloponnese peninsula with mainland Greece.
Every year, in February, the city hosts one of Europe's largest carnivals. Notable features of thePatras Carnival include its mammoth satirical floats and balls and parades, enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors in aMediterranean climate. Patras is also famous for supporting an indigenous cultural scene active mainly in the performing arts and modern urban literature. It wasEuropean Capital of Culture in 2006.[5]
Patras remained a part of theDespotate of Morea until 1458, when it was conquered by the Sultan of theOttoman Empire,Mehmet II. Under the Ottomans, it was known as "Baliabadra", from theGreek:Παλαιά Πάτρα ('Old Patras'), as opposed toΝέα Πάτρα ('new Patra'), the town ofYpati inCentral Greece. Though Mehmet granted the city special privileges and tax reductions, it never became a major centre of commerce.Venice andGenoa attacked and captured it several times in the 15th and 16th centuries, but never re-established their rule effectively, except for a period ofVenetian rule in 1687–1715 after theMorean War.[7]
It has been noted that during and in the aftermath of the suppressed 1770Orlov revolt "when the Greeks got the upper hand they settled old scores; when the Turks and Albanians reasserted themselves they were merciless: recapturing Patras, they left scarcely anyone alive."[8]
In 1772, anaval battle took place off the city between the Russians and Ottomans.
Patras was one of the first cities in which theGreek Revolution began in 1821;[9] the Ottoman garrison, confined to the citadel,held out until 1828. After the war, most of the city and its buildings were completely destroyed.
Patras developed quickly into the second-largest urban centre in late-19th-century Greece.[10] The city benefited from its role as the main export port for the agricultural produce of the Peloponnese.[11]
In the early 20th century, Patras developed fast and became the first Greek city to introduce public streetlights and electrified tramways.[12] In the Second World War, the city was a major target of Italianair raids. In the Axis occupation period, a German military command was established and German and Italian troops stationed in the city. After the liberation in 1944, the city recovered, but in later years was increasingly overshadowed by the urban pole of Athens.[citation needed] Since 2014, the city's mayor isKostas Peletidis.
The city is divided into the upper and the lower section, connected with roads and broad stairs. The upper section (Ano Poli) is the older and the more picturesque; however, the lower section (Kato Poli) is laid out according to the 1858 city plan[citation needed], featuring a variety of squares. The most notable of these are thePsila Alonia and theGeorgiou I Square. A number of notableneoclassical buildings are to be found, including theApollon Theatre in Georgiou I Square, the City Hall, the headquarters of the Local Trade Association and the Court of Justice. A replica ofPatras Lighthouse, the city's emblematic old lighthouse – which was at the dock ofAyios Nikolaos – rises at the end of Trion Navarchon street, near the temple of Saint Andreas.
Night viewPatras at sunset from a hill NE of DasyllioPatras's western seafront.
In general, much of Patras's coastline is framed by roads and avenues running alongside; these include Dymaion Coast to the south and Iroon Polytechneiou Street to the north.
Patras and its region is home to various Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Monuments, including the Roman Odeon of Patras, the Fortress of Rio and the Fortress (castle) of Patras.[13] More specifically, the main sights of the city are:
ThePatras Archaeological Museum focuses on the exhibition of various archaeological finds, from the Mycenaean to the Late Roman era, discovered in Patras and the wider Achaea region. The museum is housed in a modern and special architectural building designed by the architect Theophanis Bobotis.[14]
TheMycenaean cemetery of Voudeni (Skioessa), 8 km (5.0 mi) from the center of Patras, is one of the most important sites of the Mycenaean world, showing active use for nearly five hundred years (1500–1000 BC). The site itself appears to have been inhabited from the Bronze Age until middle Roman times (1800 BC–AD 400).
The RomanOdeon, the most significant ancient monument, is in the upper town and was built around 160 AD, in the reign of eitherAntoninus Pius orMarcus Aurelius. It has been restored and partially reconstructed, and is used as an open-air theatre for performances and concerts in the summer.
The RomanAmphitheatre, near the Roman Odeon, in Ifestou street, dating from the 1st century AD, at a period of the biggest development of Roman Patras. Its area has been only partially excavated.[15]
TheRoman aqueduct[16] that led from the springs of Romanos to the acropolis. The aqueduct measured 6.5 km (4.04 mi) from the water cistern to the castle. For the greater part of this distance, the water passed through an underground channel, passing over valleys and gorges on carefully constructed archways, parts of which still stand, in the area ofAroi.[17]
Other Roman monuments include the ruins of the Roman stadium, remains of the Roman wall and a preserved bridge over the river Kallinaos.
The medievalPatras Castle, in the ancient acropolis overlooking the city, was initially built in the 6th century AD by theByzantine emperorJustinian, having many additions from the period of the Frankish and Venetian rule of the city, up to as far as the time of theDespotate of Morea and later theOttoman Empire. Its current outline dates back to the second Venetian rule of the town (1687–1715). Today, is visiting and its interior is used as a public garden.
The orthodox church ofSaint Andrew of Patras was founded in 1908 byKing George I and was inaugurated in 1974. It is dedicated toSaint Andrew, the patron of the city, and contains relics of the saint at the location of his crucifixion.[18] It is the second-largest temple ofByzantine style in the Balkans (after theCathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade). The central cupola is 46 m (151 ft) tall and is the base for a 5 m (16 ft) gold-plated cross and twelve smaller ones, symbolising Christ and the twelve apostles. A congregation of at least 5,000 can attend a sermon within the church.[19]
The municipalTheatre Apollon, built in 1872 designed by architectErnst Ziller. The building is characteristic of the 19th-century neoclassical style and is in the central square of the city.
TheAchaia Clauss wine industry and tasting center, which is on the outskirts inPetroto village. It was founded in 1861 by theBavarian Gustav Clauss and is most famous for itsMavrodaphne.This place also houses the oldest wine of Greece, the old mavrodaphne of 1873.[citation needed]
Residence ofKostis Palamas, a preserved neoclassical building on 241 Corinthou Street in the city center, wherepoet Kostis Palamas and the Italian painterMatilde Serao were born.[citation needed]
Old Patras Hospital, a neoclassical building on Ano Poli, near Castle, designed by architectChristian Hansen.[citation needed]
The Ottoman baths (16th century), still retain their initial use, and are one of the oldest Ottoman baths surviving in Europe.[20]
ThePatras Lighthouse, a reconstructed "Faros", a landmark of the city.
The Agiou Nikolaou Stairs, Gerokostopoulou Stairs, Patreos Stairs and Trion Navarchon Stairs, outdoor grand staircases all over the centre of the city dividing the upper town from downtown.
Rio-Antirrio Bridge, is a modern landmark of place and one of the world's longest multi-spancable-stayedbridges and longest of the fully suspended type.
Georgiou I Square, the central square and the heart of the city. It was named after KingGeorge I. The square's fountains were installed in 1875 at a cost of 70,000 drachmas each, a huge amount for the finances of Greece and Patra at the time. It was and continues to be the center of political and cultural life in the city, hosting all significant activities, political gatherings, rallies, cultural events and, most importantly for some, its carnival.
Trion Symmachon Square bears the name of the three Allied Powers who fought in theBattle of Navarino; Britain, France and Russia. The square features a flower clock and links the Agiou Nikolaou pedestrian way with the seaside front and the dock of Agios Nikolaos.[citation needed]
Psilalonia Square (Ψηλαλώνια or formallyΠλατεία Υψηλών Αλωνίων) is one of Patras's most popular squares. It is 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from downtown Patras, next to the city's main north–south street, Gounari Street. It features a fountain, many sidewalks,palm trees and playgrounds. It is surrounded by several shops, restaurants and cafes and a number ofmodernist buildings. It was completed in the mid-to-late 19th century, when trees were added, along with neoclassical buildings. After World War II and theGreek Civil War, however, and through the 1960s and 1970s, most neoclassical buildings were replaced by eight-storey residential buildings.[citation needed] In the west end, a 15-metre-tall (49 ft) cliff overlooks the pedestrianTrion Navarchon Street, and offers a wide vista across the westernGulf of Patras, including the mountains ofAitoloakarnania.The declaration of the revolutionaries of Patras (1821), engraved on a stele, Saint George Square
Saint George Square (Πλατεία Αγίου Γεωργίου). There is the monument to the fighters of 1821 on which is engraved the "declaration of the revolutionaries of Patras to the states of Europe" (22 March 1821).
The Spinney of Patras (Δασύλλιο), is in a pine-tree-covered hill, which is dubbed "theGulf of Patras's veranda" because of the panoramic view it offers. The spinney is ideal for recreational walks and jogging, with its specially formed paths and the shade offered by the tall trees.
Kolokotroni street in central Patras.External view of the Roman Οdeon
Patra is a relatively newly built city, as its medieval buildings were completely destroyed in theGreek War of Independence. The oldest surviving buildings (apart from ancient monuments and the castle) are the church ofPantocrator in Ano Poli and a residential building (Tzini's house) at the corner of Agiou Nikolaou and Maisonos street, built in 1832. The area on the south of the castle, around the RomanOdeon, the church of Pantokrator, in the Upper Town (Ano Poli), is the most appealing of the city, because of its status as the only area where construction height is limited to two-storey buildings.[21] Ιn Ano Poli is interesting the old school complex "Georgios Glarakis" work of the architect Georgios Petrιtsopoulos in 1931 which is built with stone and recently became a nice bioclimatic school.[citation needed] At the beginning of the 20th century, outside the school complex "Georgios Glarakis", line 2 of the tram ended, starting from Agios Dionysios, going up Dimitriou Gounari Street, passing behind the church of Pantanassa, entering Roman Odeon and finished outside the Glarakis school complex.[citation needed]Historical buildings and mansions of the city, apart Tzini's house, include also the Prapopoulos building, Golfinopoulos mansion (Alhambra), Perivolaropoulos mansion, Palamas house, while among the demolished after WWII were Tsiklitiras mansion, Kanellopoulos house, Chaidopoulos building, Frangopoulos house, Green mansion and Mineyko mansion.[22]
The first urban plan of Patras byStamatis Voulgaris (1829)Patras city districts.
Nowadays, the municipal units ofRio,Paralia,Messatida andVrachnaiika have functionally become a part of the wider urban complex of Patras. Apart from the city center, the main districts of Patras are:
Patras is 215 km (134 mi) west of Athens by road, 94 km (58 mi) northeast ofPyrgos, 7 km (4.3 mi) south ofRio, 134 km (83 miles) west ofCorinth, 77 km (48 miles) northwest ofKalavryta and 144 km (89 mi) northwest ofTripoli.
A central feature of theurban geography of Patras is its division into upper and lower sections. This is the result of an interplay between natural geography and human settlement patterns; the lower section of the city (Kato Poli), which includes the 19th-century urban core and the port, is adjacent to the sea and stretches between the estuaries of the rivers of Glafkos and Haradros. It is built on what was originally a bed of river soils and dried-up swamps. The older upper section (Ano Poli) covers the area of the pre-modern settlement, around the Fortress, on what is the last elevation of Mount Panachaikon (1,926 m (6,319 ft))[23] before the Gulf of Patras.
The largest river in the area is theGlafkos, flowing to the south of Patras. Glafkos springs in MountPanachaikon and its water is, since 1925, collected in a small mountainous reservoir-dam near the village of Souli and subsequently pumped in order to provide energy for the country's firsthydroelectric plant.[24] Other smaller streams areCharadros,Meilichos,Kallinaos,Panagitsa and the mountain torrentDiakoniaris.
Patras, like much ofWestern Greece, has a hot-summerMediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification:Csa). It features the typical mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, with spring and autumn being pleasant transitional seasons. Autumn in Patras, however, is wetter than spring. Humidity is high during the winter months and lower during the summer. Snowfall is extremely rare in coastal areas but is more common and abundant in the surrounding mountains. Patras falls in 10bhardiness zone.[25]
Of great importance for the biological diversity of the area and the preservation of its climate is the swamp ofAgyia, a small and coastalaquatic ecosystem of only 30 ha (74 acres), north of the city centre. The main features of this wetland are its apparent survival difficulty, being at the heart of a densely populated urban centre that features a relatively arid climate and its admittedly high level of biodiversity, with over 90 species of birds being observed until the early 1990s, according to a study by the Patras Bureau of theHellenic Ornithological Society.[27]
Patras is the regional capital ofWestern Greece and the capital of theAchaea regional unit. Since 2011, the city is also the capital of the administrative division, which includes (along with Western Greece) theregions ofPeloponnese and theIonian Islands.
Patras municipality within the region of Western Greece.Patras municipality (in green, Dimos Patreon) and its municipal units within the regional unit ofAchaea.
The current municipality of Patras was formed at the 2011local government reform by the merger of 5 municipalities that made up the Patras Urban Area. These former municipalities, which became municipal units, are:[28] (in parentheses their population, 2011)
From 2011 on, can data also reflect the city's urban area population, as all the municipalities that made up the Patras Urban Area were joined to create the new larger Patras municipality, formed at the 2011local government reform.
Heavy infrastructure works performed in the 2000s include thePeiros-Parapeiros dam (to provide water supply for Patras and surrounding towns)[33] and a "small industries" park that will be constructed next to the Glaykos river and provide an easy connection with the new port.
The city is one of the main Greek internet andGRNET hubs and is connected with high speed lines to Athens as part of the backbone. A metropolitan optical network will be deployed in the city, with a total length of 48 km (30 mi).[34]
Two major state hospitals operate in the city: theAgios Andreas Hospital is the oldest of the two; andGeneral University Hospital of Patras. There also exists two smaller state hospitals, Karamandanio - a children's hospital, and the Center of Chest Diseases of Southwestern Greece. A large range of private hospitals and clinics operate in parallel.
Numerous art venues[35] and an ultra-modernarchaeological museum[36] were constructed for the needs of European Culture Capital designation. The cultural and educational facilities include the Municipal Library, the university libraries, many theatres, the municipal art gallery,[37] theUniversity of Patras's facilities, the Hellenic Open University and the Technical Institute of Patras. A number of research facilities are also established in the university campus area.
The economy of the city largely depends on its service sector.
The area still retains some of its traditional winemaking and foodstuff industries as well as a small agricultural sector.[citation needed] Major businesses in Patras include:
Most Greek banks have their regional headquarters for Western Greece in Patras.
In 2010, the new Infocenter of Patras was established, inside the neoclassical building of the former market "Agora Argyri", in Ayiou Andreou street. The building includes a conference hall, along with multi-purpose and exhibitional spaces.[38]The regional unit ofAchaea has about 4,800 hotels rooms and in 2006, 286,000 tourists, mainly from Greece, stayed in the area for a total of 634,000 days.[39][40]
Patras hosts several timber manufacturing companies, and a wood distribution center ofShelman. The largest local company isAbex.[41]The paper sector is also active including a paper factory belonging toGeorgia-Pacific (Delica) and two important Greek companies,Elite andEl-pack, headquartered in the city.
Patras has several packing and industrial equipment companies. The most important of them are the localAntzoulatos and themultinationalFrigoglass, a subsidiary ofCoca-Cola, headquartered in the suburbs of Patras.Ideal Bikes is the leading bike producer in Greece, with large export activities.
The once omnipresenttextile industry of the city is now almost defunct after the shut-down of the huge factory ofPeiraiki-Patraiki (Πειραϊκή-Πατραϊκή), followed by numerous smaller textile industries. The remains of the facilities still cover hundreds of acres in the south side of the city.
Some of the largest industries in the city belong to the soft drinks and drinks sector. There are factories fromCoca-Cola HBC andAthenian Brewery established in area, along with the facilities of the largest local company in soft-drinks production,Loux (ΛΟΥΞ). The city is also home to many leading Greek wineries and distilleries, among them the venerableAchaia Clauss and Parparoussi located in Rio. In the food sector,Friesland Foods, through the local subsidiaryNoyNoy, operates a new yogurt factory in the city's industrial area. Patras is also home to important fish-farming companies (Andromeda,Nireus).[42][43] ECOFEED operates in the industrial zone of Patras, the largest fish-feeds factory in the Mediterranean.[44] The city hosts the second-largestflour-mills in Greece,Kepenou-Mills.[45]
Acciona has completed the largestwind park in Greece, on thePanachaiko mountain, overlooking the city of Patras.[46] The Public Electric Company, operates a small hydroelectric plant on riverGlafkos.[47]
Intracom (Greece's largest multinational provider of telecommunications products) facilities in Patras house the offices of Telecommunications Software Development, Terminal Equipment Design, Development Programmes, and Support Services divisions. Expansion plans have recently been completed.[48] INTRASOFT, another core company of INTRACOM holdings group, has recently (2018) began operations in Patras and it is expected to expand its activities in 2019.[49] The Corallia Innovation Hub, Innohub hosts many companies focusing on Microelectronics.[50] Among them one of the largest is the multinational software companyCitrix Systems which operates a R&D centre with more than 100 computer scientists and engineers. Another company that maintains an R&D center in Patras isDialog Semiconductor, a UK-based manufacturer of semiconductor-based system solutions. Another large Greek IT company, Unisystems announced recently (October 2018) the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Patras-based IT company Knowledge SA, that lays the foundation for the establishment of a Remote Development Center in Patras.[51]
There has been a significant development in theR&D sector, in the last few years, as a result of the many research institutes and the university impact in the area. TheComputer Technology Institute and the Industrial Systems Institute[55] of Greece are headquartered in Patras. The city is also a host to theFORTH-ICE-HT (Institute of Chemical Engineering & High Temperature Chemical Processes)[56] and the Institute of Biomedical Technology.[57]
The cultural activity of Patras includes the Patras International Festival (with various artistic activities, mainly in the fields of theatre and music), thePatras Carnival and the Poetry Symposium.[58]
The city hosts many museums, including thePatras Archaeological Museum the History and Ethnology Museum, the Folk Art Museum, the Press Museum and the Technology Museum, the latter in the campus ofPatras University.
Other cultural institutes are: the Visual Arts Workshop, theicon painting school, theCarnival Float Workshop, the MunicipalLibrary, the MunicipalGallery, along with many private art galleries. The architectural heritage of the city is dominated by neo-classicism, but also includes structures from other periods. Patras is also a pilot city of theCouncil of Europe and EUIntercultural cities programme.
ThePatras Municipal and Regional Theatre was founded in June 1988, having as its main stage the city's landmark, theApollon Theatre. Throughout its existence it has mounted critically acclaimed performances ranging from ancientdramaturgy and modern Greek, to international repertoire. The theatre cooperates with other theatrical groups, such as theViomichaniki (Industrial) group and theMichani Technis (Art Machine).
The RomanOdeon hosts ancient dramas in the summer, while the Pantheon theater, the Art Factory, the Lithographeion and the Agora theatres provide additional venues. The International Festival of Patras takes place every summer, with a program consisting mostly of plays—both ancient drama and modern theatre—as well as various musical events.
Patras has also a very strongindie rock scene[citation needed] with critically acclaimed bands such asRaining Pleasure, Abbie Gale, Serpentine, Doch an Doris and others.
ThePatras Carnival (Patrino Karnavali) is the largest event of its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe, with a heritage reaching back 160 years. The events begin on 17 January each year (St. Anthony's nameday), and last untilClean Monday. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world gather each year for its festivities, which include large events such as the mammoth sized parades of the last two weeks (up to 50.000 participants each), the Hidden Treasure Hunt (Krymmenos Thisavros), concerts, expositions, theatrical, musical, comedy and other artistic contests and events. Patras Carnival was originally introduced as ball-masquee' events in 1835 by the Italian origin merchant family of Moretti.
Patras was chosen by theEuropean Commission to be theEuropean Capital of Culture for the year 2006. The concept of the event revolved around the main theme of "Bridges" and "Dialogues", drawing benefit from the city's rich history and its position as a "Gate to the West", to underline the essence of the productive interaction of culture and civilisations in Europe. The EU Commission found Patras's plans very ambitious and also commented that a successful hosting of the title by a medium-sized city would make it possible to redefine the meaning of the term Cultural Capital.
The Selection Panel for 2006 noted in its final report:
The current cultural activity of the city includes the Patras International Festival (various artistic activities, mainly in the field of music), the Patras Carnival and the Poetry Symposium (organised each year for the 25 years by an ad hoc committee at the University of Patras).[58] The Patras 2006 proposal focuses on two central ideas: "bridges" and "dialogues". Cultural managers from Patras and the general public will be involved in developing these ideas. Further, four poles/programmes of cultural attraction will be developed. The first, "A city for Europe", will relate to the architectural heritage, the industrial revolution and similar subjects. "The counterpart cities" programme will be developed in the fields of human and social sciences and in diverse artistic fields. "The three sea battles" will present a cultural programme focusing on peace and understanding. The last theme, "The many homelands", is directly linked to the etymology of the name of the city. This programme will among other things concentrate on art workshops, the transfer of know-how, way of life and entertainment.[59][60]
In 2006 various cultural events were held in the context of the European Capital of Culture. Among the artists presenting their work in Patras were:Gary Burton,Maxim Shostakovich,Ian Anderson - with the Patras Municipal Orchestra,Jean Louis Trintignant,Roberto Benigni,Eros Ramazzotti andJosé Carreras.[61] With the completion of the Capital of Culture programme, a part of the old Ladopoulos factory was renovated to host exhibitions, a small theatre (named the Art Factory), was built and a number of neoclassical buildings around the city were renovated as part of a plan to preserve the city's architectural heritage and link it to its cultural life. The newArchaeological museum was completed in 2009. Its globe-like roof and modern architectural design enhances the town's northern entrance, taking its place among the other city landmarks.
Patras has several sports facilities and important teams in almost all the major Greek leagues.Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi,Apollon Patras,E.A. Patras andNO Patras are historically the major sports clubs based in the city, specialising in football, basketball, volleyball and water polo. The city's national stadium,Pampeloponnisiako Stadium, was renovated and expanded in 2004.[62] Since 2009, a new event, the Patras International Circuit Kart takes place every September, turning the city streets into a circuit.
The old Orthodox church of Saint Andrew, next to the Cathedral
The most significant church in the city is the OrthodoxCathedral Church of Saint Andrew, in the south west of the city center. The construction of the church began in 1908 under the supervision of the architectAnastasios Metaxas, followed by Georgios Nomikos. It was inaugurated in 1974. It is the largest church in Greece and the third-largest Byzantine-style church in theBalkans, after theCathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade andAlexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia. It holds relics ofAndrew the Apostle, which were returned to the city of Patras fromSt. Peter's Basilica, Rome in September, 1964, on the orders ofPope Paul VI.Other historical churches of the city are:
The church ofPantokrator (1832), the old cathedral, in the upper town district
TheMetropolitan Church of Patras (1846) dedicated toPanayia Evangelistria, on Maisonos Street
The church ofAyios Nikolaos (1885), next to the steps of Ayiou Nikolaou street
The church ofPantanassa (1859), Ipsilanti street
The church ofAyios Dimitrios, in the upper town district
The Catholic Church ofSaint Andrew (1937), on Maisonos Street
TheAnglican church ofSaint Andrew (1878), on Odos Agiou Andreou[63]
The old church ofAyios Andreas (1836–1843), next to the new temple. Situated in the site ofAndrew the Apostle's martyrdom, it was built inbasilica style by the architectLysandros Kaftanzoglou.
Girokomiou Monastery (Holy Monastery of Panagia Girokomitissa): This historic monastery was founded in the 10th century AD in the eastern part of Patras. It was built on the ruins of an ancient temple of the goddess Artemis and for this reason the monastery's cathedral is dedicated to Saint Artemiοs. It is obvious that the monastery maintained a nursing home during the Byzantine period.
Monastery of Agios Nikolaos Bala (Paleomonastiro): Ιt is built at the foot of Panachaikos, at an altitude of 500 meters, near the village of Bala, 8 km northeast of Patras. This historic and picturesque monastery was founded at the end of the 17th century. A marble slab on the north outer side of the Cathedral tells of the restoration of the monastery in 1693. The monastery has also recently been renovated, numbering nineteen nuns and celebrating 6 December and 10 May.
The city has a significant political history in modern Greece; famous politicians from Patras include the prime ministersDimitrios Gounaris, the main leader of theanti-venizelist party in the 1910s,Stylianos Gonatas, a high-ranking officer, politician and one of the leaders of the "1922 Revolution",Andreas Michalakopoulos, a prominentliberal party cadre, foreign minister and prime minister, andDimitrios Maximos, a distinguished economist, minister and finally prime minister in thecivil war era. More recent figures include thePapandreou family, arguably the most influential in post World War II Greece,Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, the last democratically elected head of government before the establishment of the 1967junta, andCostis Stephanopoulos, the former president of the Hellenic Republic.
Patras ring roadSuburban rail (Proastiakos) in PatrasView of the port.Superfast V ofSuperfast Ferries at the port.Patra, Peloponnese. City's SW entrance. Start/end of city's bypass.
The city has always been a sea-trade hub because of its strategic position. The port manages more than half of the foreign sea-passenger transportation in Greece,[67] and has excellent car-ferry links with theIonian islands and the majorAdriatic ports of Italy. Additionally, a new port was built in the southern section of the city to accommodate the increased traffic and relieve the city centre from port operations.[68] In 2011, this port went into operation. Ferries to Italy now dock there.[69]
A newly constructed, 20-kilometre (12 mi)ring road (the Bypass of Patras) was first opened in 2002 in order to alleviate heavy traffic throughout the city.[71] A mini ring road (known as the "Mini bypass" of Patras) is now complete (2019), alleviating heavy traffic-related problems in the city centre.[72] The mini-bypass is a two lanes mototway bridging the northern city entrance at the Zavlani neighborhood to the eastern entrance at the Aroi, Synora and Upper town (Ano poli) neighborhoods reducing the city centre crossing time to less than 4 minutes drive.
Two large highways were also constructed, connecting the seacoast and the new port with the Bypass of Patras. The first is over the small Diakoniaris river (from Eleftheriou Venizelou street until the Bypass'es exit inEglykada), while the second consists of two roads, 4 km (2 mi) each, that run in parallel with theGlafkos river entering at the city' s New Port.[73][74] Another project was completed recently, leading to an additional entrance to the downtown area after expanding and widening Kanakari street. This work led to a fast, direct connection of the city's mini bypass road with the city centre.
The highway connection with Athens was recently[when?] upgraded to a 220 km closed motorway (Olympia Odos), with a speed limit of 130 km/hour, reducing the transit time to 1 hour and 45 minutes. The motorway was connected to the Large bypass highway and was extended all the way toPyrgos in July 2025.[75] Patras will eventually be a central hub of theA5 andA8 motorways, intended to bridge western Greece fromKalamata toIoannina and the Kakavia border station. TheRio-Antirio bridge is north of the city and links thePeloponnese to mainland Greece. It was completed in August 2004.
Additional work was recently announced to begin in 2023 in order to connect via highway the Rion Antirrion bridge with Nafpaktos, Itea, Amfissa and Lamia. This project is expected to reduce the trip to Lamia to 90 minutes and its completion is expexted in 2025.
A rudimentarysingle,narrow-gauge railway track crosses the city and connects it toRio. In the past regional rail links were provided by theHellenic Railways Organisation, connecting Patras to Athens and Piraeus as well as toPyrgos andKalamata.[70] OSE announced the suspension of all the rail service in the Peloponnese in January 2011[76] so today the railway track is in use only by suburban trains that connect Patras with the adjacent villages of Rio and Agios Vasileios.
Thecentral passenger train station of Patras which is a small building constructed in 1954, lies to the west of the downtown area, betweenOthonos-Amalias Avenue and the north port. The main freight station of Aghios Andreas lies further to the south, next to the homonymous church and it is not in use any more. Finally, the old depot of Aghios Dionysios, consisting of about ten tracks, offers basic turntable and roundhouse facilities; it is about 400 m (1,312.34 ft) long.
A new doublestandard gauge railway line, theAthens Airport–Patras railway, is under construction and will link Patras toKorinth and further toAthens. The construction works are currently in progress close to the suburbs of Patras, but the remaining few kilometres till the city centre and the new port are still under study because of various financial and technical problems.[77] As of 2020, the new railway reachesAigio, 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Patras.
Patras was selected as main motif for the €10 GreekPatras 2006 commemorative coin, minted in 2006. This coin was designed to commemorate an event signaling an enlightened course for Patras and serving as a reminder of the way in which culture can stimulate the economy and promote development, when Patras was appointed European Capital of Culture. On the obverse is the logo for Patras 2006 around the words "European Capital of Culture".
^Constantine David (2011).In the Footsteps of the Gods: Travellers to Greece and the Quest for the Hellenic Ideal. Tauris Parke Paperbacks. p. 169.ISBN9780857719478.Readers were thus enabled to follow and visualize the campaign as it was reported, almost daily but after a time-lag of about four weeks, in despatches from Italy and Turkey. They read accounts — as confused, contradictory, exaggerated or downright false as such accounts generally are — of the Sieges of Coron and Modon, of the taking and Ioss of Mistra, the rout at Tripolis and the victory off Tchesmé. And it was repeatedly noted that both sides were conducting the war with great savagery: ' the ravages committed by both armies ... are dreadful ... horrid cruelties perpetrated in cold blood, shocking to human nature, 'the war is carried on with much Bloodshed and Horror'. When the Greeks got the upper hand they settled old scores; when the Turks and Albanians reasserted themselves they were merciless: recapturing Patras, they left scarcely anyone alive.
^1928–1980 statistical data are from: "The population of Greece in the second half of the 20th century". Hellenic Republic. National Statistical Service of Greece. Athens 1980 & "Statistical Yearbook of Greece" Hellenic Republic. National Statistical Service of Greece. Athens 1980
^Population data from 1853 to 1920 are cited from: Kosta N. Triantafyllou, "Istorikon Lexikon ton Patron: Istoria tis poleos ton Patron apo arxaiotaton xronon eos simeron kata alphavitikin eidologikin katataksin" 3rd edition, Patrai 1995
^Градови партнери [City of Banja Luka - Partner cities].Administrative Office of the City of Banja Luka (in Serbian). Archived fromthe original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved9 August 2013.
.jpg)
.png)
.JPG)
.jpg)
_connecting_Patra_with_Aigio%2c_the_best_preserved_two-arched_bridge_in_Greece%2c_Patras%2c_Greece_(14331225575).jpg)
_(2).jpg)
.jpg)
