Servia Σέρβια | |
|---|---|
 Location within the regional unit | |
  Servia | |
| Coordinates:40°11′N22°00′E / 40.183°N 22.000°E /40.183; 22.000 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | West Macedonia |
| Regional unit | Kozani |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 601.7 km2 (232.3 sq mi) |
| • Municipal unit | 400.116 km2 (154.486 sq mi) |
| • Community | 51.603 km2 (19.924 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 438 m (1,437 ft) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Municipality | 9,467 |
| • Density | 15.73/km2 (40.75/sq mi) |
| • Municipal unit | 7,265 |
| • Municipal unit density | 18.16/km2 (47.03/sq mi) |
| • Community | 3,174 |
| • Community density | 61.51/km2 (159.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 505 00 |
| Area code | 24640 |
| Vehicle registration | KZ |
| Website | servia |
Servia (Greek:Σέρβια,romanized: Sérvia) is one of the main towns in theKozani regional unit,West Macedonia,Greece. It is one of the most historical places in the region, with a 6th-centuryByzantine castle and the Kamvounia mountain dominating the landscape. There are also a number of 10th century Byzantine cavehermitages and small churches located nearby, which add to the Byzantine atmosphere of the area.
Since the local government reform of 2019, it is the seat of the extendedmunicipality of Servia.[2] From 2011 to 2019, the town was the seat of the Municipality ofServia-Velventos.[3] The town itself has a population of 3,174 people (2021 census).[1] The municipal unit Servia has an area of 400.116 km2, the community (the town proper) has an area of 51.603 km2.[4]
Its name derives from theLatin verbservo, meaning "to watch over"[5] or from the ethnonym "Serb",[6] replacing what is thought to be the ancient name of the townPhylacae (Greek:Φυλακαί,romanized: Phylakaí) from theGreek verbφυλάσσω (phylásso) "to watch over". The ancient name of the town of Servia is also mentioned by Roman writerPliny the Elder as well as on anAncient Greek inscription found at the city ofVeroia which reads: "Παρμενίων Γλαυκία Φυλακήσιος νικητής εν Δολίχω" (Parmeníon Glafkía Phylakísios nikitís en Dolícho), i.e. "Parmenion son of Glauceas from Phylacae winner atDoliche".
Servia has given its name to the prehistoric settlement site beside the former bridge across the Haliakmon river to the west and now submerged deep below the surface of Lake Polyphytos. This was first reported byAlan John Bayard Wace[7] and first excavated by theBritish School at Athens under the direction ofWalter Abel Heurtley in 1930.[8] Renewed excavations were jointly conducted by the Greek Archaeological Service and the British School at Athens under the direction of Aikaterina Rhomiopoulou and Cressida Ridley[9] between 1971 and 1973;[10][11] in advance before the completion of the Polyphytos hydro-electric dam and the flooding of the valley, to create Polyphytos lake.
The site is a low mound created by the debris of successive phases of human occupation, starting in the Middle Neolithic period before 5000 BCE. The square or rectangular buildings, one or two storeys in height, were framed with massive oak posts and the walls were created withwattle and daub. The 'classic' red on cream ceramic repertoire of this phase[12] is closely related to that ofThessaly at such sites asSesklo andAchilleion. Typical shapes are fruitstands, shallow bowls and beakers. Bone and stone tools are frequent while ornaments of stone and sea shell (Spondylus gaederopus and Glycimeris) are quite frequent. Occupation continued for a thousand years until the early stages of the Late Neolithic period, characterised by black burnished and grey-on-grey pottery. Occasional fragments of pottery of other styles, together with occasional pieces ofobsidian fromMelos show that long distance 'trade' links had been established with coastal Thessaly andEastern Macedonia. After a long interval, occupation resumed in the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC)when the ceramic repertoire suggests a cultural orientation towardsCentral Macedonia rather than Thessaly.[11][13]
Palaeobotanical studies of seeds and other plant remains recovered from all periods at the site and studied by R. Housely and R. Hubbard provide important information about early Greek agricultural practices.[10]
During ancient times, Servia served as a fort for the passageway betweenMacedonia andThessaly, hence its name. As time passed people settled around the area and the town of Phylacae was created. People that have passed through the then town of Servia, includeAlexander the Great, on his way toThebes in 335 B.C., andApostle Paul during his journey toMacedonia in the first century A.D.
Servia reached its peak as part of theEastern Roman Empire when it developed as a strong castle-city (Greek: καστροπολιτεία) guarding the ancient passage fromMacedonia toThessaly. In October 1256,Theodoros II Laskaris, emperor of Nicaea, married his daughter Maria to Nicephorus Angelos, son of the despot of EpirusMichael II Komnenos. As a wedding gift, Theodoros was given the cities of Servia andDyrrachium.[14] As Servia was a prosperous Byzantine town due to trade, it is mentioned in a large number of medieval texts, by writers such as emperorConstantine VII in the mid 10th century, and by EmperorJohn VI in the 14th century. Servia is also mentioned in theChronicle of the Morea.
TheOttoman Turks captured Servia in 1393. In 1519 (Hijri 925) the town had 49 Muslim and 646 Christian households; it was azeamet of Mevlana Ahmet Çelebi.[15] In 1745 the seat of the Bishop of Servia was moved to the nearby city ofKozani being renamed asthe Holy Diocese of Servia and Kozani. At the start of theGreek revolution in 1821, the Ottomans ordered Turkish and Albanian irregular military to plunder the region and prevent the formation of links with Greek revolutionaries of theOlympus andVermio regions.[16] After the collapse of the Greek revolution in Macedonia, revolutionaries of the region moved to the South, where they joined forces with Greeks in thePeloponnese.[17] A prominent revolutionary from the town wasZisis Sotiriou. In 1864, the town became the seat of theSanjak of Serfiğe in theManastir Vilayet, and the town was known asSerfiçe (also written as Serfidze) in Ottoman Turkish.
The Greek army entered Servia on 10 October 1912, during theFirst Balkan War, after its victory against the Ottoman army in theBattle of Sarantaporo. On the same day, 117 prominent citizens of Servia were gathered and executed by the Ottomans who were leaving the city, 75 to 90 severed human heads were lined up on either side of one of its streets.[18] From then on the main road of the town leading to the Town Hall is called "117 Εθνομαρτύρων" (117 ethnomartyron), i.e. "Of the 117 National martyrs", in remembrance of this dreadful event. Servia was granted to theKingdom of Greece by theTreaty of Bucharest in 1913.
During theSecond World War, on 6 March 1943, Italian troops set the town on fire in response to the defeat and capture of an Italian battalion at theBattle of Fardykambos by theGreek Resistance.[19] After this fire the whole town was left in ruins and most of Greek neoclassical architecture was lost apart from 3 houses which remain until today. One of them was turned into theFolk Museum of Servia.
Today Servia stands as one of the main towns and agricultural centres of the surrounding region, with the extended Servia municipality having a population of 9,467 people (2021 census).[1] Main road access into Servia is provided byGreek National Road 3, which passes through the town and is part of theEuropean route E65, connecting the cities ofFlorina andKozani withLarissa.
A recent historical event that occurred in Servia, was a holy liturgy, celebrated by Metropolitan Paulos of Servia and Kozani at the 7th century Metropolitan Church ofSt. Demetrius (now in ruins). The event which took place during the summer of 2008 was the first liturgy at the site after 600 years. On Thursday 28 June 2012, the Ecumenical PatriarchBartholomew visited Servia taking part in Great Vespers at the Church of Agia Kyriake and afterwards visited the old Basilica of Agios Demetrios and the Byzantine castle-city of Servia. The patron Saint of the town isAgia Kyriake.
The municipality of Servia consists of three municipal units:[2]
The municipal unit of Servia is subdivided into the following communities:[20]
The Philharmonic band of the town, established in 1928,[21] is run by the "Morphotikos Omilos Servion", which is the main Cultural Society of the town. It organises a wide range of cultural events and supports teaching classes for children and adults in painting, dance, choir, and chess.Hang gliding is prominent in the area as national championships are held at the cliffs near Kastania. The Servia cycling competition is held annually, with cyclists from all over the country completing one round of thePolyphytos lake; the cycling tour is about 60 km long at 1000 m altitude. Rowing and other water sports at the lake are also established, via the Kozani nautical club. The town's football team is "Titan" (Τιτάν), founded in 1927, and the basketball team is "Anagennisi" (Αναγέννηση). The annual trade festival of Servia, locally known asemporopanígyri (εμποροπανήγυρη), peaks at the last weekend of September, attracting people from the wider region ofWestern Macedonia. It was most probably established during Byzantine times, with the earliest written account being in the year 1556.[22]
Administrative division of theWestern Macedonia Region | ||
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| Regional unit ofFlorina |  | |
| Regional unit ofGrevena | ||
| Regional unit ofKastoria | ||
| Regional unit ofKozani | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
