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The city of Patras
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Patras is located at the Western part of Greece's mainland on the Northwestern coast
of Peloponnese. It is the third largest city of Greece and also the capital of the
Achaia prefecture. Patras is the seat of the
Region of Western Greece.
The city sits
right in the middle of an imaginary triangle formed by three places of major
archaeological importance:
Ancient Delphi in the North,
Epidaurus in the South-East and
Olympia in the South-West, whereas, at the same time, it is placed between the
Mount Panachaiko and the Gulf of Patras. Patras has always been a path to Europe,
a gate towards the West and a major commercial channel.
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Though politically insignificant through most of antiquity, Patras started to play
a more important role in 280 BC, when the Achaian Confederacy was created. In 146
BC the area fell to the Romans and later it embraced Christianity after St. Andrew
the Apostle preached in Patras where he was finally martyred. In 1205, Patras occupied
center stage with the founding of the Principality of Achaia by the Franks. Not too
long after that, it passed onto the hands of the Palaiologues, who ruled Peloponnesse
from Mistra and were succeeded by the Turks in 1460. For a short period (1687-1715),
the area was a Venetian colony and was eventually liberated in 1828. If you are
interested in Patras' fascinating history, please click
here.
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Today, Patras is a cosmopolitan city and, with a population that exceeds 220,000,
it remains a place where new ideas, ever renewed conceptions and avant-garde
philosophical movements are flourishing. The city hosts a
University,
a Technological
Education Institute, the Greek
Open University, several hospitals (
University hospital, Regional State hospital, Regional Children's hospital etc.),
a regional two-stage theatre, a classical music orchestra, a
municipal and many privately
owned galleries with numerous seasonal exhibitions, as well as museums, municipal
and
university libraries, conference centres, stadia. In addition, the city has
numerous cafes, patisseries, bars, restaurants, and live music clubs (all these
either in pedestrianized entertainment areas or around the city's numerous large
squares), as well as entertainment and cinema complexes and a casino. The Universities
provides necessary expertise for both scientific and artistic activity, encouraging
the city to move towards further development. The 40,000 University students living
in Patras are pumping youth and vitality in the city's arteries.nterested in Patras'
fascinating history, please click here.
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Being the metropolis of Western Greece, the city is well-connected to the rest
of the country, through a highly developed transportation system. Europe's biggest
cable-stayed
bridge, anning over a stretch of water of 2,250 m links Patras
with the central and northern part of the country. Patras' port connects the city
with the Ionian Islands
and Italy. Distance from Athens is 210 km. Please click
here to see
driving distances to Patras from major European cities. The countryside
and the beaches nearby are easily accessible. The area around the city is scattered
with spots of natural beauty and historical monuments, which render it an ideal
destination for eco-tourism and outdoor activities.
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Patras was declared Cultural
Capital of Europe for the year 2006. The "European
Capitals of Culture" scheme was launched in 1985 by the Council of Ministers on
the initiative of Melina Mercouri, the then Minister of Culture. Melina's dream
was to foster deeper knowledge of European cultures among European Union member
states. Athens was the first city to host the Institution. During 2006, the
diversity of a broadened European cultural mosaic is to be celebrated through
a series of cultural events which aim to attract a large number of visitors, both
within the country and abroad.
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Patras is considered one of the most beautiful citys in Greece with a fine street
planning, open squares, beautiful parks and interesting. It is a dynamic and attractive
city of modern Greece to live in, where archaeological sites are blended harmoniously
with the contemporary civil rhythms. The surrounding region is an important agricultural
area for Greece with extensive production of citrus fruit, potatoes and watermelons.
The countryside and the Gulf of Patras provide the authentic ingredients you can taste
in the local cuisine and all that at moderate prices, as Patras is, as far as alimentation
and shopping is concerned, one of the least expensive cities in Greece.The area is also
well known for its vineyards with outstanding wines being produced in large production
quantities. Peloponessos has a history of vine cultivation dating as far back, some
believe, as 7,000 years. The internationally known
Achaia
Clauss winery is based just
outside Patras.
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One of the city's biggest tourist attractions is the
carnival festival, held
every year in February-March. Celebrated for the last 170 years, it is without
any doubt the greatest local celebration and has long been widely acknowledged
in Greece and abroad. Rooting in ancient Greece, Patras' carnival (as every
other Greek carnival) is connected to the worship of Dionysus, god of wine and
celebration. The carnival events, lasting until Ash Monday, are supported by
the spontaneity, the inspiration, and the creative ability of the inhabitants
of Patras themselves. Patras' carnival draws its invigorating energy from
the great numbers of participants (more than 30,000), which makes it one of
the most famous in the world, coming just after Rio de Janeiro's and Venice's.
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Walking is the best way to know and enjoy Patras. Getting around the inner city
is easy, as the city centre is not vast and distances are short. The town nowadays
is divided into the Upper and Lower part with broad flights of steps, as well as
streets, giving access between the two levels. The Upper part is the older and
more picturesque, but the lower part is attractively laid out with many pedestrian
streets, plenty of
squares (like the lovely spacious square of Psila Alonia filled
with palm trees and Georgiou I square in the heart of the city marked by two
beautiful fountains), small shops, cafes and taverns. The water-front can also be
appreciated from numerous outdoor coffee shops and restaurants.
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The keen observer will have the chance to admire a lot of neoclassical buildings,
like the Municipality theatre "Apollon" in Georgiou I square (designed by Ernst
Ziller as a smaller in size replica of the Scala of Milan), the Town Hall, the
headquarters of the Local Trade Association, the Justice Court and a lot of other
buildings of considerable architectural interest. At the western fringe of the
hill near Georgiou I square a magnificent monument can be found: the Ancient
Theatre. Second only to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens to which it bears
many structural similarities, the Roman Odeum of Patras is in regular use during
the summer months hosting theatrical performances and various other cultural events
(many of which are part of the Patras' International Festival).
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At the end of Aghiou Nikolaou St. (up the 193 steps found at its end!), dominating
the whole town is the ruined Castle (Fortress of Patras), a relic of the Venetian
invasion of the town (1687-1715). Now, its interior is laid out as a public garden.
It stands on a hill and besides this there is a wonderful cafe overlooking the town
and the bay. Another panoramic view of the city, the harbour and the Gulf of Patras
(especially in the afternoon under a magnificent sunset) is offered from the balcony
of the municipal tourist kiosk at Dassylion, which is a small pine forest overlooking
the city. West of the city centre the Saint Andrew's Cathedral (Aghios Andreas
Cathedral) rises majestically, being the biggest and most beautiful church in the Balkans.
An older basilica almost adjacent to Saint Andrew's Cathedral, also dedicated to the
city's patron Saint (St. Andrew) constitutes a national and Pan-Orthodox place of
pilgrimage.
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