Aegina (Greek: Αίγινα (Egina)) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, 17 miles (27 km) from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great
The island, along with offshore islets, comprises the Municipality of
Aegina in Piraeus Prefecture, a part of the Attica region. The capital
is the town of Aegina (pop. 7,410 in 2001 census), situated at the
northwestern end of the island. Due to its proximity to Athens, it
is a popular quick getaway during the summer months, with quite a
sea power of the era. Periphery: Attica
Prefecture: Piraeus
Population: 13,552
Postal: 180 10
Telephone: 210 few Athenians owning second houses on the island. Besides the town
of Aegina, the largest other towns and villages on the island are
Kypséli (pop. 1,949), Vathý (1,474), Mesagrós (682), Pérdika (682),
Agía Marína (426), Vaïa (239), Álones (233), and Kontós (178).
Aegina is roughly triangular in shape, approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) from east to west and 10 km (6.2 mi) from north to south, with an area of about 87 km2 (34 sq mi).
An extinct volcano constitutes two thirds of Aegina. The northern and western side consist of stony but fertile plains, which are well cultivated and produce luxuriant crops of grain, with some cotton, vines, almonds, olives and figs, but the most characteristic crop of Aegina today (2000s) is pistachio. Economically, the sponge fisheries are of notable importance. The southern volcanic part of the island is rugged and mountainous, and largely barren. Its highest rise is the conical Mount Oros (531 m) in the south, and the Panhellenian ridge stretches northward with narrow fertile valleys on either side.
The beaches are also a popular tourist attraction. Hydrofoil ferries from Piraeus take only forty minutes to reach Aegina; the regular ferry takes about an hour, with ticket prices for adults within the 4-15 euro range. There are regular bus services from Aegina town to destinations throughout the island such as Agia Marina.
Landmarks
* Temple of Aphaea, dedicated to its namesake, a goddess which was later
associated with Athena; the temple was part of a pre-Christian, equilateral holy triangle of
temples including the Athenian Parthenon and the temple of Poseidon at Sounion.
* Monastery of Agios Nectarios, dedicated to Saint Nectarios, a recent saint of
the Greek Orthodox Church.
* Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first leader of free modern Greece (1776–1831) had
a large building erected intended for a barracks, which was subsequently used as a museum, a library and
a school. The museum was the first institution of its kind in Greece, but the collection was transferred
to Athens in 1834. A statue in the principal square commemorates him.
Events
Mayor Aegina
Θεοδόσιος Γ. Σακκιώτης
Δήμαρχος Αίγινας
Local City Links:
- Citizen Service Center (KEP): Afeas
Tel - 22970 26223 - Police Department: Lada Christou 12
Tel – 22970 26736 - Post Office: Kanari 8
Tel – 22970 22398 - Tax Office: Inonis 2
Tel – 22970 22633 | 22217 | 27774
View City Guide & Yellow Pages of Greece in a larger map
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
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