Markopoulo Mesogaias Explained

Markopoulo Mesogaias
Name Local:Μαρκόπουλο Μεσογαίας
Type:municipality
Periph:Attica
Periphunit:East Attica
Pop Municipality:21722
Area Municipality:81.84
Population As Of:2021
Elevation:80
Coordinates:37.8833°N 79°W
Postal Code:190 03
Area Code:22990
Licence:Z
Website:www.markopoulo.gr
Mayor:Kostas Allagiannis[1]
Since:2019

Markopoulo Mesogaias (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Μαρκόπουλο Μεσογαίας) is a town and a municipality in East Attica, Greece. The municipality has an area of .[2]

Geography

The municipality Markopoulo Mesogaias is situated in the Mesogaia plain, in the eastern part of the Attica peninsula, and touches the Aegean Sea coast in the east, where the port town Porto Rafti is located. The town Markopoulo is in the western part of the municipality, at about elevation. It is north of Kalyvia Thorikou, east of Koropi and southeast of Athens city centre. Greek National Road 89 (Gerakas - Koropi - Lavrio - Sounio) passes through Markopoulo. Athens International Airport is north of the town. Markopoulo had a railway station on the Athens–Lavrion Railway, which closed for passenger traffic in 1957.

Settlements

History

Markopoulo along with Malakasa, Kakosalesi and Spata is one of the earliest villages formed by Albanian settlers in medieval Attica and it had already appeared by 1456.[3] As such, Markopoulo has historically been an Arvanite settlement.[4]

Historical monuments

Sports

Markopoulo was the home to two venues of the 2004 Summer Olympics: the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre and the Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre.

Markopoulo's women volleyball team plays in the A1 Ethniki Women's Volleyball, the highest level national competition.

Sport clubs based in Markopoulo
ClubFoundedSportsAchievements
Marko F.C.1927Earlier presence in Gamma Ethniki
Markopoulo Athletic Club - AOM1988Presence in A1 Ethniki women volleyball

Economy

Historically, the economy of the region has been largely agricultural, with grapes and wine being the major components of the local economy until today. The Merenda quarry also allowed for a major economic expansion during the 1990s, however operations have ceased since 2014. Today, tourism is a major driver as the nearby seaside town, Porto Rafti, is a very popular tourist destination in Attica.

Multiple companies, including SkyGreece Airlines have had their corporate headquarters in Markopoulo Mesogaias due to the easy access to Athens International Airport.

Historical population

Year Population
1981 9,388
1991 14,499
2001 15,608
2011 20,040
2021 21,722

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9221/ Municipality of Markopoulo Messogheas, Municipal elections – October 2023
  2. Web site: Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) . National Statistical Service of Greece . el . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf . 2015-09-21 .
  3. Book: Karidis . Dimitris . Athens from 1456 to 1920: The Town under Ottoman Rule and the 19th-Century Capital City . 2014 . Archaeopress . 1784910724 . 34 . Therefore a few years before the Ottomans captured Athens (1456) several Albanian villages had already spread across Attica (villages such as Kakosalesi, Markopoulo, Malakasa fall under this category)..
  4. Book: Hans-Jürgen Sasse. Arvanitika: die albanischen Sprachreste in Griechenland. 1. 1991. 9783447027588. 18.
  5. Web site: .:BiblioNet : Γεώργιος Μάρκου ο Αργείος / Ανδρέου, Ευάγγελος. www.biblionet.gr. 2018-11-16.