Velventos

Velventos (Greek: Βελβεντός) is a town and municipality in Kozani regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. It lies at the foot of the Pierian Mountains, 33 km northeast of the city of Kozani. It is located near the artificial lake of Polyfyto. The 2011 census recorded 3,360 people in the village of Velventos, 3,399 in the municipal community and 3,448 in the municipal unit.[1] The municipal unit has an area of 126.516 km2, the community 54.573 km2.[2] Velventos is connected with the GR-3/E65 (Athens - Lamia - Larissa - Kozani - Niki) and is located southwest of Veria, north-northwest of Servia and Larissa, east-northeast of Grevena and south-southeast of Kozani.

Velventos

Βελβεντός
Velventos
Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 40°15′N 22°04′E
CountryGreece
Administrative regionWest Macedonia
Regional unitKozani
MunicipalityVelventos
Government
 • MayorEmmanouil Stergiou (2019-)
 • Municipal unit126.516 km2 (48.848 sq mi)
Elevation
428 m (1,404 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Municipal unit
3,448
 • Municipal unit density27/km2 (71/sq mi)
Community
 • Population3,399 (2011)
 • Area (km2)54.573
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
504 00
Area code(s)+30-2463-xxx-xxx
Vehicle registrationKZ
Websitewwww.velventos.gr

Subdivisions

The municipal unit of Velventos is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):

2019

Subdivisions after 2019 recreation of municipality:

  • Velventos (Velventos, Palaiogratsano)

Population
YearSettlementMunicipal district /
Municipal community		Municipality /
Municipal unit
19813,739--
19913,577-3,940
20013,4373,5043,754
2011[1]3,3603,3993,448

About Velventos

Surrounded by forests, it is located in the fertile valley of the Haliacmon river and produces fruit, mainly peaches. 10.6% of the area is cultivated. Agricultural production is organised in two agricultural cooperatives.

The area has been continually occupied since the prehistoric times. For this reason, many fruitful archaeological digs have been made in the area, unearthing mainly prehistoric findings. Velventos contains also many late Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments and temples, among them the 12th-century church of Saint Minas and the 14th-century church of Saint Paraskevi.

During the Turkish occupation of Greece, Velventos saw great cultural development. Architect Stamatios Kleanthis was born here.

Velventos was finally Greek only during the Balkan Wars. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, many buildings were rebuilt, much of its architecture are almost disappeared.

The forests in the mountains around Velventos was caught by a forest fire in the last days of July 2007, the damage was minimal and lasted for several hours, firefighters along with helicopters and planes battled the fire and slowly dissipated.

Other

Velventos has a school, church, a lyceum (middle school), a gymnasium (secondary school), banks, a post office, and a square (plateia).

A well organized athletic stadium for several indoor and outdoor sport activities is located at the exit of the town. There are 2 Athletic Clubs, A.C. Velventos who has Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball as their main sport activities and A.C. Taekwondo Velventos with Taekwondo and Kick Boxing.

Notable people

Numerous scholars and famous researchers were born in this area, e.g.:

  • Stamatios Kleanthis famous architect
  • Eleni Psara (pioneer of optics engineering)
  • Kostas Bigalis (famous singer and entertainer)
  • Markos Palamidis, fighter during the Macedonian struggle

See also

References
  1. "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
  2. "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.
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