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Pyrgos Πύργος
Pyrgos municipality
Seal
Pyrgos Location within the region
Coordinates: 37°40′N 21°26′E / 37.667°N 21.433°E / 37.667; 21.433Coordinates: 37°40′N 21°26′E / 37.667°N 21.433°E / 37.667; 21.433
Country	Greece
Administrative region	West Greece
Regional unit	Elis
Government
• Mayor	Gavrilis Liatsis
Area
• Municipality	456.6 km2 (176.3 sq mi)
• Municipal unit	170.9 km2 (66.0 sq mi)
Highest elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
• Municipality	47,995
• Municipality density	110/km2 (270/sq mi)
• Municipal unit	35,572
• Municipal unit density	210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Community[1]
• Population	25,180 (2011)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	271 xx
Area code(s)	26210
Vehicle registration	HA
Website	[1] [2]

Pyrgos (Greek: Πύργος, meaning "tower") is the capital of the Elis regional unit in Greece. The city is located in the western part of the Peloponnese, in the middle of a plain, 4 kilometres (2 miles) from the Ionian Sea. The river Alfeios flows into sea about 7 km (4 mi) south of Pyrgos. The population of the town Pyrgos is 25,180, and of the municipality 47,995 (2011). Pyrgos is 16 km (10 mi) west of Olympia, 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Amaliada, 70 km (43 mi) southwest of Patras and 85 km (53 mi) west of Tripoli.

Historical population

Municipality

The Latseio town hall of Pyrgos

The municipal market, work by Ernst Ziller

The municipality Pyrgos was formed during the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:^[2]

• Iardanos


• Oleni


• Pyrgos


• Volakas

The municipality has an area of 456.610 km², the municipal unit 170.866 km².^[3]

Subdivisions

The municipal unit of Pyrgos is divided into the following communities (settlements within the communities given in brackets):

• Pyrgos (Pyrgos, Anthopyrgos, Kavasilakia, Lampeti, Syntriada, Tragano)


• Agios Georgios


• 
  Agios Ilias (Agios Ilias, Pyrgi, Stamatelaiika)


• 
  Agios Ioannis (Agios Ioannis, Kyani Akti, Palatas, Tragano)


• Ampelonas (Ampelonas, Kouzouli, Rozeika)


• Elaionas (Elaionas, Vytinaiika)


• Granitsaiika (Granitsaiika, Kavouri)


• 
  Katakolo (Katakolo, Agios Andreas)


• 
  Koliri (Koliri, Kolireikes Paragkes)


• 
  Korakochori (Korakochori, Agios Andreas, Kallithea, Bouka)


• 
  Lasteika (Lasteika, Itia)


• Leventochori


• Myrtia


• Palaiovarvasaina (Palaiovarvasaina, Agios Georgios, Kampos)


• 
  Salmoni (Salmoni, Alfeios)


• 
  Skafidia (Skafidia, Kalakaiika, Moni Skafidias, Patronikoleika)


• 
  Skourochori (Skourochori, Kato Kavouri)


• 
  Varvasaina (Varvasaina, Kato Varvasaina)


• Vytinaiika

History

History of the name

In the 1510s, during Ottoman rule over Greece, a villager from Tsorota of Kalavryta decided to move and reform the area of Pyrgos which up until then was uncultivated. During this reformation he found in a well a large amount of gold ancient coins which he delivered to the Sultan as the rightful owner. The Sultan, Selim I (1470-1520), in order to honor his integrity named him ruler of the region (1512) and gave him a great acreage expanding from Alfeios river until the village Agios Ioannis which is located near Katakolo (the main port of the Elis region). This area was encompassing today’s Pyrgos and was uninhabited. According to the stories the new ruler built a great tower (Πύργος, pyrgos in Greek) on a hill in order to supervise his fields and his flocks. This was the first settlement of the area.^[4][5][6]

Climate

Pyrgos has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa) with hot and dry summers and rainy winters with generally mild temperatures. Annual precipitation is sizeable, above 900 mm, and it peaks in late autumn.

Transportation

The bus terminal in Pyrgos.

The railway station, another work by Ernst Ziller

Pyrgos has a train station with regular trains to the port of Katakolo and Olympia. Service on the line from Patras to Kalamata via Pyrgos has been suspended in 2011. Pyrgos has a bus terminal, served by KTEL Ileias, with regular buses for the regional routes to most places in Elis as well as for intercity routes to larger cities such as Patras, Kalamata, Ioannina, Athens and Thessaloniki.^[8] The Greek National Road 9 connects Pyrgos with Patras and Kyparissia, the Greek National Road 74 run from Pyrgos to Tripoli via Olympia. The nearest airport is located in Andravida near the town of Amaliada but it is served for military operations only. However there are plans to open passenger operations in the next years. The alterative airports for passenger operations are Araxos airport. located in the province of Aichaia about 60 km or Kalamata Captain Vasilios Constatakopoulos airport, in Messinia province near Kalamata about 120 km from the city.

Sporting teams

• 
  Paniliakos F.C. (played in the first division during the 2003–2004 season)

Notable people

Stephanos Stephanopoulos

• 
  Andreas Avgerinos (1820–1895), politician


• 
  Petros Avgerinos (19th century), politician, mayor of Pyrgos


• 
  Nakis Avgerinos (1911–2001), politician


• 
  Giorgos Karagounis (1977-), footballer


• 
  Kostas Kazakos (1935-), actor and politician


• 
  George Pavlopoulos (1924-2008), poet


• 
  Takis Sinopoulos (1917–1981), poet


• 
  Stephanos Stephanopoulos (1898–1982), politician and 165th Prime Minister of Greece


• 
  Theodoros Xydis, (1909-1985), poet and essayist.


• Sakis Karagiorgas, (1930-1985), professor and Panteion University Rector^{[9][better source needed]}

See also

• List of settlements in Elis

References

External links

• Official website