Kifissia

Kifisia
Κηφισιά

The Villa "Atlantis" the work of architect Ernst Ziller (1837-1923)
Kifisia

Coordinates: 38°5′N 23°49′E / 38.083°N 23.817°E / 38.083; 23.817Coordinates: 38°5′N 23°49′E / 38.083°N 23.817°E / 38.083; 23.817
Country Greece
Administrative region Attica
Regional unit North Athens
Government
 • Mayor Georgios Thomakos (since 2014)
Area
 • Municipality 34.03 km2 (13.14 sq mi)
 • Municipal unit 25.937 km2 (10.014 sq mi)
Elevation 290 m (950 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Municipality 70,600
 • Municipality density 2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)
 • Municipal unit 47,332
 • Municipal unit density 1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi)
Community
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 145 xx
Area code(s) 210
Vehicle registration Z
Website www.kifissia.gr

Kifissia or Kifisia (also Kephisia; Greek: Κηφισιά, pronounced [cifiˈsja]) is one of the most expensive northern suburbs of Athens, Greece, mainly accessed via Kifissias Avenue, running all the way from central Athens up to Theseos Avenue in the suburb of Nea Erythraia. It has traditionally been home to ultra-rich Greek families and major Greek political families.

Municipality

The municipality Kifisia was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[2]

Geography

Kifisia is situated in central Attica, at the western end of the forested Penteli mountain range. The small river Kifisos forms the western border of the municipality. Kifisia is situated 12 km northeast of Athens city centre. The built-up area of Kifisia is continuous with those of the neighbouring suburbs Lykovrysi, Nea Erythraia, Marousi and Pefki. Kifisia consists of the following neighbourhoods: Adames, Ano Kifisia, Kato Kifisia, Kefalari, Nea Kifisia and Politeia. It is a green suburb with many parks and tree-lined streets.

The main thoroughfare is Kifisias Avenue, which connects Kifisia with central Athens and the northern beltway Motorway 6. The Kifisia station is the north terminus of Athens Metro Line 1.

History

Antiquity

Further information: Ancient Greece

Cephisia was a deme of ancient Attica. It was the home of the famous dramatist Menander (circa 342-291 BC).[3] Cephisia had become a famous retreat of philosophers during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian, when the wealthy Herodes Atticus of Marathon, Greece built the Villa Cephisia. In his Attic Nights, Aulus Gellius describes the unique ambiance of intellectual ferment and aristocratic leisure in an idyllic setting which he created there. It was also the practice of Herodes to provide free instruction in philosophy for selected youths from Athens. The remains of some of his family funeral monuments lie at the centre of the town in Platonas Square. He also beautified a sanctuary to the Nymphs in the ravine of Kokkinara, in the nearby district of Kefalari.[4]

Medieval period

The history of Kifisia during the medieval period is obscure, but the remains of a monastery church dedicated to the Virgin of the Swallow (Panagia Chelidonas) is associated with a story about a battle fought there between local people and unspecified "invaders". This chapel is a rare example of a monastery church originally provided with a fireplace, for the chimney remains.[4]

The monastery chapel of the Virgin of the Swallow (Panagia Chelidonas).

Ottoman Era

Further information: Ottoman Greece

During Ottoman period, in 1667, Kifisia was visited by the Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi. He described a small country town set in a fertile plain of paradisaic beauty, with three hundred tile-roofed houses. Half the inhabitants of the town were Muslims and half were Christians. He records that there was a single mosque, without a minaret, and many small Christian chapels - some of which survive today.[4]

Post Greek Independence

Further information: Greek War of Independence

The temperature in Kifisia tends to be significantly lower than that of the city,[5] so following the independence of Greece, it quickly became a summer resort of the ruling class of the new state.

Its popularity faded somewhat during the middle of the Nineteenth Century when the danger of raids by brigands who infested the nearby mountains was very real. However, the suppression of brigandage, and the arrival of the railway in 1885, led to the dramatic development of the area.

It became the fashion for wealthy Athenian families to build summer houses in Kifisia, and keen social competition led to the creation of a unique architectural ambiance, as villas in ever more exotic styles proliferated. For those unable to afford a summer house, many hotels were built, where the slightly less affluent could spend the holiday months rubbing shoulders with their social betters.

The heyday of Kifisia was probably during the inter-war period, when the leaders of the two main rival political parties frequented different hotels in the town together with their most important supporters.[4]

World War II and Civil War

Following the liberation of Greece from German occupation in 1944, the British Royal Air Force ill-advisedly made its headquarters in Kefalari, taking over several hotels. With the outbreak of the Greek Civil War, the RAF personnel were first besieged, then forced to surrender, and marched across the mountains into northern Greece; being released in Trikala only after a truce had been arranged.[4]

Economy

Accenture, Aegean Airlines, Eurobank Ergasias, Eltrak and Metaxa have their head office in Kifisia.[6]

Sports

Zirineio Sport Center in Kifissia

Kifissia has several sport clubs in different sports.[7] From them, most notable are ZAON, club with many Panhellenic titles in Greek women volleyball, Kifissia AC that plays almost constantly in men volleyball first division (A1 Ethniki) and Nea Kifissia B.C. that plays in basketball first division (Greek Basket League). The football team of Kifissia is Kifissia F.C., and plays in Football League 2 (third division). Kifissia also is the seat of Athina 90 (most times winner in Futsal League), and AOH Hymettus (most times winner in Field Hockey League).

Sport clubs based in Kifissia
Club Founded Sports Achievements
Kifissia AC1932VolleyballPresence in A1 Ethniki
Kifissia F.C.
(Former: AO Kifissia,
Elpidoforos)		2012
(1932)
(1971)		Football Presence in Gamma Ethniki
ZAON Kifissia1966Volleyball, BasketballPanhellenic titles in women volleyball
Athina 901990 FutsalPanhellenic titles in Futsal
AOH Hymettus 1990Field HockeyPanhellenic titles in Field Hockey
Iraklis Kifissia1992VolleyballEarlier presence in A1 Ethniki Women
Nea Kifissia B.C.1996 BasketballPresence in A1 Ethniki

Historical population

Year Municipal unit Municipality
1951 12,991 -
1981 31,876 -
1991 39,166 -
2001 43,929 -
2011 47,332 70,600

Persons

References

  1. ↑ "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
  2. ↑ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)
  3. ↑ Rossiter, Stuart, Greece, Ernest Benn Ltd., London (1977) p185
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Tomkinson, John L., Athens, Anagnosis Books, Athens (2006) pp217-231
  5. ↑ "Photos of Kifisia under snow".
  6. ↑ "Headquarters." Aegean Airlines. Retrieved on 22 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "Kifissia, sports". kifissia.gr. Retrieved 14 February 2015.

External links

 Nea Erythraia Ekali
Acharnes Dionysos
   Kifisia  
Metamorfosi, Lykovrysi and Pefki Marousi and Melissia Nea Penteli and Penteli
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