Pyrgos (Ilia)
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Pyrgos Πύργος |
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Pyrgos municipality
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 Pyrgos
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Location within the region
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| Coordinates: 37°40′N 21°26′E / 37.667°N 21.433°ECoordinates: 37°40′N 21°26′E / 37.667°N 21.433°E | ||
| 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) | ||
| • Municipality | 47,995 | |
| • Municipality density | 110/km2 (270/sq mi) | |
| • Municipal unit | 35,572 | |
| • Municipal unit density | 210/km2 (540/sq mi) | |
| Community | ||
| • 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.
The municipality Pyrgos was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:
The municipality has an area of 456.610 km2, the municipal unit 170.866 km2.
The municipal unit of Pyrgos is divided into the following communities (settlements within the communities given in brackets):
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.
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.
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Wikipedia