Larissa (; el, Λάρισα, , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 144,651 according to the 2011 census. It is also capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transport hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the cities of Thessaloniki and Athens. The municipality of Larissa has 162,591 inhabitants, while the regional unit of Larissa reached a population of 284,325 (). Legend has it that Achilles was born here. Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine", died here. Today, Larissa is an important commercial, transportation, educational, agricultural and industrial centre of Greece.

Geography

There are a number of highways including E75 and the main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki (Salonika) crossing through Thessaly. The region is directly linked to the rest of Europe through the International Airport of Central Greece located in Nea Anchialos a short distance from Larissa (about ). Larissa lies on the river Pineios. The municipality of Larissa has an area of , the municipal unit Larissa has an area of , and the community Larissa has an area of . The Larissa Chasma, a deep gash in the surface of

Dione Dione may refer to: Astronomy *106 Dione, a large main belt asteroid *Dione (moon), a moon of Saturn *Helene (moon), a moon of Saturn sometimes referred to as "Dione B" Mythology *Dione (Titaness), a Titaness in Greek mythology *Dione (mythology) ...

, a natural satellite of

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth; h ...

, was named after Larissa.

Climate

The climate of Larissa is cool semi-arid ( Köppen: ''BSk'') but it is close to a hot summer Mediterranean climate (''Csa''). The winter is fairly mild, and some snowstorms may occur. The summer is particularly hot, and temperatures of may occur. Thunderstorms or heavy rain may cause agricultural damage. Larissa receives of rain per year.

Mythology

According to Greek mythology it is said that the city was founded by Acrisius, who was killed accidentally by his grandson,

Perseus In Greek mythology, Perseus (Help:IPA/English, /ˈpɜːrsiəs, -sjuːs/; Greek language, Greek: Περσεύς, Romanization of Greek, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus ...

. There lived Peleus, the hero beloved by the gods, and his son Achilles. In mythology, the nymph

Larissa Larissa (; el, Λάρισα, , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 144,651 according to the 2011 census. It is also capital of the Larissa regiona ...

was a daughter of the primordial man Pelasgus. The city of Larissa is mentioned in Book II of '' Iliad'' by Homer: "Hippothous led the tribes of Pelasgian spearsmen, who dwelt in fertile Larissa- Hippothous, and Pylaeus of the race of Mars, two sons of the Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus.
The Internet Classics Archive , The Iliad by Homer
In this paragraph, Homer shows that the

Pelasgians The name Pelasgians ( grc, Πελασγοί, ''Pelasgoí'', singular: Πελασγός, ''Pelasgós'') was used by classical Greek writers to refer either to the predecessors of the Greeks, or to all the inhabitants of Greece before the emergenc ...

, Trojan allies, used to live in the city of Larissa. It is likely that this city of Larissa was different to the city that was the birthplace of Achilles. The Larissa that features as a Trojan ally in the ''Iliad'' was likely to be located in the Troad, on the other side of the Aegean Sea.

History

Antiquity

Pre-history

Traces of

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

human settlement have been recovered from the area, but it was peripheral to areas of advanced culture. The area around Larissa was extremely fruitful; it was agriculturally important and in

antiquity Antiquity or Antiquities may refer to: Historical objects or periods Artifacts *Antiquities, objects or artifacts surviving from ancient cultures Eras Any period before the European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) but still within the histo ...

was known for its horses.

Archaic Era

The name Larissa (Λάρισα ''Lárīsa'') is in origin a Pelasgian word for "fortress". There were many ancient Greek cities with this name. The name of Thessalian Larissa is first recorded in connection with the aristocratic Aleuadai family. It was also a polis (city-state).

Classical Era

Larissa was a polis (city-state) during the Classical Era. Larissa is thought to be where the famous Greek physician Hippocrates and the famous philosopher

Gorgias of Leontini Gorgias (; grc-gre, Γοργίας; 483–375 BC) was an ancient Greek sophist, pre-Socratic philosopher, and rhetorician who was a native of Leontinoi in Sicily. Along with Protagoras, he forms the first generation of Sophists. Several dox ...

died.

When Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage in the late fifth century BC, it chose local types for its coins. The obverse depicted the nymph of the local spring, Larissa, for whom the town was named; probably the choice was inspired by the famous coins of Kimon depicting the Syracusan nymph Arethusa. The reverse depicted a horse in various poses. The horse was an appropriate symbol of Thessaly, a land of plains, which was well known for its horses. Usually there is a male figure; he should perhaps be seen as the eponymous hero of the Thessalians, Thessalos, who is probably also to be identified on many of the earlier, federal coins of Thessaly. Larissa, sometimes written Larisa on ancient coins and inscriptions, is near the site of the Homeric Argissa. It appears in early times, when Thessaly was mainly governed by a few aristocratic families, as an important city under the rule of the Aleuadae, whose authority extended over the whole district of Pelasgiotis. This powerful family possessed for many generations before 369 BC the privilege of furnishing the ''tagus'', the local term for the ''

strategos ''Strategos'', plural ''strategoi'', Linguistic Latinisation, Latinized ''strategus'', ( el, στρατηγός, pl. στρατηγοί; Doric Greek: στραταγός, ''stratagos''; meaning "army leader") is used in Greek language, Greek to ...

'' of the combined Thessalian forces. The principal rivals of the Aleuadae were the Scopadae of Crannon, the remains of which are about 14 miles south west. Larissa was the birthplace of Meno, who thus became, along with Xenophon and a few others, one of the generals leading several thousands Greeks from various places, in the ill-fated expedition of 401 (retold in Xenophon's '' Anabasis'') meant to help

Cyrus the Younger Cyrus the Younger ( peo, 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 ''Kūruš''; grc-gre, Κῦρος ; died 401 BC) was an Achaemenid prince and general. He ruled as satrap of Lydia and Ionia from 408 to 401 BC. Son of Darius II and Parysatis, he died in 401 BC i ...

, son of

Darius II Darius II ( peo, 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 ; grc-gre, Δαρεῖος ), also known by his given name Ochus ( ), was King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 423 BC to 405 or 404 BC. Artaxerxes I, who died in 424 BC, was followed by h ...

, king of Persia, overthrow his elder brother Artaxerxes II and take over the throne of Persia (Meno is featured in Plato's dialogue bearing his name, in which Socrates uses the example of ''"the way to Larissa"'' to help explain Meno the difference between true

opinion An opinion is a judgment, viewpoint, or statement that is not conclusive, rather than facts, which are true statements. Definition A given opinion may deal with subjective matters in which there is no conclusive finding, or it may deal with f ...

and science (Meno, 97a–c); this "way to Larissa" might well be on the part of Socrates an attempt to call to Meno's mind a "way home", understood as the way toward one's true and "eternal" home reached only at death, that each man is supposed to seek in his life). The constitution of the town was

democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, which explains why it sided with Athens in the

Peloponnesian War The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Greek world. The war remained undecided for a long time until the decisive intervention of th ...

. In the neighbourhood of Larissa was celebrated a festival which recalled the Roman

Saturnalia Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple ...

, and at which the slaves were waited on by their masters. As the chief city of ancient Thessaly, Larissa was taken by the Thebans and later directly annexed by Philip II of Macedon in 344. It remained under Macedonian control afterwards, except for a brief period when Demetrius Poliorcetes captured it in 302 BC.

Hellenistic Era

Roman Era

It was in Larissa that Philip V of Macedon signed in 197 BC a treaty with the Romans after his defeat at the Battle of Cynoscephalae, and it was there also that Antiochus III the Great, won a great victory in 192 BC. In 196 BC Larissa became an ally of Rome and was the headquarters of the Thessalian League. Larissa is frequently mentioned in connection with the Roman civil wars which preceded the establishment of the Roman Empire and Pompey sought refuge there after the defeat of Pharsalus.

Middle Ages and Ottoman period

Larissa was sacked by the Ostrogoths in the late

5th century The 5th century is the time period from 401 ( CDI) through 500 ( D) ''Anno Domini'' (AD) or Common Era (CE) in the Julian calendar. The 5th century is noted for being a period of migration and political instability throughout Eurasia. It saw the ...

, and rebuilt under the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. In the eighth century, the city became the metropolis of the theme of

Hellas Hellas may refer to: Places in Greece *Ἑλλάς (''Ellás''), genitive Ἑλλάδος (''Elládos''), an ancient Greek toponym used to refer to: ** Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country i ...

. The city was captured in 986 by Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria, who carried off the relics of its patron saint, Saint Achilleios, to Prespa. It was again unsuccessfully besieged by the Italo-Normans under

Bohemond I Bohemond I of Antioch (5 or 7 March 1111), also known as Bohemond of Taranto, was the prince of Taranto from 1089 to 1111 and the prince of Antioch from 1098 to 1111. He was a leader of the First Crusade, leading a contingent of Normans on the qu ...

in 1082/3. After the

Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...

, the

King of Thessalonica The King of Thessalonica was the ruler of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, one of the crusader states founded in Greece in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204). The King of Thessalonica was not an independent ruler; the Kingdom of Thessa ...

, Boniface of Montferrat, gave the city to Lombard

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

s, but they launched a rebellion in 1209 that had to be subdued by the Latin Emperor Henry of Flanders himself. The city was recovered by Epirus soon after. It was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1386/87 and again in the 1390s, but only came under permanent Ottoman control in 1423, by Turahan Bey. Under Ottoman rule, the city was known as ''Yeni-şehir i-Fenari'', "new citadel". As the chief town and military base of Ottoman Thessaly, Larissa was a predominantly Muslim city. During Ottoman rule the administration of the Metropolis of Larissa was transferred to nearby Trikala where it remained until 1734, when Metropolitan Iakovos II returned the see from Trikala to Larissa and established the present-day metropolis of Larissa and Tyrnavos. The town was noted for its trade fair in the 17th and 18th centuries, while the seat of the pasha of Thessaly was also transferred there in 1770. Larissa was the headquarters of Hursid Pasha during the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted by ...

. It was also renowned for its mosques (four of which were still in use in the late 19th century) and its

muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

cemeteries. The city remained in Ottoman hands until Thessaly became part of the independent Kingdom of Greece in 1881, except for a period where Ottoman forces re-occupied it during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897. In the late 19th century, there was still a small village in the outskirts of the town inhabited by Africans from

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

, a curious remnant of the forces collected by

Ali Pasha Ali Pasha was the name of numerous Ottoman pashas named Ali. It is most commonly used to refer to Ali Pasha of Ioannina. People * Çandarlı Ali Pasha (died 1406), Ottoman grand vizier (1387–1406) * Hadım Ali Pasha (died 1511), Ottoman grand v ...

. In the 19th century, the town produced leather, cotton, silk and tobacco. Fevers and agues were prevalent owing to bad drainage and the overflowing of the river; and the death rate was higher than the birth rate.

Modern Greek era

In 1881, the city, along with the rest of Thessaly, was incorporated into the Kingdom of Greece during the prime ministry of

Alexandros Koumoundouros Alexandros Koumoundouros ( el, Αλέξανδρος Κουμουνδούρος, 4 February 1815 – 26 February 1883) was a Greek politician. Born in Kampos, on the Messenian side of the Mani Peninsula, he was the son of Spyridon-Galanis Koumoun ...

. On 31 August 1881 a unit of the Greek Army headed by General

Skarlatos Soutsos Skarlatos is a Greeks, Greek surname and forename. People with the name include: Surname *Alek Skarlatos (born 1992), American soldier, Knight of the French Legion of Honour *Konstantinos Skarlatos (1872-1969), Greek army officer and Olympic sport ...

entered the city. A considerable portion of the Turkish population emigrated into the Ottoman Empire at that point. In this new era the city starts gradually to expand and to be rebuilt by the Greek authorities. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, the city was the headquarters of Greek Crown Prince Constantine. The flight of the Greek army from here to Farsala took place on April 23, 1897. Turkish troops entered the city two days later. After a treaty for peace was signed, they withdrew and Larissa remained permanently in Greece. This was followed by a further exodus of Turks in 1898. The Hassan Bey mosque (which was built in the early 16th century) was demolished in 1908. During the Axis Occupation of the country, the Jewish community of the city (dated back to second BC, see Romaniotes) suffered heavy losses. Today in the city there is a Holocaust memorial and a synagogue.

After WWII

After WWII the city was expanded rapidly. Today Larissa is the fourth largest Greek city with many squares, taverns and cafes. It has three public hospitals with one being a military hospital. It hosts the Hellenic Air Force Headquarters and NATO Headquarters in Greece. It has a School of Medicine and a School of Biochemistry – Biotechnology and the third largest in the country Institute of Technology. It occupies the first place among Greek cities into green coverage rate per square-metre urban space and the first place with the highest percentance of bars-taverns-restaurants per capita in Greece. It also has two public libraries and five museums.

Ecclesiastical history

Pinios river and church of Agios Achilios

Christianity penetrated early to Larissa, though its first bishop is recorded only in 325 at the Council of Nicaea. St. Achillius of the fourth century, is celebrated for his miracles. Le Quien cites twenty-nine bishops from the fourth to the 18th centuries; the most famous is Jeremias II, who occupied the see until 733, when the Emperor Leo III the Isaurian transferred it from the jurisdiction of the

Pope of Rome The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In the first years of the tenth century it had ten suffragan sees; subsequently the number increased and about the year 1175 under the Emperor Manuel I Comnenus, it reached twenty-eight. At the close of the 15th century, under the Ottoman domination, there were only ten suffragan sees, which gradually grew less and finally disappeared. Larissa Synagogue c

Larissa is an Orthodox Metropolis of the

Church of Greece The Church of Greece ( el, Ἐκκλησία τῆς Ἑλλάδος, Ekklēsía tē̂s Helládos, ), part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Its ...

. It was also briefly a Latin archbishopric in the early 13th century, and remains a Latin Metropolitan (top-ranking) titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, which must not be confused with the Latin episcopal (low-ranking) titular see

Larissa in Syria Shaizar or Shayzar ( ar, شيزر; in modern Arabic Saijar; Hellenistic name: Larissa in Syria, Λάρισα εν Συρία in Greek language, Greek) is a town in northern Syria, administratively part of the Hama Governorate, located northwest of ...

. Today there is a Catholic church in the city (Sacred Heart of Jesus).

Administration

The municipality Larissa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units: * Giannouli * Koilada *Larissa

Districts

The municipal unit of Larissa is divided into four city-districts or municipal communities (29 city areas) plus 2 suburban communities (Amphithea and Koulourion). The municipality includes also the Community of Terpsithèa (with the suburban community of Argyssa). 1st Municipal District (pop. 26,035) # Papastàvrou # Saint Athanàsios # Alkazàr # Hippocrates-Pèra # Potamòpolis # Philippòpolis # Livadàki # Saint Thomas # Saint Paraskevi-Mezourlo # Neàpolis 2nd Municipal District (pop. 41,816) # Saint Achellios # Saint Nikòlaos # Ambelòkipoi # Saints Sarànta # Saint Konstantinos # Stathmòs 3rd Municipal District (pop. 30,121) # Lachanòkipoi # Nèa Smyrne-Kamynia # Kalyvia-Saint Marina # Saint Geòrgios # Anatoli # Koulouri # Amphithèa 4th Municipal District (pop. 26,814) # Charavgi-Toumba-OKE # Pyrovolikà-Pharos # Avèrof-Sèkfo # Nèa Politia # Epiròtika # Anthoupolis # Neràida # Kàmpos Community of Terpsithèa (pop. 1,290) # Terpsithèa # Argyssa From 1 January 2011, in accordance with the Kallikratis Plan (new administrative division of Greece), the new municipality of Larissa includes also the former municipalities of Giannouli and Koilada.

Province

The province of Larissa ( el, Επαρχία Λάρισας) was one of the provinces of the Larissa Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipalities Larissa (except the municipal unit Giannouli) and Tempi (except the municipal units Gonnoi and

Kato Olympos Kato Olympos ( el, Κάτω Όλυμπος, ) is a municipal unit in the Tempi municipality, within the regional unit of Larissa, in the historical and administrative region of Thessaly, Greece. Kato Olympos has, as of 2011, a Population 3,496 in ...

). It was abolished in 2006.

Main streets

* Anthimou Gazi Street * Kouma Street * Roosevelt Street * 31 August Street * Karamanli Avenue * Koumoundourou * Mandilara * Rizopoulou * Papanastasiou * Venizelou (former Makedonias) * Kyprou (Alexandras) * Polykarpou * Asclepiou Street * Iroon Polytechniou Avenue * Lambraki Street * Thetidos Street * Korai * Ipsilanti * Tsimiski * Sklirou * Panagouli * Ioanninon * Kolokotroni * Manolaki * Nikitara

Economy

Larissa is a major agricultural center of Greece, due to the plain of Thessaly. In manufacturing sector, Larissa is among others home to Biokarpet carpet company (whose owners were also major shareholders of AEL FC in the past) and

Orient Bikes Orient Bikes is a Greek manufacturer of bicycles established in Larissa Larissa (; el, Λάρισα, , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 144,6 ...

. It comes also in first place with the highest percentage of bars-taverns-restaurants per capita in Greece.

Mikel Coffee Company Mikel Coffee Company, or Mikel, is a rapidly expanding Greek coffeehouse chain, whose network consists of more than 350 coffee shops in 17 countries throughout the globe. History MIKEL launched its first coffee store in 2008 in the city of Lari ...

and

Bruno Coffee Stores Bruno may refer to: People and fictional characters *Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname * Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880) * Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...

chains started and have also their base in the city.

Culture

Theatres and Odeons

*Municipal Conservatory of Larissa *Pappas's Mile Theatre *Municipal Theatre OUHL of Larissa (Thessalian Theatre) *Hatzigianeio Cultural Centre *Tiritomba Shadows Theatre

Landmarks

* Second Ancient Theatre *Cenotaph monument of Hippocrates *

Frourio Hill The Frourio Hill () is the historical acropolis of the city of Larissa, Greece. It was the citadel of the city in antiquity as well as in Byzantine times, and features a number of important archaeological sites. The only height in the wider are ...

** First Ancient Theatre **

Basilica of St. Achillios The Basilica of St. Achillios ( el, Βασιλική του Αγίου Αχιλλίου) is an early Byzantine basilica on the acropolis of Larissa, Greece, dedicated to the city's patron saint, St. Achillios. The church was discovered and excava ...

** Bezesten of Larissa * Yeni Mosque (a rare example of mosque built in neoclassical style) *Alkazar Park Some historical buildings that have been listed as architecturally preserved, include the Cine Palace (architect Colonello), the Charokopos tower (arch. Anastasios Metaxas, endangered to collapse as 2019), the old Mills of Pappas, such as the complex of the Averofeios Agricultural School.

Cuisine

Local specialities: *''Batzina'' (Μπατζίνα) pie baked in the oven *''Kelaidi'' (Κελαηδί) *''Pita'' (Πίτα, traditional pies with pasta phyllo, baked in the oven) like ''Kreatopita'', ''Loukanikopita'', ''Melintzanopita'', '' Tyropita'', ''Spanakopita'' *''Plastós'' (Πλαστός) pie *''Lahanópsomo'' (Λαχανόψωμο) cabbage bread *''

Halva Halva (also halvah, halwa, and other spellings, Persian : حلوا) is a type of confectionery originating from Persia and widely spread throughout the Middle East. The name is used for a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made f ...

s'' (Χαλβάς) sweet

Museums

*Diachronic Museum of Larissa / Archaeological and Byzantine Myseum of Larissa *Municipal Gallery of Larissa – G.I. Katsigras Museum *Folklore and Historical Museum of Larissa *Military Veterinary Museum of Larissa *Museum of the Folklore Society of Larissa *Museum of Grain and Flours

Media

*TV:

Thessalian Radio Television The Thessalian Radio Television, also known as TRT (Thessaliki Radiofonia Tileorasi), was founded in 1989. It is a regional private television station that broadcasts in the region of Thessaly, Greece. It started broadcasting on 5 February 1990. ...

(TRT), Astra TV, ForMedia TV *Press: ''Eleftheria, Politia Larisseon (newspaper)''

Festivals

Among the notable festivals that the city hosts, is the "Pineiou Festival" (music) and "AgroThessaly", a major agricultural fair.

Organizations

* Panhellenic Federation of Cultural Associations of Vlachs

In popular culture

*A notable film of the Greek cinema partially shot in the area of Larissa and referred to the history of the region is '' Blood on the Land'' (1966) by Vasilis Georgiadis.

Transport

Larissa sits in the middle of the plain of Thessaly, with connections to Motorway A1 and national roads EO3 and EO6. *Larissa's Urban Bus System *Larissa's Interurban System (Ktel Larissas) * Larissa Central Railway Station Station at *Mezourlo Freight Railway station at * Larissa National Airport (military)

Close destinations

The city is in close proximity of many interesting destinations in the region (Mount Olympus, Mount Kissavos, Meteora, Lake Plastira, Pilio, etc.) suitable for daily trips.

Sports

The local

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club AEL FC currently participates in

Superleague Greece The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...

. The team won the Greek Championship, in 1988, and won the Greek Cup in 1985 and 2007. These titles place AEL among the five most important football clubs in Greece. Two other professional football clubs with long histories also represent the city:

Apollon Apollon may refer to: * Apollo, ancient Greek god of light, healing and poetry * Apollon (Formula One), Formula One constructor * Apollon Kalamarias, Greek football club * Apollon Athens, a Greek football club from Athens * Apollon Limassol B.C., ...

and

Iraklis Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

. AEL has hosted its home games at the

AEL FC Arena AEL FC Arena is a football stadium in Larissa, Greece, with a current seating capacity of 16,118. Since its completion in 2010 and for 8 seasons, it has been the home ground of AΕL. Owner of the ground is Gipedo Larissa A.E. The stadium was de ...

, a UEFA 3-star-rated football ground, since November 2010. Other important sport venues are the ''National Sport Center of Larissa'' (EAK Larissas), which includes the Alcazar Stadium and the Neapoli Indoor Hall. The National Sports Center of Larissa can accommodate a number of sports and events (football, basketball, wrestling, swimming, boxing, martial arts, handball, water polo, etc.), while the Sports Hall has hosted important athletic events (the

1995 FIBA Under-19 World Cup The 1995 FIBA Under-19 World Championship (Greek: 1995 Παγκόσμιο Πρωτάθλημα FIBA Under-19) was the 5th edition of the FIBA U19 World Championship. It was held in multiple cities in Greece, from 12 to 22 July 1995. Host country ...

, the 1997 Women's EuroLeague Final Four, the 2003

Greek Basketball Cup The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup (Greek language, Greek: Κύπελλο Ελλάδος καλαθοσφαίρισης ανδρών) is the top-tier level annual pro basketball national cup competition in Greece. It is organiz ...

Final Four, martial arts events, etc.), and it is also used for cultural events, such as dance festivals.

Historical population

Notable people

Hosios_Loukas_(diakonikon,_arch)_-_Achillios

Ancient

* Campaspe, mistress of Alexander the Great * Achilles (mythology) * Gorgias of Leontinoi (483 BC–375 BC), sophist, worked and died in Larissa * Hippocrates of Kos (460 BC–370 BC), physician, worked and died in Larissa *

Medius ''Medius'' is a genus of moths of the family Erebidae The Erebidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea. The family is among the largest families of moths by species count and contains a wide variety of well-known macromoth gr ...

(4th century BC), officer of Alexander the Great *

Philinna Philinna (Greek: ) or Philine (Greek: {{lang, grc, Φιλίνη) was the name of many Greek females, as, for instance, of the female dancer Philinna of Larissa in Thessaly, who was the mother of Philip III Arrhidaeus by Philip II. A first century ...

(4th century BC), dancer, mother of Philip III Arrhidaeus * Philo (1st century BC), philosopher * Heliodorus of Larissa, mathematician * Achillius of Larissa (270–330), first bishop and patron saint of the city

Medieval

Irene of Larissa Irene of Larissa ( bg, Ирина от Лариса) was the second wife and empress-consort (tsaritsa) of tsar Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria. John Skylitzes reports Irene was a "beautiful captive from Larissa", and nothing else is known about her an ...

, empress consort of Bulgaria * Agatha, wife of Samuel of Bulgaria *

Nikoulitzas Delphinas Nikoulitzas Delphinas ( el, Νικουλιτζάς Δελφινάς) was an 11th-century Byzantine magnate and local lord of Larissa, in Thessaly. He took part in a revolt initiated by the Vlachs of Thessaly in 1066. Biography It is uncertain wheth ...

, Byzantine lord of Larissa

Modern

* Alexander Helladius, scholar * Giorgakis Olympios (1772–1821), commander of the

* Theoklitos Farmakidis (1784–1860), scholar, figure of the Modern Greek Enlightenment *

Moshe Pesach Moshe Pesach ( el, Μωυσής Πεσάχ or Πέσαχ; 1869 – 13 November 1955) was a Greek rabbi who was the rabbi of Volos from 1892 until his death, and chief rabbi of Greece from 1946. Through his efforts, and with the assistance of th ...

(1869-1955), rabbi *

Michail Sapkas Michail Asterios Sapkas ( el, Μιχαήλ Αστέριος Σάπκας) was a Greeks, Greek revolutionary of the Macedonian Struggle and politician. Biography Sapkas was born in 1873 in Magarevo, then Ottoman Empire (now North Macedonia). He ...

, mayor of Larissa and MP *

Achilleas Protosyngelos Achilleas Protosyngelos ( el, Αχιλλέας Πρωτοσύγκελος, 1879–1943) was a Hellenic Army officer who fought in the Balkan Wars, World War I, the Asia Minor Campaign, and reached the rank of lieutenant general. Biography Born in ...

, Army officer *

M. Karagatsis M. Karagatsis ( el, Μ. Καραγάτσης; 23 June 1908 – 14 September 1960) was the pen name of the important modern Greek novelist, journalist, critic and playwright Dimitrios Rodopoulos (Δημήτριος Ροδόπουλος). The pe ...

(1908–1960), novelist, journalist *

Sofia Vembo Sofia Vembo ( el, Σοφία Βέμπο; 10 February 1910, in Gallipoli, East Thrace, Turkey – 10 March 1978, in Athens, Greece) was a leading Greek singer and actress active from the interwar period to the early postwar years and the 1950s ...

(1910-1978), singer and actress *

Eleni Zafeiriou Eleni Zafeiriou ( el, Ελένη Ζαφειρίου, 1916 – 2 September 2004) was a Greek film actress. She appeared in 108 films between 1951 and 1996. She was born in Larissa, Greece, and died in Athens. Filmography In film * '' Bitte ...

(1916–2004), actress *

Antonis Vratsanos Antonis Vratsanos (Aggeloulis) (, 1919 in Larissa – November 25, 2008 in Athens), was a saboteur of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), the military branch of the National Liberation Front (EAM) during the Axis Occupation of Greece, an ...

(1919–2008), resistance figure during WWII *

Kostas Gousgounis Konstantinos "Kostas" Gousgounis ( el, Κώστας Γκουσγκούνης; 21 March 1931 – 6 May 2022) was a Greek pornographic actor. He was considered as a legendary figure of 1970s and 1980s Greek pornography. He appeared in films such ...

(1931–2022), porn actor * Athena Tacha (1936–), artist * Efthymios Christodoulou (1932–), economist * Georgios Souflias (1941–), politician *

Angela Kokkola Angela Kokkola ( Greek: Αγγέλα Κοκκόλα, 13 July 1932 – 16 December 2017) was a Greek politician of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). Born in Larissa, Kokkola was the daughter of a Greek Army General. She worked for the ...

, politician * Petros Efthimiou (1950–), politician * Lakis Lazopoulos (1956–), actor, comedian, script author & director * Thanasis Papakonstantinou (1959–), poet, songwriter, singer, musician *

Georgios Mitsibonas Georgios Mitsibonas (Greek: Γεώργιος Μητσιμπόνας; 11 November 1962 – 13 September 1997) was a Greek football player during the 1980s and 1990s. Biography Mitsibonas was born in 1962 in the village of Tsaritsani ( Larissa ...

(1962–1997), footballer *

Maria Papayanni Maria Papayanni (born 27 May 1964) is a Greek author. She writes books for children and young adults. Biography Papayanni was born in Larissa, Greece. She studied Greek language and literature at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and f ...

(1964–), writer * Vassilis Karapialis (1965–), footballer *

Christos Papoutsis Christos Papoutsis ( el, Χρήστος Παπουτσής) (born April 11, 1953) is a Greek socialist politician who has served as Minister for Citizen Protection (2010–12), Mercantile Marine Minister (2000–01) Member of the European Parlia ...

, politician *

Maria Spyraki Maria Spyraki ( el, Μαρία Σπυράκη; born 11 September 1965) is a Greek journalist, politician and a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for New Democracy. Early life Maria Spyraki was born in Larissa in 1965. She studied chemistry ...

, politician * Ekaterini Voggoli (1970–), discus thrower *

Alexis Georgoulis Alexis Georgoulis ( el, text=Αλέξης Γεωργούλης; born 1974) is a Greek actor and politician. Personal life Georgoulis was born on 6 October 1974 in Larissa, Greece. His father worked for a lottery and his mother taught kinderga ...

(1974–), actor *

Kostas Chalkias Konstantinos "Kostas" Chalkias ( el, Κωνσταντίνος "Κώστας" Χαλκιάς; born 30 May 1974) is a retired Greek footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Previously he had played for Panathinaikos, Apollon Smyrni, Iraklis, Portsm ...

(1974–), footballer * Yannis Goumas (1975–), footballer * Dimosthenis Dikoudis (1977–), basketball player * Nestoras Kommatos (1977–), basketball player *

Fani Halkia Fani Chalkia ( el, Φανή Χαλκιά, , born February 2, 1979), also transliterated as Halkia or Khalkia, is a retired Greek hurdler. Chalkia was born in Larissa, and represented Olympiacos. She won the gold medal in the women's 400m hurdle ...

(1979–), hurdler * Dimitris Spanoulis (1979–), basketball player *

Theofanis Gekas Theofanis "Fanis" Gekas ( el, Θεοφάνης "Φάνης" Γκέκας; born 23 May 1980) is a Greek professional football official, coach and a former player, who played as a striker. He is the manager of Turkish fourth-tier TFF Third League ...

(1980–), footballer * Vangelis Moras (1981–), footballer * Vassilis Spanoulis (1982–), basketball player *

Giorgos Tsiaras Georgios Tsiaras (alternate spelling: Giorgos Tsiaras; born May 4, 1982) is a Greek former professional basketball player and the current team manager of Peristeri B.C., Peristeri of the Greek Basket League and the Basketball Champions League. Du ...

(1982–), basketball player * Vasilios Koutsianikoulis (1988–), footballer *

Haido Alexouli Haido Alexouli ( el, Χάιδω Αλεξούλη) (born 29 March 1991 in Larissa) is a Greek athlete who specialises in the long jump. She competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Her father Giannis Alexoulis Giannis Alexoulis ( el, Γιάννη ...

(1991-), long jumper *

Chrysoula Anagnostopoulou Chrysoula Anagnostopoúlou ( el, Χρυσούλα Αναγνωστοπούλου, born 27 August 1991 in Larissa) is a Greek discus throw The discus throw (), also known as disc throw, is a track and field event in which an athlete throws a h ...

(1991-), discus thrower *

Vasileia Zachou Vasileia Zachou (born ) is a Greek group rhythmic gymnast Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform on a floor with an apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon. The sport combines elements of gymnastics, dance and calisthenics ...

, (1994-), gymnast

Mayor history

* Hasan Etem Aga (1881 - 1882) * Argyrios Didikas * Christos Georgiadis * Dionysios Galatis * Achilleas Asteriadis * Achilleas Logiotatou * Konstantinos Anastasiadis * Konstantinos Markidis * Vasileios Sylivridis * Anastasios Zarmanis *

(1914 - 1917, 1925 - 1934) * Konstantinos Vlachos * Christos Koutsoubas * Dimitris Papageorgiou * Vasileios Arsenidis * Stylianos Asteriadis * Nikolaos Tzavellas * Dimitrios Karathanos * Sotirios Zazias * Dimitrios Hatzigiannis * Athanasios Messinis * Stylianos Zografidis * Agamemnon Blanas (1975 - 1978) * Alexandros Chondronasios (1978 - 1980) * Aristeides Labroulis (1980 - 1994) * Christodoulos Kafes (1994 - 1998) * Konstantinos Tzanakoulis (1998 - 2014) * Apostolos Kalogiannis (2014-)

Twin towns – sister cities

Larissa is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: * Anapa, Russia (2016) * Bălți, Moldova (1986) *

Banská Bystrica Banská Bystrica (, also known by other alternative names) is a middle-sized town in central Slovakia, located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mo ...

, Slovakia (1985) * Foča, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994) * Knoxville, United States (1996) * Kos, Greece (1978) * Larnaca, Cyprus (1990) * Rybnik, Poland (2003) *

Stara Zagora Stara Zagora ( bg, Стара Загора, ) is the sixth-largest city in Bulgaria, and the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province. Name The name comes from the Slavic root ''star'' ("old") and the name of the medieva ...

, Bulgaria (1985)

Gallery

File:Larissa1920.jpg, Central square (Themidos), 1920 File:Λάρισα κεντρικη πλατεία προτομη Κουμουνδούρου 1.jpg, A bust of Koumoundouros in central square File:Larisa1940.jpg, Photo of Larissa, 1940 File:Oldlarissa.jpg, View of the city in the 1940s File:Oldlarissasquare.jpg, Tachidromiou Square in 1950s File:Исторически паметник в чест на загиналите в Балканската война, Лариса, Гърция.jpg, War memorial File:Larissa Holocaust memorial.jpg, Holocaust memorial File:Larisa%2C_Greece_-_City_with_snow_in_winter_2.jpg, City with snow in winter File:20111009_Yeni_Tzami_former_seat_of_the_Archeological_Museum_Larissa_Thessaly_Greece.jpg, Yeni Tzami, the former seat of the Archeological Museum of Larissa File:ΠΛΑΤΕΙΑ ΣΙΔΗΡ. ΣΤΑΘΜΟΥ - panoramio.jpg, Rail Station Square

References

External links

*
SourceOfficial WebsiteRegion of Thessaly Official WebsiteInternational airport of Central GreeceLarissa on WebLarissa
The Official website of the Greek National Tourism Organisation
Larissa Photos
{{Authority control Municipalities of Thessaly Greek regional capitals Provinces of Greece Pelasgian words Pelasgiotis Populated places in ancient Thessaly Cities in ancient Greece Thessalian city-states Populated places in Larissa (regional unit)