Irakleia ( el, Ηράκλεια, before 1926: Τζουμαγιά - ''Tzoumagia''
[Name changes of settlements in Greece]
/ref>) is a municipality in the Serres regional unit, Central Macedonia
Central Macedonia ( el, Κεντρική Μακεδονία, Kentrikí Makedonía, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece, consisting of the central part of the geographical and historical region of Macedonia. With a populat ...
, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. Population 21,145 (2011). The seat of the municipality is the town of Irakleia, which was formerly known as "Lower Jumaya" (in tr, Barakli Cuma or Cuma-i Zir ("Lower Juma" in Ottoman Turkish); in bg, Долна Джумая, ''Dolna Dzhumaya'';[Ιστορία του Ελληνικού Έθνους. Εκδοτική Αθηνών, Αθήνα 1978. , σελ. 228-229]
Map of the Italian Instituto Geografico de Agostini, showing the distribution of schools, churches, monasteries in the Ottoman vilayet of Saloniki
/ref> and in rup, Giumaia di-Nghios).[The War of Numbers and its First Victim: The Aromanians in Macedonia (End of 19th – Beginning of 20th century)](_blank)
/ref> "Upper Dzhumaya" is modern Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad ( bg, Благоевград ) is а town in Southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Municipality and of Blagoevgrad Province. With a population of almost inhabitants, it is the economic and cultural centre ...
, located in Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
. In the Serres
Sérres ( el, Σέρρες ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki.
Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northe ...
area, during Ottoman times, Aromanians
The Aromanians ( rup, Armãnji, Rrãmãnji) are an Ethnic groups in Europe, ethnic group native to the southern Balkans who speak Aromanian language, Aromanian, an Eastern Romance language. They traditionally live in central and southern Alba ...
settled in modern Irakleia. Some Aromanians still live in the city today, with Bulgarian researcher Vasil Kanchov even saying that, as of when he visited the town, the 1250 Aromanians in Irakleia "were the wealthiest of all inhabitants".
Municipality
The municipality Irakleia was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:Skotoussa
Skotoussa ( el, Σκοτούσσα, ) is a village and a former municipality in the Serres (regional unit), Serres regional unit, Greece. Population 5,135 (2011). Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Irakleia, Serr ...
*Strymoniko
Strymoniko ( el, Στρυμονικό) is a village and a former municipality in the Serres regional unit, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southe ...
The municipality has an area of 451.499 km2, the municipal unit 195.216 km2.
References
External links
Official website of the Municipality of Irakleia
Municipalities of Central Macedonia
Populated places in Serres (regional unit)
Aromanian settlements in Greece
{{CentralMacedonia-geo-stub