Avia (Greek: Αβία, Ancient Greek: ἡ Ἀβία) is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Mani, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] The municipal unit has an area of 179.828 km2.[3] In 2011 its population was 281 for the village, 611 for the community and 2,246 for the municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Kampos. Avia is a popular tourist destination. It also has a large olive production. Avia is situated on the east coast of the Messenian Gulf, southeast of Kalamata, southwest of Sparta and northwest of Kardamyli.
In the location where Paliochora is located today, the Homeric city of Ire (Ιρή) is supposed to have stood (Iliad I 150 and I 292). The 2nd century traveller Pausanias mentioned in his Description of Greece that the city Ire was renamed Abia by Cresphontes, king of Messene, after Abia, the nursemaid of his great-grandfather Hyllus, son of Heracles. Abia was disputed between the Messenians and the Spartans. Abia became a member of the Achaean League in 181 BCE. In the city was a temple of Asclepius. It continued to be a place of some importance down to the reign of Hadrian, as we learn from an extant inscription of that period.[4] After Pausanias' time, Abia was not mentioned in sources. It was probably destroyed during barbarian invasions.
Later periodedit
In the early 15th century, the Venetians built the castle of Mantineia at the location of the ancient city. It was the seat of the barony with the same name. Mantineia was abandoned by its inhabitants to escape pirate raids, and they settled in the inland village of Megali Mantineia. The ruined castle town received the name Palaiochora. In 1775, the Church of the Dormition was built at the site of the temple of Asclepius.
From the mid-19th century, the inhabitants of Megali Mantineia began to settle in the beach area again, in the settlements Palaiochora, Archontiko and Kopanoi (the modern Akrogiali). Palaiochora became the seat of the community of Megali Mantineia in 1924. In 1926 both the settlement Palaiochora and the community were renamed to Avia. In 1998, the community Avia merged with 7 other communities to form the new municipality Avia, with its seat in Kampos.
Subdivisionsedit
The municipal unit Avia is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
avia, messenia, avia, greek, Αβία, ancient, greek, Ἀβία, village, former, municipality, messenia, peloponnese, greece, since, 2011, local, government, reform, part, municipality, west, mani, which, municipal, unit, municipal, unit, area, 2011, population, vill. Avia Greek Abia Ancient Greek ἡ Ἀbia is a village and a former municipality in Messenia Peloponnese Greece Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Mani of which it is a municipal unit 2 The municipal unit has an area of 179 828 km2 3 In 2011 its population was 281 for the village 611 for the community and 2 246 for the municipal unit The seat of the municipality was in Kampos Avia is a popular tourist destination It also has a large olive production Avia is situated on the east coast of the Messenian Gulf southeast of Kalamata southwest of Sparta and northwest of Kardamyli Avia AbiaAviaLocation within the regional unitCoordinates 36 58 N 22 09 E 36 967 N 22 150 E 36 967 22 150CountryGreeceAdministrative regionPeloponneseRegional unitMesseniaMunicipalityWest Mani Municipal unit179 8 km2 69 4 sq mi Population 2011 1 Municipal unit2 246 Municipal unit density12 km2 32 sq mi Time zoneUTC 2 EET Summer DST UTC 3 EEST Vehicle registrationKM Contents 1 History 1 1 Ancient Abia 1 2 Later period 2 Subdivisions 3 Population 4 Points of interests 5 People 6 See also 7 Sources 8 External links 9 ReferencesHistory editAncient Abia edit In the location where Paliochora is located today the Homeric city of Ire Irh is supposed to have stood Iliad I 150 and I 292 The 2nd century traveller Pausanias mentioned in his Description of Greece that the city Ire was renamed Abia by Cresphontes king of Messene after Abia the nursemaid of his great grandfather Hyllus son of Heracles Abia was disputed between the Messenians and the Spartans Abia became a member of the Achaean League in 181 BCE In the city was a temple of Asclepius It continued to be a place of some importance down to the reign of Hadrian as we learn from an extant inscription of that period 4 After Pausanias time Abia was not mentioned in sources It was probably destroyed during barbarian invasions Later period edit In the early 15th century the Venetians built the castle of Mantineia at the location of the ancient city It was the seat of the barony with the same name Mantineia was abandoned by its inhabitants to escape pirate raids and they settled in the inland village of Megali Mantineia The ruined castle town received the name Palaiochora In 1775 the Church of the Dormition was built at the site of the temple of Asclepius From the mid 19th century the inhabitants of Megali Mantineia began to settle in the beach area again in the settlements Palaiochora Archontiko and Kopanoi the modern Akrogiali Palaiochora became the seat of the community of Megali Mantineia in 1924 In 1926 both the settlement Palaiochora and the community were renamed to Avia In 1998 the community Avia merged with 7 other communities to form the new municipality Avia with its seat in Kampos Subdivisions editThe municipal unit Avia is subdivided into the following communities constituent villages in brackets Avia Avia Akrogiali Megali Mantineia Altomira Doloi Ano Doloi Kato Doloi Kalianaiika Kitries Kampos Kampos Orovas Platoma Toumpia Kentro Kentro Anatoliko Chora Gaitson Voreio Pigadia Pigadia Dendra Krya Vrysi Rizana Stavropigi Stavropigi Malta Sotirianika Sotirianika Charavgi Drosopigi Kouris Population editYear Village population Community population Municipal unit population1981 324 1991 185 2 9082001 217 528 2 3912011 281 611 2 246Points of interests editSaint George Monastery on a panoramic location Santava Cape Beaches Archontiko Koukkinos Lykotropia Lykotropia Paliochora Portela Patsourou Patsoyroy Poliana Poliana Akrogiali and Santava or Sandova Santoba People editAlexandros Koumoundouros Prime Minister of GreeceSee also editList of settlements in MesseniaSources editStavrou Kapetanaki I Mandinies tis Manis Oi Mantineies ths Manhs The Mantineies of Mani Theodoros Belitsos Mantineia in 1700 Economy Demographics and Onomatological Origins Theodoros Belitsos The Marriage Book of Megali Mantineias near Avia 1869 1891 External links editAvia at the GTP Travel PagesReferences edit a b Apografh Plh8ysmoy Katoikiwn 2011 MONIMOS Plh8ysmos in Greek Hellenic Statistical Authority FEK B 1292 2010 Kallikratis reform municipalities in Greek Government Gazette Population amp housing census 2001 incl area and average elevation PDF in Greek National Statistical Service of Greece Archived from the original PDF on 2015 09 21 nbsp Smith William ed 1854 1857 Abia Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography London John Murray Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Avia Messenia amp oldid 1160729600, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
