Igoumenitsa

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Igoumenitsa (Greek Ηγουμενίτσα ( f sg ); Albanian Gumenicë / -a) is a municipality in the Regional District Thesprotia the Greek region of Epirus. The community is adjacent to the main town of 24 villages in five municipal districts.

Location

Igoumenitsa is about 480 kilometers from Athens and about 380 km from Thessaloniki. The town has a ferry terminal, the day of Italy (Bari, Brindisi, Ancona and Venice ) and is run from within the country Patras. It establishes the connection to the islands of Corfu, Paxos and Andipaxos. Also, here is the new Egnatia Odos (A2 ), which extends from Igoumenitsa to Turkey begins.

History

Probably Igoumenitsa was inhabited in ancient times by the Thesprotern. It is not impossible also colonization by Dorians. Igoumenitsa was, Turkish ruled until 1913 during the First Balkan War. Until 1936, when it became the capital of the prefecture of Thesprotia, it was a small fishing village with about 500 inhabitants. 1944, was completely destroyed during the retreat of the Nazis and later rebuilt as a modern city.

Traffic

Igoumenitsa is the gateway to the west for the North and North-West Greece. Until the mid-1960s, only smaller ships could anchor in the harbor. Since the deepening of the harbor, it is also suitable for large ferries. The city became the most important port for connections to Western Europe, especially Italy. Every year millions of travelers pass through the city. She has one of the highest growth rates in Greece. As part of the expansion of port capacity, a large new ferry terminal in the south of the city on the southern part of the bay of Igoumenitsa was built, which has a direct motorway connection.

Today, daily car ferry from Ancona, Brindisi, Bari and Venice, as well as intra- Greek Patras and Corfu. The Highway 2 ( Europe Road 90) connects Igoumenitsa throughout with Ioannina and in their further course of Thessaloniki. The old two-lane national highway 6 ( European Route 92) will be replaced with the full commissioning of Highway 2 as the main mode of transport in east direction. To the south, the National Road 6 ( European Route 55) first leads inland to Parga, then along the coast to Preveza. As part of the construction of Highway 2, the southern part of Igoumenitsa has received a bypass.

Plans for a train to Kalambaka have already been presented multiple times; concrete planning study of the 165 km long line has been commissioned. Igoumenitsa has no airport.

Health

In Igoumenitsa there is a health center and a connection to the hospital Filiates. Several pharmacies take turns on night duty.

Education

In Igoumenitsa there are several primary schools, high schools, a lyceum, the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus and a branch of the University of Ioannina. Since the establishment of the University a few years ago (she is after much restoration and extension in the former Hotel Xenia retracted ), the city has greatly increased. Igoumenitsa has a significant library.

In addition to performances at local events represents the cultural association PODI ( Π.Ο.Δ.Η. ) Thesprotia every year in Athens during panepirotischen dance and music festival.

Panorama of the city seen from the sea

The port of Igoumenitsa with the city in background