Larissa (regional unit)
The Regional District Larissa (Greek Periferiaki Enotita Larisa ) is the largest of the five regional districts of the Greek region of Thessaly. Its main town Larisa is also the capital of the region. Larisa was established after the annexation of Thessaly to Greece in 1882 as a prefecture and existed until the administrative reform in 2010, when the area lost its powers to the region of Thessaly and the now seven churches. The Regional District Larisa sends 19 deputies to the Thessalian Regional Council, but also has a local authority no political significance. Larisa includes the municipalities of Agia, Elassona, Farsala, Kileler, Larisa, Tempi and Tyrnavos.
Location and Geography
Larisa is located in the northeastern region of Thessaly and takes just under a third of its total area. To the north and northeast of Larisa is adjacent to Central Macedonia, north and north-west of Western Macedonia, in the south of Central Greece and to the west by the regional districts of Karditsa and Trikala.
In the northeast is found at the Aegean coast adjacent to the highest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus, with an altitude of 2,917 m. The summit Mytikas with the specified height is, however, in the area of Central Macedonia region. Southeast of Olympus crosses the largest river of Thessaly, the Pinios, from southwest to northeast, the narrow tempera- valley that separates the massif of Mount Olympus from that of the Ossa ( altitude 1,987 m). The Ossa massif forms the further south boundary of the Regional District on the east to the Aegean Coast. The Ossa massif is about in a southeasterly direction into the mountain of Pelion, which further leads from the mainland to the Pelion Peninsula. The latter is part of the Regional District of Magnesia.
The northern boundary Larisa form from east to west four mountain ranges: the north-east of Mount Olympus and its südsüdöstliche sequel, the Kato Olympos. To the west of the massif rises Titaros with a maximum height of 1,839 m, which passes in a northeasterly direction in the Pieria Mountains. Both Titaros and Pieria Mountains form the southern boundary of the valley of the river Aliakmona. The Titaros massif is also the northernmost point of the region. Between Titaros and Kato Olympos and Olympos runs over a pass the national road 13 Elassona to Katerini. Elassona lies west of Kato Olympos, southwest of the Olympus and south of the Titaros in a plateau which is traversed by the Elassonitis River. Southwest of Titaros massif rises the Kamvounia. Between Kamvounia and Titaros leads over a pass and through the valley of the river Sarandaporos the National Road 3 from Kozani to Larisa. The Kamvounia forms the northwest corner of the Regional District. At the southern edge of the village Kamvounias Krania Elassonas is. South of Kamvounia leads the national road 26 Elassona about Krania Elassonas and Deskati to Kalambaka.
The north western boundary is formed by Larisa Verdikoussa mountain range with a maximum height of 1,424 m. The slowly decaying foothills of Verdikoussa form the western boundary of the plain of Larissa. At the intersection between the Verdikoussa foothills and the foothills of Kato Olympos at the outlet of the river Titarisios from the Verdikoussa massif Tyrnavos the city is in the northwest of Larissa. It is the second largest city of the territory. The southern slopes of the Verdikoussa end on the north shore of Pinios, which flows coming from the west to the east in the direction of Larisa Trikala. In the narrow valley of the Koutsero Pinios enters the area and swung by his original eastward -directed course to the north and flows around in a eastward arc a mountain range in order to then enter the level of Larisa. After flow through the city of Larissa, among others, with the formation of a river island, the Pinios swings north to the southern flank of the Kato Olympos. After inflow of Titarisios River at the foot of Kato Olympos the river course turns to the northeast and enters the Tempe Valley between Ossa to the south and Kato Olympos and Mount Olympus in the north. Here both ends of the north the plain of Larissa.
The southern part of the western boundary of the Regional District form chains of hills which separate the plains of Larisa from the level of Karditsa and Palamas. To the southwest of this hill country we find the city Farsala, the urban center in the south of the area. West of Farsala cross at Stavros railway lines Thessaloniki -Athens and Volos, Trikala. The southwestern border Larisa forms the mountain Narthakio. The southern boundary is formed Larisa in its western part by the northern tip of the Othris Mountains, the Ori Gouras with a maximum height of 1,291 m. The southeastern boundary is at a distance to the Bay of Almyros on Pagasischen Gulf to the south-eastern end of the plain of Larissa. There - northwest of Volos - there is a defined dry lake between the villages Stefanovikio and Kanalia, which marks the end of the southeastern spur of the level of Larisa and already largely lies in the area of Magnesia.
The plain of Larissa, in their midst at the same time representing the geographical center of the area with the city of Larissa, has the shape of an upside down Ypsilon, the upside- end is slightly shortened.
History
The Prefecture of Larissa was created by inclusion of previously under occupation of the Ottoman Empire Thessaly in 1881 in the then Kingdom of Greece. In the original form it covered the entire east of Thessaly, and hence the present Regional District Magnesia, with the administrative center of Volos was spun off in 1947 and a separate prefecture.
Traffic
The main mode of transport in both the public and the private and private transport is road traffic. The Regional District has a network of well-maintained roads:
- The highway 1 ( Europe Straße 75, Thessaloniki - Katerini - Larissa -Athens - Lamia ) running north from Thessaloniki and Katerini coming over the Tempe Valley at Olympus over to Lamia, Volos and Athens. The Highway 1 reached after the village Platamonas the sea side input of the Tempe Valley regional district Larisa. She swings after previous course along the Aegean coast to the southwest and passes through the Tempe Valley as a two-lane country road up to its southwestern end at Evangelismos. From Evangelismos the highway in the entire area of the regional district is expanded with two carriageways, each with at least two lanes and a hard shoulder. The highway 1 swings Evangelismos on the southern direction and leads to the east of the city of Larisa past her. In Nikea the highway 1 changes its course to the southeast and leaves at Mega Monastiri the regional district towards Velestino and Volos. It is by far the most important road link.
- The National Road 1 (Thessaloniki - Katerini - Larissa - Lamia -Athens ) has been almost completely replaced in Larisa through the highway 1, with the exception of the sections ( here especially Larisa ) run contrary to the motorway through the middle of towns and cities.
- The National Road 3 (Europe Road 65; Florina - Kozani -Larisa - Farsala - Lamia ) comes from the northwest after crossing the Polyfytos Lake ( Aliakmona Reservoir ) and passage of the village of Servia in the Regional District of Kozani in the Larisa area. It happened while coming from Servia from the pass between the eastern Titaros Mountains and the westerly Kamvounia massif along the Sarandaporos River and enters the village north a Sarandaporo in the regional district. After relegation from the Titaros massif reaching the plateau of Elassona together with the eponymous town and continues in südsüdöstliche direction over Tsaritsani to Larisa. Larisa is left in a southerly direction, the National Road 3 changes its direction from south-southwest, reaching Zapio after Farsala. From Farsala from the national road swung in west south-west on the north flank of the mountain Narthakio over after Neo Monastiri in Fthiotida and then runs south towards Lamia on the western foothills of the Othris.
- The National Road 6 ( European route 92; Igoumenitsa - Ioannina - Kalambaka Trikala Larissa - Volos ) reaches the Regional District Larisa from Trikala Westbound at Koutsero and the Koutsero bottleneck of Pinios River in the west, which they on the track Trikala, Larisa accompanied. From Koutsero National Road 6 continues east to Larissa, which crosses the city and leaves it in a southeasterly direction over Platykambos after Stefanovikio and then Volos. It runs parallel to the railway line Larisa - Volos.
- The National Highway 13 ( Katerini - Elassona ) leads from Katerini in Pieria South West towards Elassona in the north of the regional district by means of an arcuate curve between the mountain ranges of Mount Olympus to the east and Titaros and Pieria Ori in the West. It provides in combination with the National Road 3, an alternative route to Katerini and Thessaloniki is, is due to the mountainous route and the expansion of state as a highway but no equivalent road link in comparison to highway 1
- The National Highway 26 ( Elassona - Deskati - Kalambaka ) comes from the west ( Kalambaka ) between Deskati and Krania Elassonas south of Kamvounia massif. It ends near Elassona.
- The National Highway 30 ( Arta - Trikala - Karditsa - Farsala - Volos ) runs south of West ( Sofades, Karditsa ) to east ( Nea Anichialos, Volos ). It happened while Farsala.