Plateia

Plateia (Greek πλατεῖα, pl. Plateiai ) was the name of a main street in an ancient Greek city, especially a representative constructed road, which was lined with some of porticoes. The name was also found in the inscriptions of many cities, especially in Asia Minor, but also for lexicographers or Artemidorus of Daldis.

In cities that were created after the Hippodamian scheme, the Plateiai formed the wide main roads running along the lateral sides of the rectangular -scale blocks. They were joined by numerous narrow side streets, the Stenopoi.

Today

In modern Greece, the outspoken than Platía term refers to the main square of a place especially in the evening makes the social center of a village with cafes, taverns, playgrounds. Around the square catering establishments are often located, provide the seating on the mostly rectangular square. Usually are the kiosks designated as Periptero At the corners of platia.

In the port cities platia often competes with the promenade, which is also applied to stroll. Sometimes square and promenade go urban merge.

In large cities the platia has a much more specific meaning, as in Athens, the platia Kotzia for rallies and platia Kolonakiou in the Kolonaki district as a meeting place for the glitterati.

Literature ( antiquity )

• Dieter Mertens: Cities and churches in western Greeks. From colonization to the crisis at the end of the 5th century BC Hirmer, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-7774-2755-1
• Friedemann Quaß: The notables in the cities of the Greek East. Studies on the political and social development in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Steiner, Stuttgart 1993, p 224, note 844
• Louis Robert: Etudes anatoliennes. Recherches sur les inscriptions de l' Asie grecques mineure. Boccard, Paris 1937, pp. 532-535.
• Idem: A travers l' Asie miners. Poètes et prosateurs, monnaies grecques, voyageurs et géographie. Boccard, Paris 1980, p 127-128.

• Urban Development ( Antiquity)
• Greek ( Ancient )
• Urban planning (Greece )