Amfissa
The town of
Amfissa (Greek: Άμφισσα, Latin:
Amphissa) is the capital of the prefecture of
Phocis and the province of
Parnassida in the so-called
Roumelia. The area was known as Salona (Σάλωνα) from the medieval period until the 1800s. Amfissa has access to
GR-27 and the old
GR-48 links it to
Lidoriki. Amfissa sits on the northern edge of the farmlands of the
Crisaean plain. It lies between three mountains; close to the northwest is Mt.
Giona, Mt.
Lidoriki lies to the southwest, and farther east the
Parnassos mountains. The town itself is surrounded by forest. Amfissa is located S of
Lamia, NW of
Livadeia and
Delphi, 13 km N of the port of
Itea, ENE of
Nafpaktos and E of
Lidoriki.
Amfissa has been settled from ancient times and was mentioned by
Pausanias. It once served as a city-state and was home to the Esperian or western
Locris. Amfissa has been under the rule of the
Romans, the
Byzantines, the
Crusaders and the
Ottomans before joining Greece in
1821. During the
Greek War of Independence, Amfissa was liberated under the leadership of various soldiers, including
Panourgias and the local bishop. The anniversary of the seizure of the Salona fortress by these men on
April 10,
1821 is celebrated every year by the residents of the city. Amfissa formerly served as a capital of the Eastern Terrestrial Greece.
Much of the population engages in agriculture and traditional crafts, such as tanning, bell and rope making. The primary agricultural products are
olives and goat milk. Amfissa leads Greece in goat milk production and the olive groves are nicknamed " The Olive Groves of Greece" and are protected as 'places of Delphian Landscape'. A type of olive is named after the city.
Much of the city's culture is the result of private legacies left to the city. It is also known for its annual
carnival. Benefactors include Markidis, Giagtzis, and Stallos. The city contains an
odeon, a
chorus, a presentative library with a collection of rare books, a children's library and public
philharmonic. A city square, or
plateia lies at the intersection of GR-27 and old GR-48.
Landmarks includes the Salona fortress, also known as the Frankish castle 'Orias' or 'Orgia', the
Archaeological Museum of Amfissa, the Annunciation Cathedral with its murals by
Spiros Papaloukas and several smaller museums. Other older sites nearby include the Byzantine Sotrios Church from the 12th century. Amfissa also has a unified lyceum, T.E.I, I.E.K (an affiliate of
TEI in Lamia). There are ample oportunities for hiking and camping in the mountains.
| Year | Population | Change | Municipal population |
|---|
| 1981 | 7,156 | - | - |
| 1991 | 7,189 | 33/0.04% | 9,469 |
*http://www.fokida.gr/en/dim_amfissas.html
*http://www.gogreece.com/travel/select.asp?CityID=27
*http://www.hotelkalafatis.com/attramfissa.html
*http://www.luventicus.org/articulos/05JyE007/focida.html (in Spanish)
*http://www.culture.gr/2/21/211/21110a/e211ja03.html
*http://hellas.teipir.gr/prefectures/greek/Fokidas/Amfissa.htm
*http://www.edae.gr/amfissa.html
*
Mapquest - Amfissa, street map not available
*Coordinates:
*
Communities of Phokida
