Patra (Greek: Modern: Πάτρα, Ancient: Πάτραι,
Pátrai) is the third largest city of Greece, and
also the capital of the Achaea region of Greece.
Patra, or Patras, is located in the southwest part
of Greece in Peloponnesos. It is also the seat of
the Province of West Greece and Ionian Islands.
Patra has a population of over 200,000 and is an
important commercial center and a busy port, with
regular car-ferry services to and from Italy.
Distance from Athens is 215 km W, 94 km (old: 100
km) NE of Pyrgos, 7 km S of Rio, 134 km slightly W
of Corinth, 77 km NW of Kalavryta and 144 km NW of
Tripoli. Patra is a very old town with a history of
more than 3,000 years. The ancient city of Patras
was originally formed by the unification of three
Mycenaean villages: Aroe, Antheia and Mesatis. After
the Dorian invasion a group of Achaeans from
Laconia, led by Patreas, established a colony and
the city took its name from their leader. During the
ancient years, Patras remained a farming region but
during the Roman invasion it became an important
port.
Saint Andrew came to Patras to preach Christianity,
During the reign of Emperor Nero. He was sentenced
to death by crucifixion and died as a martyr. He is
considered the protector of the city. A large
byzantine-style basilica was built in the 1970s in
his honor, on the place of his crucifixion.
During the Byzantine period Patras continued to be
an important port as well as an industrial center.
Patras was invaded by the Turks in 1460. The first
period of Turkish rule (1460 -1687) was a miserable
one but from 1715 and on there was a revival of
trade and so in the 18th century it became a
prosperous town again economically based on
agriculture and trade. Later Patras played an active
part in the Independence struggle against Turks
(1821).
The town nowadays is divided into the Upper and
Lower part with broad flights of steps, as well as
streets, giving access between the two levels. The
upper part is the older and more picturesque but the
lower part is attractively laid out with plenty of
squares notably the square of Psila Alonia and
Georgiou I square. There are a lot of neoclassical
buildings left like the theatre "Apollon" in
Georgiou I Square, the Town Hall, the headquarters
of the Local Trade Association and the Justice Court
The most interesting ancient monument in Patras is
the Roman Odeon, now reconstructed and used as an
open-air theatre for performances and concerts
during the summer period. Overlooking the whole town
is a ruined Castle, a relic of the Venetian invasion
of the town (1687-1715). In current times, its
interior is laid out as a public garden.
Patras is considered one of the most beautiful towns
in Greece. It offers its resident a lot of
facilities such as shopping centers, picturesque
cafes, pubs, discos, restaurants as well as
educational and cultural facilities such as schools,
colleges, a university, a library, two theatres and
some galleries and cinemas. Two state-funded
hospitals exist in the city: Saint Andreus, the
oldest of the two is named after the city's
protector sant and it resides on the south side of
the city. The University Hospital of Rio is a
university hospital, where med-students inter and
specialise in their major. It resides on the
north-eastern part of the city, inside the city's
Univerity Park, the pak
One of the biggest tourist attractions of Patras, is
the carnival festival, held every year in
February-March. It is one of the most famous in the
world coming just after Rio de Janeiro and Venice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patra
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