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{{Infobox Greek Dimos
| name = Acharnes (Menidi)
| name_local = Αχαρνές (Μενίδι)
|type = municipality
| periph = [[Attica (region)|Attica]]
| periphunit         = [[East Attica]]
| pop_municipality   = 108,169
| area_municipality  = 149.96
| pop_municunit  = 100,857
| area_municunit = 146.41
| population_as_of = 2021
| elevation = 186
| coordinates = {{coord|38|5|N|23|44|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code = 136 xx
| area_code = 210
| licence = Z
| website = [http://www.acharnes.gr www.acharnes.gr]
| image_map = 2011 Dimos Acharnon.png
| image_skyline = Attica 06-13 SKA train stop 02 view to Parnitha.jpg
| caption_skyline = View to Mount Parnitha in Acharnes
| city_flag =
| city_seal =
| districts =
| mayor = Spyros Vrettos<ref name=mayor>[https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9215/ Municipality of Acharnes, Municipal elections – October 2023], Ministry of Interior</ref>
| party = 
| since = 2019
}}

'''Acharnes''', also known as '''Menidi''', is a municipality in the [[East Attica]] regional unit in [[Greece]]. With 108,169 inhabitants (2021 census), it is the ninth most populous municipality in Greece. It lies just north of the [[Athens#Athens Urban Area|Athens urban area]].

==Geography==

The northern part of the municipality is covered by the forested [[Parnitha]] mountain. The southern part is in the plain of Athens, and is densely populated. The built-up area of Acharnes in this southern part of the municipality  is continuous with that of the adjacent suburbs to the west, east and south. The centre of Acharnes is {{convert|11|km|0|abbr=off}} due north of Athens city centre. The two other settlements in the municipality, [[Thrakomakedones]] and [[Varympompi]], are situated further north, in the foothills of Parnitha.  Acharnes is crossed by several important roads and railways, including the [[A6 motorway (Greece)|A6 motorway]], the [[Piraeus–Platy railway]] and the [[Athens Airport–Patras railway]]. The [[Acharnes Railway Center]] is the main railway junction of Attica; two other stations in the municipality are [[Acharnes railway station]] and [[Kato Acharnes railway station]], both on the Piraeus–Platy railway. Acharnes is home to the [[Folk Art Museum of Acharnes]].

==History==

Acharnes has historically been an [[Arvanite]] settlement.<ref>{{cite book|author=Hans-Jürgen Sasse|title= Arvanitika: die albanischen Sprachreste in Griechenland|volume= 1|date= 1991|isbn= 9783447027588|page=19}}</ref>

Acharnes was named after the ''[[deme]]'' [[Acharnae]] ({{langx|grc|Ἁχαρναί}}), a subdivision of [[Athens]] in [[classical antiquity]]. The Athenian playwright [[Aristophanes]] characterised the inhabitants of Acharnae as peasants in his play ''[[The Acharnians]]''. Acharnes suffered significant damage from the [[1999 Athens earthquake]], being very close to the [[epicenter]].

==Municipality==
The municipality Acharnes was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 2 former municipalities, that became municipal units:<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg.|title=ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref>
*Acharnes (incl. [[Varympompi]] and Parnis)
*[[Thrakomakedones]]

The municipality has an area of 149.956&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, the municipal unit 146.406&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat91>{{cite web|url=http://geodata.gov.gr/dataset/fdda6a90-51f8-4330-9a7a-dfb63b3ee2f3/resource/2383efa5-0ac2-48d1-8c4f-c290bc72be0b/download/apografhplythismou1991.xls|publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece|title=Population & housing census 1991 (incl. area and average elevation)|language=el}}</ref>

==Historical population==

{| class=wikitable
! Year !! Municipal unit !! Municipality
|-
| 1981 || 41,068 || -
|-
| 1991 || 61,352 || -
|-
| 2001 || 75,341 || -
|-
| 2011 || 100,743 || 106,943
|-
| 2021 || 100,857 || 108,169
|}

==Crime==
Acharnes is considered by some to be an unsafe place to live since it has an alleged high crime rate, usually involving drugs, theft and gang activity.<ref name=tanea>{{cite news |last=Skordas |first=Aggelos |date=5 February 2020 |title=Ζεφύρι - Μενίδι: Οδοιπορικό στα "ξεχασμένα" γκέτο της Δυτικής Αττικής |trans-title= |url=https://www.tanea.gr/2020/02/05/greece/zefyri-menidi-odoiporiko-sta-ksexasmena-gketo-tis-dytikis-attikis/ |language=Greek |work=ΤΑ ΝΕΑ |location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref name=eleftherostypos>{{cite news |last=Sakellaridis |first=Miltos |date=5 September 2018 |title=Οι 7 περιοχές "γκέτο" της εγκληματικότητας στην Αττική |trans-title= |url=https://eleftherostypos.gr/ellada/286479-oi-7-perioxes-gketo-tis-egklimatikotitas-stin-attiki/ |language=Greek |work=Ελεύθερος Τύπος |location= |access-date=}}</ref> There is also a small population of marginalized people such as  [[Romani people in Greece|Romani]] living in ghettos in Acharnes (approximately 4,800 people, about 4.5% of the population), that tend to be delinquents and offenders from an early age.{{efn|Attributed to multiple sources: <ref name=newsbomb>{{cite news |last=Tsitounas |first=Kostas |date=18 December 2020 |title=Κορονοϊός - Τρόμος στην Δυτική Αττική: Υπάρχει κίνδυνος γενικευμένης σύρραξης; Τι φοβάται η ΕΛ.ΑΣ. |trans-title= |url=https://www.newsbomb.gr/ellada/story/1148475/koronoios-tromos-stin-dytiki-attiki-yparxei-kindynos-genikeymenis-syrraxis-ti-fovatai-i-el-as |language=Greek |work=newsbomb |location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref name=athensmagazine>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=10 June 2017 |title=Μενίδι: Τα γκέτο των ρομά γιγαντώθηκαν από τις τοπικές διοικήσεις και την ατιμωρισία |trans-title= |url=https://www.athensmagazine.gr/article/news/284677-menidi-ta-gketo-twn-roma-gigantwthhkan-apo-tis-topikes-dioikhseis-kai-thn-atimwrisia |language=Greek |work=athensmagazine |location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref name=tanea /><ref name=eleftherostypos /><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=11 June 2017 |title=Μενίδι: Νέα πορεία διαμαρτυρίας των κατοίκων |trans-title= |url=https://www.cnn.gr/ellada/story/84433/menidi-nea-poreia-diamartyrias-ton-katoikon|language=Greek |work=CNN Greece |location= |access-date=}}</ref>}}

==Museums==
The '''Folk Art Museum of Acharnes''' is a [[museum]] in Acharnes. It was founded in 1977 by the local Greek Mountaineering Society, which also formed the Historical and Folklore Association in 1981, to which it bequeathed the museum in 1982. The archaeological part of the collection was then separated from the historical and folklore material and was given to the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. Former Minister [[Melina Mercouri]] founded for it the '''Archaeological Museum of Acharnes''' in a neoclassical building in the central square of Acharnes, which had formerly housed the local Town Hall. The same building houses the Historical and Folklore Society and its Folk Art Museum to the present time.<ref name=zoohara>{{cite web|title=Folk Art Museum of Acharnes, Acharnes |url=http://www.zoohara.com/attraction-detail-folk-art-museum-of-acharnes |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140320165620/http://www.zoohara.com/attraction-detail-folk-art-museum-of-acharnes |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 March 2014 |publisher=zoohara.com |access-date=20 March 2014 }}</ref><ref name=kitgan>{{cite web|title=Folk Art Museum of Acharnes |url=http://www.kitgan.com/greece/destinations-by-category/Museums/Folk-Art-Museum-of-Acharnes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320172112/http://www.kitgan.com/greece/destinations-by-category/Museums/Folk-Art-Museum-of-Acharnes |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 March 2014 |publisher=kitgan.com |access-date=20 March 2014 }}</ref><ref name=shelf3d>{{cite web|title=info {{!}} Folk Art Museum of Acharnes|url=http://shelf3d.com/i/folk%20art|publisher=shelf3d.com|access-date=20 March 2014}}</ref><ref name=touristlink>{{cite web|title=Acharnes Folk Art Museum|url=http://www.touristlink.com/greece/acharnes-folk-art-museum/overview.html|publisher=touristlink.com|access-date=20 March 2014}}</ref>

==Sporting teams==

*[[Acharnaikos F.C.]] - second division

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==See also==
*[[List of municipalities of Attica]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscatinline}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Acharnes
|North     = [[Avlonas, Attica|Avlonas]]
|Northeast = [[Malakasa]], [[Afidnes]]
|East      = [[Agios Stefanos, Attica|Agios Stefanos]], [[Kryoneri, Attica|Kryoneri]]
|Southeast = [[Nea Erythraia]], [[Kifisia]]
|South     = [[Nea Filadelfeia]], [[Metamorfosi]] 
|Southwest = [[Zefyri]], [[Kamatero]]
|West      = [[Ano Liosia]]
|Northwest = [[Fyli]] 
}}

{{Kallikratis-Attica}}
{{Acharnes div}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Acharnes| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Attica]]
[[Category:Populated places in East Attica]]
[[Category:Arvanite settlements]]