View source for Grevena

{{Short description|Town in Macedonia, Greece}}
{{Distinguish|Grevena (constituency)|Grevena (regional unit)}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
 |name = Grevena
 |name_local = {{lang|el|Γρεβενά}}<br />{{lang|rup|Grebini}}
|type = municipality
|image_map = 2011 Dimos Grevenon.png
|periph = [[Western Macedonia]]
|periphunit = [[Grevena (regional unit)|Grevena]]
|pop_municipality = 21421
|area_municipality = 1859.9
|pop_municunit = 15716
|area_municunit = 461.4
|pop_community = 12515
 |population_as_of = 2021
 |elevation = 530 
 |coordinates = {{coord|40|05|06|N|21|25|39|E|display=inline,title}}
 |postal_code = 511 00
 |area_code = 24620
 |licence = ΡΝ
 |website = [http://www.dimosgrevenon.gr/ www.dimosgrevenon.gr]
 |image_skyline = Πλατεία Αιμιλιανού Γρεβενών.jpg
 |imagesize = 300
 |caption_skyline = Central square (Emilianou square)
 |city_flag = 
 |city_seal = 
 |districts = 
 |mayor = Kyriakos Tataridis<ref name=mayor>{{Cite web |url=https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9061/ |title=Municipality of Grevena, Municipal elections{{snd}}October 2023 |publisher=[[Ministry of the Interior (Greece)|Ministry of Interior]]}}</ref>
 |party = 
 |since = 2023
|georegion= [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]]}}

'''Grevena''' ({{langx|el|Γρεβενά}}, ''Grevená'' {{IPA|el|ɣreveˈna|}}; {{langx|rup|Grebini}}) is a town and [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipality]] in [[Western Macedonia]], northern [[Greece]], capital of the [[Grevena (regional unit)|Grevena]] regional unit. The town's current population is 12,515 citizens (2021). It lies about {{convert|420|km|0|abbr=off}} from [[Athens]] and about {{convert|180|km|0|abbr=in}} from [[Thessaloniki]]. The municipality's population is 25,905. Grevena has had access to the [[A2 motorway (Greece)|A2 motorway]] (Egnatia Odos) since the early 2000s, which now connects [[Igoumenitsa]] with [[Thessaloniki]] and [[Alexandroupoli]] at the border with [[Turkey]]. Mountains surround the municipality, which is situated by the river [[Greveniotikos river|Greveniotikos]], which itself flows into the [[Aliakmon]]. Other significant towns in the municipality are Amygdaliés and Méga Seiríni. [[Municipal Museum (Grevena)|Grevena Municipal Museum]] is located in the town.

==History==
===Ottoman period===
[[File:Панорама на Гревена од 1900.jpg|thumb|Photo of Grevena (1900) by [[Manakis brothers]]]]

Under Ottoman rule, Grevena was a small administrative and military centre, the seat of a kaza belonging to the [[Sanjak of Serfiğe]] within the [[Vilayet of Manastir]].<ref name="Stavridopoulos274"/> According to the statistics of [[Vasil Kanchov]] ("Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics"), 600 [[Greeks|Greek]] [[Christians]], 500 [[Turkish people|Turks]], 200 Greek Muslims, 150 [[Aromanians]] and 100 [[Romani people|Romani]] lived in the town in 1900.<ref>[[Vasil Kanchov|Kanchov, Vasil]], {{ URL | 1=http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/vk_2_45.htm | 2=Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics }}, [[Sofia]], 1900, book 2, p. 46. Written as "Гребена (Гревена)". (in Bulgarian)</ref>

Grevena was a mixed town and a part of its population were [[Greek Muslims|Greek-speaking Muslim]] [[Vallahades]].<ref name="Metoki315">{{cite thesis|last=Metoki|first=Athanasia|date=2016|title=Οι ελληνόφωνοι μουσουλμάνοι της Δυτικής Μακεδονίας: η περίπτωση των Βαλαάδων της Κοζάνης και των Γρεβενών|trans-title=The Greek-speaking Muslims of Western Macedonia: The case of the Vallahades of Kozani and Grevena|type=Masters|language=el|publisher=University of Macedonia|url=https://dspace.lib.uom.gr/handle/2159/19457|access-date=1 September 2024|pages=3, 15}}</ref> The 1920 Greek census recorded 3,108 people in Grevena, and 200 inhabitants (40 families) were Muslim in 1923.<ref name="Pelagidis84"/> Following the [[Population exchange between Greece and Turkey|Greek–Turkish population exchange]], [[Greek refugee]] families in Grevena were from [[East Thrace]] (6), [[Asia Minor]] (33) and [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] (16) in 1926.<ref name="Pelagidis84"/> The 1928 Greek census recorded 3,747 town inhabitants.<ref name="Pelagidis84"/> In 1928, the refugee families numbered 52 (194 people).<ref name="Pelagidis84">{{cite thesis|last=Pelagidis|first=Efstathios|date=1992|title=Η αποκατάσταση των προσφύγων στη Δυτική Μακεδονία (1923–1930)|trans-title=The rehabilitation of refugees in Western Macedonia (1923–1930)|type=Ph.D.|language=el|publisher=Aristotle University of Thessaloniki|url=https://www.didaktorika.gr/eadd/handle/10442/2403|access-date=26 July 2024|page=84}}</ref> 

Due to its small size, the town's Ottoman past, represented through a few public buildings and the homes of Muslims located in the urban centre, all disappeared during the 20th century.<ref name="Stavridopoulos274"/> A mosque and a [[madrasa]] remained in Grevena until the population exchange; later both were destroyed.<ref name="Stavridopoulos274">{{harvnb|Stavridopoulos|2015|p=274}}.</ref> Another mosque existed in Grevena and was converted into a church in 1927; later it and its minaret were demolished, and the church of Agios Achillios built on the site.<ref name="Stavridopoulos274275">{{harvnb|Stavridopoulos|2015|pp=274–275}}.</ref> Military barracks remained until World War Two, and were later destroyed.<ref name="Stavridopoulos275"/> The large granite fortress residence ([[Konak (residence)|konak]]) of Veli Bey was destroyed after the population exchange.<ref name="Stavridopoulos275">{{cite thesis|last=Stavridopoulos|first=Ioannis|date=2015|title=Μνημεία του άλλου: η διαχείριση της οθωμανικής πολιτιστική κληρονομιάς της Μακεδονίας από το 1912 έως σήμερα|trans-title=Monuments of the other: The management of the Ottoman cultural heritage of Macedonia from 1912 until present|type=Ph.D.|language=el|publisher=University of Ioannina|url=https://www.didaktorika.gr/eadd/handle/10442/43568|access-date=26 July 2024|page=275}}</ref>

===1995 earthquake===
The earthquake that occurred in the region on 13 May 1995 was 6.6 on the [[Richter magnitude scale]], but it caused only material damage. The worst hit area was the county of Ventzia. There were two foreshocks of lesser intensity that preceded the main earthquake by a few minutes and warned people. These warnings sent the population out of their houses. When the main earthquake came, it destroyed nearly all the houses in several villages of the Ventzia County – the houses collapsed to the ground – but all the inhabitants were outside. 
 
Another earthquake on 5 January 2005 measured 4.9 near Grevena. It took place at 20:00 local time (EET), and no damage was reported. Another earthquake with a measured intensity of 5.4 occurred on 17 July 2007 at 21:23 local time (EET) and was followed by weak aftershocks. Some older buildings were lightly damaged in villages northeast of Grevena.

==Administrative division==

===Municipality===
[[File:2010 Dimos Grevenon.svg|thumb|240px|Grevena municipality]]
[[File:DE Grevenon.svg|thumb|240px|Grevena municipal unit]]

The municipality Grevena was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 13 former municipalities, that became municipal units:<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref>
*[[Agios Kosmas]]
*[[Dotsiko]]
*[[Filippaioi]]
*[[Gorgiani]]
*Grevena
*[[Irakleotes]]
*[[Mesolouri]]
*[[Samarina]]
*[[Smixi]]
*[[Theodoros Ziakas (municipality)|Theodoros Ziakas]]
*[[Ventzio]]

===Municipal unit===
The municipal unit of Grevena is divided into the following communities:<ref name=Kallikratis/>
* [[Agioi Theodoroi, Grevena|Agioi Theodoroi]]
* [[Amygdalies, Grevena|Amygdalies]]
* [[Elatos, Grevena|Elatos]]
* [[Elefthero, Grevena|Elefthero]]
* [[Felli, Grevena|Felli]]
* [[Kalochi]]
* [[Kyrakali]]
* [[Megalo Seirini]]
* [[Myrsina, Grevena|Myrsina]]
* [[Rodia, Grevena|Rodia]]
* Megaro
* [[Vatolakkos, Grevena|Vatolakkos]]

===Community===
The community of Grevena consists of three separate settlements:<ref name=census21/>
*[[Doxaras]] (population 190 in 2021)
*'''Grevena''' (population 12,293)
*[[Kalamitsi, Grevena|Kalamitsi]] (population 30)

==Education==
Two departments of the [[university of Western Macedonia]] based in the city, the departments of Statistics and Insurance Science<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stat.uowm.gr/epikoinonia/|title=Επικοινωνία – Τμήμα Στατιστικής και Ασφαλιστικής Επιστήμης|date=22 October 2015 }}</ref> and Business Administration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ba.uowm.gr/epikoinonia/|title = Επικοινωνία – Τμήμα Οργάνωσης και Διοίκησης Επιχειρήσεων}}</ref>

==Economy==
In the area, there is large production of [[mushrooms]], collected in the [[Pindus National Park|Valia Calda]] area. It is also the place of production of [[Anevato]] cheese.

==Climate==
Grevena has a mediterranean continental climate characterized by a great diurnal temperature variation. Winters are cold with frequent snowfalls, whereas summers are hot during the day and cool during the night.
{{Weather box
| location = Grevena (510m)
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| Jan high C = 7.4
| Feb high C = 8
| Mar high C = 14
| Apr high C = 18.6
| May high C = 24.1
| Jun high C = 29
| Jul high C = 31.5
| Aug high C = 32.4
| Sep high C = 28.5
| Oct high C = 22.5
| Nov high C = 15.4
| Dec high C = 10.6
| Jan low C = -5.8
| Feb low C = -2.1
| Mar low C = 0.4
| Apr low C = 4
| May low C = 7.6
| Jun low C = 12.3
| Jul low C = 14.5
| Aug low C = 14.4
| Sep low C = 11.3
| Oct low C = 6.8
| Nov low C = 3.4
| Dec low C = 2.2
| Jan precipitation mm = 50
| Feb precipitation mm = 40
| Mar precipitation mm = 27.2
| Apr precipitation mm = 56.6
| May precipitation mm = 29.6
| Jun precipitation mm = 20
| Jul precipitation mm = 20
| Aug precipitation mm = 10
| Sep precipitation mm = 30
| Oct precipitation mm = 50
| Nov precipitation mm = 80
| Dec precipitation mm = 87
| source = http://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/grevena/ (2019 – 2020 averages)
}}

==Historical population==
{| class=wikitable
! Year !! Community !! Municipal unit !! Municipality 
|-
| 1981 || 7,739 || — || — 
|-
| 1991 || 9,345 || 14,986 || — 
|-
| 2001 || 12,037 || 16,421 || — 
|-
| 2011 || 13,374 || 17,610 || 25,905 
|-
| 2021 || 12,515 || 15,716 || 21,421
|}

==People==
*[[Theodoros Ziakas]], fighter in the Greek revolution
*[[Konstantinos Dimidis]], printer, gunsmith, fighter in the Greek revolution
*[[Charissios Tziogas]], fighter in the Greek revolution
*[[Nicolaos Tsolakis]], chieftain of the Greek Struggle for Macedonia
*[[Nicolaos Zamkinos]], leader of the Greek Struggle for Macedonia
*[[Georgios Boussios]], fighter of the Greek Struggle for Macedonia, politician, minister of the Interior (Greece)
*[[Kostas Koutsomytis]], director
*[[Kostas Papanikolaou]], former NBA player
*[[Miltiadis Tentoglou]], Olympic and European champion long jumper
*[[Eva Chantava]], volleyball player

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.dimosgrevenon.gr/ Official website] {{in lang|el}}
*[http://www.sites.google.com/site/dasiliogrevena/ Dasilio Grevenon] {{in lang|el}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110823195721/http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/tourism/eden/themes-destinations/countries/greece/grevena/index_en.htm Awarded "EDEN - European Destinations of Excellence" non traditional tourist destination 2008]

{{Kallikratis-West Macedonia}}
{{Grevena div}}
{{Greek Macedonia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Grevena (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Western Macedonia]]
[[Category:Grevena| ]]
[[Category:Aromanian settlements in Greece]]
[[Category:Former Vallahades settlements]]