View source for Pella (regional unit)

{{Other uses|Pella (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox Greece place
| name                    = Pella
| name_local              = <small>Περιφερειακή ενότητα</small><br>Πέλλας
| type                    = regional unit
| image_skyline           = 2010 Dimi Pellas numbered.svg
| caption_skyline         = Municipalities of Pella 
| image_map               = Nomos Pellas.png
| map_caption             = Pella within Greece
| coordinates             = {{coord|40|55|N|22|05|E|display=inline,title}}
| periph                  = [[Central Macedonia]]
| seat                    = [[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]]
| area                    = 2506
| elevation               = 
| population              = 126740
| population_as_of        = 2021
| demonym                 = 
| postal_code             = 58x xx
| area_code               = 238x0
| licence                 = ΕΕ
| website                 = {{URL|www.pella.gr}}
}}
'''Pella''' ({{langx|el|Περιφερειακή ενότητα Πέλλας}}) is one of the [[regional units of Greece]], in the geographic [[Geographic regions of Greece|region]] of [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]]. It is part of the [[Modern regions of Greece|Region]] of [[Central Macedonia]]. It is named after the ancient city of [[Pella]], the capital of [[ancient Macedonia]] and the birthplace of [[Alexander the Great]].<ref name="Establishment">{{cite book | title=Administrative subdivisions of countries: a comprehensive world reference, 1900 through 1998 | first=Gwillim | last=Law | publisher=McFarland | year=1999 | isbn=978-0-7864-0729-3 | page=[https://archive.org/details/administrativesu0000lawg/page/152 152] | url=https://archive.org/details/administrativesu0000lawg/page/152 }}</ref> The capital of Pella is [[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]] with a population of 19,036 inhabitants according to the census of 2021, while the largest town is [[Giannitsa]]. Other towns  include [[Aridaia]], [[Skydra]], [[Arnissa]], [[Exaplatanos]] and [[Krya Vrysi, Pella|Krya Vrysi]].

==Administration==
According to the [[2011 Greek census|2011 census]] the population of the regional unit of Pella was 139,680.<ref name=Kallikratis/> It is subdivided into 4 municipalities. These are:<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>

*[[Almopia]] (2)
*[[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]] (1)
*[[Pella, Greece|Pella]] (3)
*[[Skydra]] (4)

===Prefecture===
[[File:Edessa Waterfall.jpg|thumb|Edessa Waterfall]]
[[File:Statue of Alexander the Great riding Bucephalus and carrying a winged statue of Nike (square of Alexander the Great) in Pella city (6914694770).jpg|thumb|Statue of [[Alexander the Great]] in [[Pella (municipality)]].]]
[[File:Πύργος του ρολογιού.jpg|thumb|Clocktower of [[Giannitsa]]]]

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit of Pella was created out of the former [[prefectures of Greece|prefecture]] Pella ({{langx|el|Νομός Πέλλας}}). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.<ref name=Kallikratis/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! New municipality !! Old municipalities !! Seat
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Almopia]]|| [[Aridaia]] || rowspan=2|Aridaia
|-
| [[Exaplatanos]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]]|| [[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]] || rowspan=2|Edessa
|-
| [[Vegoritida]]
|-
| rowspan=5|[[Pella, Greece|Pella]] || [[Pella, Greece|Pella]] || rowspan=5|Giannitsa
|-
| [[Giannitsa]]
|-
| [[Krya Vrysi, Pella|Krya Vrysi]]
|-
| [[Kyrros]]
|-
| [[Megas Alexandros, Pella|Megas Alexandros]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Skydra]]|| [[Skydra]] || rowspan=2|Skydra
|-
| [[Meniida]]
|}

=== Provinces ===
The former prefecture of Pella was subdivided into the following [[Provinces of Greece|provinces]]:<ref name=census91>{{cite web|url= http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00086.pdf |title=Detailed census results 1991 }}&nbsp;{{small|(39&nbsp;MB)}} {{in lang|el|fr}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Provinces of Pella Prefecture !! Seat (if different)
|-
| Province of [[Almopia]] || [[Aridaia]]
|-
| Province of [[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]] ||
|-
| Province of [[Giannitsa]] ||
|}

''Note:'' Provinces no longer hold any legal status in [[Greece]].

==Geography==
The regional unit covers an area of {{convert|2,505.8|km2|sqmi|frac=8}}, the majority of which is covered by arable land, forests and pastures. Mountainous areas surrounding Pella are the [[Voras Mountains]] (with [[Kaimaktsalan]] reaching a height of 2,524{{nbsp}}m), [[Mount Vermion]] (2,027{{nbsp}}m), [[Mount Paiko]] (1,458{{nbsp}}m), [[Mount Tzenna]]  (2,182{{nbsp}}m) and [[Mount Pinovo]] (2,154{{nbsp}}m). The main plains are Pozar in the north and the vast plain of [[Giannitsa|Giannitsà]] in the southeastern part. Other natural features of the area include Lakes [[Lake Vegoritida|Vegoritida]] and Agra, and Rivers [[Loudias River|Loudias]] and Edessian. Pella's southernmost portion is flat and in ancient times, it was a gulf connected to the [[Aegean Sea]]. The elevation in the south does not exceed about {{convert|5|to|10|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level. Pella has surface and groundwater resources. There are a number of archaeological sites in the area.

Pella borders the regional units of [[Kilkis (regional unit)|Kilkis]] to the northeast, [[Thessaloniki (regional unit)|Thessaloniki]] to the east, [[Imathia]] to the south, [[Kozani (regional unit)|Kozani]] to the southwest, by Lake Vegoritida to the southwest,  and by [[Florina (regional unit)|Florina]] to the west.  To the north, it is bounded by the national border between Greece and [[North Macedonia]].

==History==
[[File:Pella Banner.jpg|750px|Pella Banner]]
[[File:20090711 Aridaia Loutra 1.jpg|thumb|Pozar Thermal Baths]]
[[File:Kaimaktsalan 2009 SL training.jpg|thumb|Kaimaktsalan Ski Area]]
In antiquity, the area around the modern Pella regional unit was part of the ancient Greek [[Macedon|Kingdom of Macedon]].  It later became part of  the [[Roman Empire]] and later the [[Byzantine]] and the [[Ottoman Empire]]s.  Following approximately 500 years of Ottoman rule, it rejoined [[Greece]] in 1913, following the [[Balkan Wars]].

==Tourism==
*'''Ancient [[Pella]] and [[Archaeological Museum of Pella]]''': The capital of ancient Macedonia and birthplace of Alexander the Great. A number of archaeological findings are housed in the Palace and the New Museum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pella-museum.gr/ |title=Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Πέλλας &#124; Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Πέλλας - Πέλλα |language=el |publisher=Pella-museum.gr |date=2022-03-31 |accessdate=2022-04-14}}</ref>
*'''[[Loudias River]]'''
*'''Waterfalls in the city of [[Edessa, Greece|Edessa]]''' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/edessa-waterfalls-2/|title = Edessa waterfalls - European waterfalls}}</ref>
*'''Pozar thermal baths''': The hot springs are located in a mountainous area (altitude 360–390 m) and occupy an area of {{convert|75|acre|ha|order=flip}}. Five spa gush along the warm river, which continues to flow in the basin of Almopia.
*'''[[Kaimakchalan]] ski resort''': Mount Kaimakchalan or Vorras is the third largest in height mount in Greece (altitude 2,524 m). There is a ski area with 16 ski slopes. At the foot of the mountain there is the village of Agios Athanasios.
*'''[[Giannitsa]] Ottoman monuments''': At the city of Giannitsa there are a lot of buildings from the Ottoman period like the Clock Tower, Mausoleum and baths of Gazi Evrenos, House of Emin Bey, The Baths and the mausoleum of Ahmet Bey, Mosque of Sheikh Ilachi, Mosque of Iskender Bey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kaimaktsalan-voras.com/en/monument/giannitsa-clock-tower-12/|title=Giannitsa Clock Tower}}</ref>

==Agriculture==
The southern part of the regional unit has a number of [[orchard]]s.  While agriculture once represented its main industry, today, manufacturing, services and other businesses dominate about 70% of its industry.

==Transport==
*[[Greek National Road 1|GR-1]] (old highway), SE
*[[Greek National Road 2|GR-2]]/[[European route E90|E90]], W, SW, Cen., E, SE
*Edessa - Verroia road, S
* Thessaloniki-Giannitsa-Edessa

==See also==
*[[List of settlements in the Pella regional unit]]
*[[Former toponyms of places in Pella Prefecture]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|Pella Regional Unit}}
*[http://www.napella.gr/ Official website of the prefecture of Pella]
*[https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/815748 Tzena - Pinovo - East Voras terrain map] by Geopsis

{{Kallikratis-Central Macedonia}}
{{Prefectures of Greece}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Pella (regional unit)| ]]
[[Category:Prefectures of Greece]]
[[Category:1930 establishments in Greece]]
[[Category:Regional units of Central Macedonia]]

[[nn:Pélla]]