Nafplion

Infobox Greek Dimos
name = Nafplion
name_local = Ναύπλιο
periph = Peloponnese
prefec = Argolis
population = 13822
population_as_of = 2001
area = 33.6
lat_deg = 37
lat_min = 34
lon_deg = 22
lon_min = 48
postal_code = 211 00
area_code = 2752
licence = ΑΡ
mayor =
website = [http://www.nafplio.gr www.nafplio.gr]


caption_skyline = View of the old part of the city of Nafplion from Palamidi castle
city_

city_

districts =
party =
since =
elevation_min = 0
elevation_max = 10

Nafplion ( _el. Ναύπλιο), in the Peloponnese in Greece, is a seaport town that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf (Argolikos Bay). The town was the capital of Greece from 1829 to 1834. Nafplion, with a population of (13,822) is the capital of the prefecture of Argolis and the province of Nafplion.

Name

The name of the town in Greek is Ναύπλιο or in Ancient Greek Ναύπλιον/Ναύπλιων (adding omega/nu, thus the transliteration "Nafplion"). As is the case with many Greek names, there is more than one possible Latin transliteration. Currently, the most commonly used English spelling is "Nafplion" (or sometimes "Nafplio" like the Modern Greek way of saying it).

Many sources, especially those dealing with the ancient city, refer to it by its Latin name of Nauplion.Fact|date=August 2007 In other languages it is known variously as Nauplia, Navplion, Nauplio, Nafplion and Anapli; these names would have been current in English during the periods of Venetian and Ottoman domination. In Italian, Nafplion is known as Napoli di Romania, the last two words referring to the ancient name ("Romania") formerly used to define those territories occupied by the Byzantine Empire, and serving to distinguish the town from the other Napoli (i.e. Naples) in Italy.

Geography

Nafplion is situated on the Argolic Gulf in the northeast Peloponnese. Most of the old town is on a peninsula jutting into the gulf; this peninsula forms a naturally protected bay that is enhanced by the addition of man-made moles. Originally almost isolated by marshes, deliberate landfill projects, primarily since the 1970s, have nearly doubled the land area of the city.

History

The area surrounding Nafplion has been inhabited since ancient times though little sign of this remains within the town. The town has been a stronghold at several times in history.

Byzantine/Venetian era

The Akronafplia has walls dating from pre-classical times. Subsequently, Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Ottomans added to the fortifications. Nafplion was taken in 1212 by the French crusaders of the Principality of Achaea, then in 1388 was sold to the Venetians. [ "Diplomatarium" #127. ] During the subsequent 150 years, the lower city was expanded and fortified, and new fortifications added to Akronauplia. [ Wright, Ch. 1. ] The city was surrendered to the Ottomans in 1540. At that period, Nafplion looked very much like the 16th century image shown below to the right. , which was in fact the last major construction of the Venetian empire overseas. However, only 80 soldiers were assigned to defend the city and it was easily retaken by the Ottomans in 1715.

Greek War of Independence

During the Greek War of Independence, Nafplion was a major Ottoman stronghold and was besieged for a year by Theodoros Kolokotronis. Akronauplia, and then Palamidi, finally surrendered because of starvation. After its capture, because of its strong fortifications, it became the seat of the provisional governments of Greece, and Kapodistrias made it the official capital of Greece in 1829. After his assassination there in 1831 a period of anarchy followed, until the arrival of King Otto and the establishment of the new Kingdom of Greece. Nafplion remained the capital of the kingdom until 1834, when King Otto decided to move the capital to Athens.

Tourism emerged slowly in the 1960s, but not to the same degree as around other areas of Greece; nevertheless, it tends to attact a number of tourists from Germany and the Scandinavian countries in particular. Nafplion enjoys a very sunny and mild climate, even by Greek standards, and as a consequence has become a popular day- or weekend road trip destination for Athenians in wintertime.

Modern era

Nafplion is a port, with fishing and transport ongoing, although the primary source of local employment currently is tourism, with two beaches on the other side of the peninsula from the main body of the town and a large amount of local accommodation. There are frequent bus services from/to Athens (KTEL).

Since 2003, the University of Peloponnese has incorporated a new faculty, the School of Fine Arts. In 2007, a single department exists ; the Department of Theatre [http://www.uop.gr/UK/] , working on four pathways:

(1). Acting & Directing (2). Scenography & Costume Design (3). Contemporary Dance (4). Dramaturgy & Theatrology

The building of the National Bank of Greece is probably the only building in the world built in the Mycenaean Revival architectural style. [Greece At Its Most Greek , by Phyllis rose, Sept. 10, 2000, New York Times. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE0D91631F933A2575AC0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4 ] ]

Historical population

Notable people

*Angelos Terzakis (1907–1979) writer
*Nikos Karouzos (1926–1990) poet

References

ources

*"Diplomatarium Veneto-Levantinum."1966. ed. G. M. Thomas. New York.
*Gerola, Giuseppe. “Le fortificazioni di Napoli di Romania,” "Annuario dell regia scuola archeologicca di Atene e delle missioni italiane in oriente 22-24." (1930-31) 346-410.
*Greece, the Rough Guide. Mark Ellingham, Marc Dubin, Natania Jansz and Joh Fisher, Published by Rough Guides 1995, ISBN 1-85828-131-8,
*Gregory, Timothy E. 1983. "Nauplion." Athens.
*Karouzos, Semn‘ēs. 1979. "To Nauplio." Athens.
*Kolotron‘ēs, Theodoros. 1969. "Memoirs from the Greek War of Independence, 1821-1833." E. M. Edmunds, trans. Originally printed as "Kolokotrones: The Klepht and the Warrior. Sixty Years of Peril and Daring. An Autobiography." London, 1892; reprint, Chicago.
*Lamprynides, Michael G. 1898. "Ē Nauplia." Athens, reprint 1950.
*Luttrell, Anthony. 1966. “The Latins of Argos and Nauplia: 1311-1394,” "Papers of the British School at Rome 34: 34-55.
*Schaefer, Wulf. 1961. "Neue Untersuchungen über die Baugeschichte Nauplias im Mittelalter," "Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts" 76: 156-214.
*Wright, Diana Gilliland. 1999. "Bartolomeo Minio: Venetian administration in 15th-Century Nauplion." Doctoral dissertation, The Catholic University of America, Washington DC ( [http://www2.let.uu.nl/Solis/anpt/ejos/EJOS-III.5-text.html Online Version] ).

ee also

*History of Greece
*Politics of Greece
*List of traditional Greek place names

External links

* [http://www.nafplio.gr Municipality of Nafplion Official Website]
* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=9069 GTP - Nafplion municipality]
* [http://nauplion.net/NauplionWall.html Historical images, poetry]

Geographic Location (8-way)
Centre = Nafplion
North = Nea Tiryntha
Northeast =
East = Askilipio
Southeast = Asini
South = Argolic Gulf
Southwest =
West = Argolic Gulf
Northwest =