Makrissia

Makrissia, also Makrisia (Greek: Μακρίσια), also with the first i accented is a village in the municipality of Skillounta, Ilia Prefecture, Greece. Its 2001 population was 1,965.

Nearest places

*Olympia, north, distance: 6 to 7 km
*Skillountia and Nea Skillountia, east, distance: 3 to 4 km
*Krestena, south, distance: 3 km
*Alfeioussa, west, distance: about 5 to 6 km

Population

Location and transportation

Makrissia is located south of Patras, west-southwest of the capital city of Athens, east-southeast of Pyrgos, southeast of Krestena, north of Zacharo, northwest of Kalamata and north of Kyparissia. The GR-9 (E55, Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia) is 7 km to the west, and the GR-6 is 3 km to the south near Krestena. Makrissia is connected with the road linking Olympia and Krestena and is at around the 8 km, since 1992, the northern portion has been closed, other roads connect with Nea Skillountia and Alfeioussa.

The village has about 7 km of paved road and about 5 to 6 km of gravel road. It has about 6 to 8 km of hydro lines, all of them have been repaired from the tremendous fire, phone lines are around 4 to 5 km.

Geography

Its geography consists of forests that dominate the area with a few bushes and grasslands around the area, much of the area are mountainous, farmlands dominate the area.

History

Makrissia was ruled by the Ottoman Turks, it became a part of Greece after the Greek War of Independence. History between the Byzantine period and the war of independence was almost unrecorded. It adopted its current name in the early 20th century. Many of its inhabitants live in nearby Nea Skillountia. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, its buildings were rebuilt. Alfeioussa became connected with asphalt in the 1960s. More pavement was accessed in the late 20th century. Electricity, radio and automobiles were introduced in the mid-20th century, television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium. During the creation and recreation of the municipalities under the Capodistrian Plan in 1997, it owes the name to the municipality of Skillounta.

Makrissia was affected of the a tremendous fire on Sunday August 26, 2007, during the afternoon hours firefighters along with planes and choppers managed to spread out the blaze and affected the southeastern portions. Blaze spread into the mountains and burned pine, spruce and cypress trees as well as a couple of groves, it destroyed half of its economy and may takes years to repair. Some of its houses are ruined, many escaped the fires

Economy

Its main economy is agriculture, its main production includes olives, cattle, fruits, vegetables and other crops, the village has about 200 farms in the area.

Other

Makrissia has a school for the entire municipal district (the former community), a church, a post office, and a square ("plateia"). Its nearest gymnasium (middle school), lyceum (secondary school) are in Makrissi?.

ee also

*List of places in the Ilia prefecture

External links

* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id= Makrissia at the GTP Travel Pages]
*Map and aerial photos:
**Street map information from: [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=37.6082&longitude=21.604&zoom=6 Mapquest] , [http://local.live.com/mapz.aspx?&lats1=37.6082&longs=21.604&alts1=35 LiveLocal] or [http://maps.google.com/maps?||=37.6157,21.604 Google] or [http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?lat=37.6082&lon=21.604&mag=2 Yahoo! Maps]
**Satellite
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.6082,21.604&spn=0.11,0.18&t=k Google] or [http://virtualearth.msn.com/default.aspx?cp=37.6082|21.604&5style=h&lvl=15&v=1 Microsoft Virtual Earth] - image now available
*Coordinates: coord|37|36|29|N|21|36|2|E|type:city(28)_region:GR