Karditsa

Karditsa is also the old name of Akraifnio in Boeotia.

Karditsa Καρδίτσα
Street in Karditsa
Karditsa
Location within the region
Coordinates:
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Thessaly
Regional unit	Karditsa
Government
• Mayor	Fotis Alexakos
Area
• Municipality	647.6 km2 (250.0 sq mi)
• Municipal unit	110.1 km2 (42.5 sq mi)
Elevation	108 m (354 ft)
Population (2011)
• Municipality	56,747
• Municipality density	88/km2 (230/sq mi)
• Municipal unit	44,002
• Municipal unit density	400/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Community
• Population	39119
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	431 00
Area code(s)	24410
Vehicle registration	ΚΑ
Website	www.karditsa-city.gr

Karditsa (Greek: Καρδίτσα) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa regional unit.

Inhabitation is attested from 9000 BC. Karditsa ls linked with GR-30, the road to Karpenisi, and the road to Palamas and Larissa. Karditsa is south-west of Palamas and Larissa, west of Farsala and the Volos area, north-west of Athens, Lamia, Domokos and Sofades, north of Karpenisi, north-east of Arta, and east-south-east of Trikala, Grevena, Ioannina, and Kalampaka.

Karditsa has schools, lyceums, gymnasium, the Veterinary Medicine Department of the University of Thessaly, three technical education departments, church, banks, a post office, a railway station on the Trikala - Karditsa - Domokos line, a sports ground, a water tower, and squares. Karditsa is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in Greece with an extensive network of bicycle paths. Approximately 30% of all the city transportation, according to the National Technical University of Athens, is done by bicycles.

History

View of the cathedral church of Saints Constantine and Helena.

Plastiras' Lake, near the city.

During the period of Ottoman rule in Thessaly, the main settlement in the location of modern Karditsa was called Sotira,. In 1810, the English traveler William Martin Leake mentioned a sprawling village named Kardhítza, consisting of between 500-600 houses, of which the majority of the inhabitants were Turkish.

Karditsa was incorporated as a new city in 1882, the year after its liberation from the Ottoman Empire.

During World War II, the resistance in Thessaly was fought primarily by the ELAS. In March 12, 1943 Karditsa was the first city in Europe to be liberated from Nazi occupation in the campaign fought by the ELAS.

Municipality

The municipality Karditsa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units:

• Itamos
• Kallifono
• Kampos
• Karditsa
• Mitropoli

Subdivisions

The municipal unit of Karditsa is divided into six parts (communities):

• Agiopigi
• Artesiano
• Karditsa
• Karditsomagoula
• Palioklissi
• Rousso

Historical population

Statue of Nikolaos Plastiras (1883-1953) in Karditsa.

Year	Municipal unit	Municipality
1991	32,884	55,702
2001	35,750	57,089
2011	38,554	56,747

Culture

Sports

Karditsa has many clubs in various sport. The most of them are active in football such as Anagennisi Karditsa, AO Karditsa, Asteras Karditsa and Elpides Karditsas. The club SPA Karditsa is active in volleyball.

Sport clubs based in Karditsa
Club	Founded	Sports	Achievements
Anagennisi Karditsas	1904	Football	Earlier presence in Beta Ethniki
AO Karditsa	1966	Football	Earlier presence in Beta Ethniki
SPA Karditsa	1987	Volleyball	Presence in A2 Ethniki volleyball
Elpides Karditsas	1994	Football	Presence in A Ethniki women

External links

Media related to Karditsa at Wikimedia Commons

• Karditsa Wireless Metropolitan Network, Karditsas Wifi Community Network (in Greek)