Messini ( el, Μεσσήνη, before 1867: Νησί ''Nisi'')EETAA local government changes
/ref> is a municipal unit (''dimotiki enotita'') and the seat town (''edra'') of the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

(''dimos'') of Messini within the regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') of

Messenia Messenia or Messinia ( ; el, Μεσσηνία ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a ...

in the region (''perifereia'') of

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge which ...

, one of 13 regions into which

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

has been divided. Before 2011 the same hierarchy prevailed, according to Law 2539 of 1997, the Kapodistrias Plan, except that Messenia was a ''nomos'' and the Municipal unit was a locality (''topiko diamerisma''). The ''dimos'' existed under both laws, but not with the same constituents. Messini (modern pronunciation) is not to be confused with its ancient namesake,

Messene Messene (Greek: Μεσσήνη 𐀕𐀼𐀙 ''Messini''), officially Ancient Messene, is a local community within the regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') of Messenia in the region (''perifereia'') of Peloponnese. It is best known for the ...

, located to the north in the shadow of Mount

Ithome Mount Ithome (Greek: Ἰθώμη) or Ithomi, previously Vourkano(s) ( el, Βουρκάνο(ς)) or Voulcano(s) ( el, Βουλκάνο(ς)), is the northernmost of twin peaks in Messenia, Greece. Mount Ithome rises to about , about over Valyra, ...

. Ancient Messene is an equally large but abandoned site of ruins partially occupied by the small village of Mavrommati.

Geography

The modern town has some 6,000 inhabitants. It is the second largest municipality of Messinia regional unit. The town centre is from the Messinian Gulf coast, near the right bank of the river Pamisos. The major city of Messinia,

Kalamata Kalamáta ( el, Καλαμάτα ) is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula, after Patras, in southern Greece and the largest city of the homonymous administrative region. As the capital and chief port of the Messenia regi ...

, is to the east of Messini and has almost 9 times its population. The town is accessed by Greek National Road 82 (Pylos - Kalamata - Sparta). The Kalamata International Airport is two kilometers to the east. Since 1892, Messini had a railway station on a branch line from the Corinth–Kalamata railway. It was closed in 1976, reopened in 2007, and again closed in 2011.

Administration

Before the reorganization, the municipality of Messini contained 14 local divisions (''topika diamerismata'') for a total population of 11041. Since 2010 Messini has still been a municipality, one of the six of Messenia. However, it has absorbed seven other former municipalities. These, and the former municipality of Messini, have become municipal units (''dimotikes enotites'') of the municipality Messini, with a total population of 23,482 (2011 census). These are as follows: The municipality has an area of , the municipal unit . The municipal unit of Messini contains the same subdivisions and populations as did the previous municipality of Messini but the subdivisions are now local communities. These are as follows: In summary, Messini is a town, a municipal unit and a municipality.

Province

The province of Messini ( el, Επαρχία Μεσσήνης) was one of the

provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of the Messenia Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipality Messini (except the municipal units Aipeia,

Petalidi Petalidi ( el, Πεταλίδι) is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Messini, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an ...

and

Voufrades Voufrades ( el, Βουφράδες) is a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Messini Messini ( el, Μεσσήνη, before 1867: Νησί ''Nisi'') is a muni ...

) and the municipal units

Andania Andania ( el, Ανδανία) is a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Oichalia, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 88.694& ...

Meligalas Meligalas ( el, Μελιγαλάς) is a town and former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Oichalia, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an are ...

and Oichalia. It was abolished in 2006.

History

Messini began its communal existence as Nisi, a settlement placed on an island (nēsos, from which Nisi) in the extensive marshland at the mouth of the Pamisos River. It was placed in Frankish territory, the Principality of Achaia, dated 1205-1432, consisting of 40 villages in Messenia and Elis. The ethnic content of the population in the vicinity at that time was Greek. After 1432, when the Byzantine Empire fell and was commandeered by the Ottoman Empire, some Turks entered the region. Except for the names, these distinctions have more or less disappeared in modern Greece. The government of Greece changed the official name to Messini in 1867. Baedeker's for the later 19th century and early 20th centuries referred to Nisi as "now officially Messini," a phrase that was widely used in travelogues of the period. The earliest Baedeker's to do so is the German edition of 1888. Prior to 1887 Nisi is not treated as Messini. Subsequent references to the place often refer to Nisi as "the popular name".

Recent population growth

The populations of the town for the last few census' are given below.

Notable people

* Ioannis Alevras (1912–1995), politician * Stephanos Linaios (1928-), actor

References

Bibliography

* . The previous Kapodistrias organization of all the communities in Greece. The populations are from the Census of 2001.

External links

* * * {{Prefectures and provinces of Greece Municipalities of Peloponnese (region) Populated places in Messenia Provinces of Greece