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Gerakas () is a town, a suburb of
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
and a former municipality in
East Attica East Attica () is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Attica. The regional unit covers the eastern part of the urban agglomeration of Athens, and also the rural area to its east. Administration The regional unit East ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pallini, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. In antiquity Gerakas constituted the Athenian ''
mesogeia The Mesogeia or Mesogaia (, "Midlands") is a geographical region of Attica in Greece. History The term designates since antiquity the inland portion of the Attic peninsula. The term acquired a technical meaning with the reforms of Cleisthenes in ...
''
deme In Ancient Greece, a deme or (, plural: ''demoi'', δήμοι) was a suburb or a subdivision of Classical Athens, Athens and other city-states. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, bu ...
of Gargettus, in the tribe of
Aigeis Aigeis () was a tribe (phyle) of Ancient Athens which contained twenty demes: Lower Ankyle, Lower and Upper Ankyle, Araphen, Bate (Attica), Bate, Diomeia, Erchia (deme), Erchia, Erikeia, Gargettos, Halae Araphenides, Hestiaea (Attica), Hestiaia, Ik ...
, according to the administrative model of
Cleisthenes Cleisthenes ( ; ), or Clisthenes (), was an ancient Athenian lawgiver credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508 BC. For these accomplishments, historians refer to him as "the fath ...
. Today, it is a rapidly developing city of the northern mesogea and the eastern gate to the Athens basin. It is known as the birthplace of the famous philosopher
Epicurus Epicurus (, ; ; 341–270 BC) was an Greek philosophy, ancient Greek philosopher who founded Epicureanism, a highly influential school of philosophy that asserted that philosophy's purpose is to attain as well as to help others attain tranqui ...
. The city is set at a significant place at the junction of Ymittos and Penteli foothills. The limits of Gerakas expand from Stavros up to the Koufos and
Desi Desi ( or or ; Hindustani language, Hindustani: देसी , , ) also Deshi, is a loose term used to describe the ethnic groups in South Asia, peoples, culture of South Asia, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and their Sout ...
Hills, 12 km northeast of the centre of Athens and just 2 km west of Pallini. The city has a population of 33,856 residents (in 2021), covering a land area of 6.633 km2 and having a population density of 5,104 residents per km2. Gerakas can be seen at an elevation of 190 to 374 meters, giving the area both flat and mountainous characteristics.


Overview

The first permanent residents inhabited around the old
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
Laurium highway that passed through, descending from
Northern Greece Northern Greece () is used to refer to the northern parts of Greece, and can have various definitions. Administrative term The term "Northern Greece" is widely used to refer mainly to the two northern regions of Macedonia and (Western) Thra ...
, mostly
Arvanites Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They are bilingual, traditionally speaking Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded ...
from Ipiros sent to the Masogean plain at around 1205 a. C. as mercenaries to protect the
Duchy of Athens The Duchy of Athens (Greek language, Greek: Δουκᾶτον Ἀθηνῶν, ''Doukaton Athinon''; Catalan language, Catalan: ''Ducat d'Atenes'') was one of the Crusader states set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during ...
. On the northern part of the city islanders from the
Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some . In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea, which in turn con ...
came to work at the world-famous marble workshops of Penteli. Until the late 1970s, most of the land was covered by farmhouses that constitute a Paianian settlement, while in 1980 it was recognized as a new commune of East Attica. The name of the commune arises after an informal referendum among the three settlements of "Gerakas", "Stavros" and "Gargittos". The center of the city is located around the Mekedonias Square, northern of Marathonos Avenue, which is a meeting place for all residents and visitors, a true adornment, whereas St. John is the patron saint of Gerakas. The main shopping district runs along the Marathonos Avenue, where the industrial and business activity is located.


Etymology

The first name that is associated with the region is "Gargitos", a name which one may come across various ancient scripts and indicate the southern foothills of Penteli. According to Greek historians, Gargitos was a local hero of the region who inhabited Attica after moving from Peloponesse during the
Peloponnesian Wars The Second Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), often called simply the Peloponnesian War (), was an ancient Greek war fought between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Greek world. The war remained undecided ...
, descending from Asia along with the
Lydia Lydia (; ) was an Iron Age Monarchy, kingdom situated in western Anatolia, in modern-day Turkey. Later, it became an important province of the Achaemenid Empire and then the Roman Empire. Its capital was Sardis. At some point before 800 BC, ...
n
Pelops In Greek mythology, Pelops (; ) was king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus region (, lit. "Pelops' Island"). He was the son of Tantalus and the father of Atreus. He was venerated at Olympia, where his cult developed into the founding myth of the ...
. According to the hιstorian Paysanias, Gargittos was the son of
Ion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...
. During the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, the region is called "Karyttos", as viewed by the foreign cartographers' work. It is a region of great religious activity, where the Saint Nikolaos Church is preserved at Patima, which Saint Timotheos used as a place for asceticism until the Penteli Monastery was finished. The modern name of "Gerakas" comes from the name of the grand logothete Ierakas, a church official who owned large pieces of land during the 16th century, some of which were under proprietary claims between Saint Timotheos and Saint Philothei. He decided to give his titles and resolve the dispute, therefore they named the region after him. The name Ierakas comes from Ierax (Iέραξ) which means hawk (in modern Greek geraki). The name inflects as ο Ieraks (ο Ιέραξ), tou Ierakos (του Ιέρακος), ton Ieraka (τον Ιέρακα), and in modern Greek Geraka. In the nominative form it is today used as Gerakas (ο Γέρακας) and it is a singular masculine noun.


Geography


Topography

Gerakas is located at the heart of the Αttica land at a plain of 195 metres elevation. It is surrounded by the mountainous endings of the Penteliko at north and Ymittos at the south. From the west, the region neighbours with the Athens basin and to the east the mesogea plain lies. Gerakas expands vertically between the mountain junction, covering an area of 6.6 km2, reaching an elevation of 374 metres up to the land of Penteli. The city is located 12 kilometers northeast of center of Athens and 2 km west of Pallini. It is surrounded by the Municipalities of
Agia Paraskevi Agia Paraskevi (, ''Agía Paraskeví'') is a suburb and a municipality in the northeastern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is part of the North Athens regional unit. Agia Paraskevi was named after the main church of the town, which ...
,
Halandri Chalandri (, Ancient Greek: Φλύα, ''Phlya'', also ''Halandri'', ''Khalandri'') is a town and a suburb in the northern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is a municipality of the Attica region. Geography Chalandri is a suburb in No ...
,
Vrilissia Vrilissia () is a suburban town and a municipality of the North Athens regional unit, in the Attica region. It is located in the Athens basin, at the southwestern foot of the Penteli Mountain. At the 2021 census, the municipality had 32,417 res ...
, Penteli, the Commune of Anthoussa, as well as the Municipalities of Pallini and Glika Nera. At first, it was enclosed geographically within the Athens basin, but due to borders allocation it was partially removed towards the mesogean plain, losing pieces of Patima, Pefka and Stavros from Chalandri and Agia Paraskevi and gaining parts of Balana from Pallini. Substantially, Gerakas is a part of the northeastern part of Athens, as it receives large amounts of athenian population during the recent years. Gerakas, Stavros, Gargittos, Patima, Balana and the mountainous settlement of Desi are some of the most known modern neighbourhoods of the city. Gerakas is surrounded by
Vrilissia Vrilissia () is a suburban town and a municipality of the North Athens regional unit, in the Attica region. It is located in the Athens basin, at the southwestern foot of the Penteli Mountain. At the 2021 census, the municipality had 32,417 res ...
,
Halandri Chalandri (, Ancient Greek: Φλύα, ''Phlya'', also ''Halandri'', ''Khalandri'') is a town and a suburb in the northern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is a municipality of the Attica region. Geography Chalandri is a suburb in No ...
and
Agia Paraskevi Agia Paraskevi (, ''Agía Paraskeví'') is a suburb and a municipality in the northeastern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is part of the North Athens regional unit. Agia Paraskevi was named after the main church of the town, which ...
to the west, Glyka Nera to the south, Pallini and Anthousa to the east and Penteli to the north.


History


Antiquity

In
Ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...
, during the 6th century BC, throughout the shine of the Athenian State, a great union is established by the residents of Aharnes, Gargittos, Pallini and Paiania, at the heart of the land of Attica (Athenian countryside). These residents are called at that time Athenian citizens, descendants of the Ionian tribe. The union takes place at a significant position, as a passage from the great city to the plain delimited by the Attica mountains, reaching the east coast. The religious and political alliance is centered around the famous Pallinida Athena sanctuary, a glorious temple where the goddess Athena was worshiped, attracting the respect, as well as the religious and trading interest of the citizens of Athens city-state. This was a temple of similar beauty and architecture of those of
Poseidon Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...
at
Sounion Cape Sounion (Modern Greek: Aκρωτήριο Σούνιο ''Akrotírio Soúnio'' ; ''Άkron Soúnion'', latinized ''Sunium''; Venetian: ''Capo Colonne'' "Cape of Columns") is the promontory at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula, ...
,
Nemesis In ancient Greek religion and myth, Nemesis (; ) also called Rhamnousia (or Rhamnusia; ), was the goddess who personified retribution for the sin of hubris: arrogance before the gods. Etymology The name ''Nemesis'' is derived from the Greek ...
at Ramnous and
Hephaestus Hephaestus ( , ; wikt:Hephaestus#Alternative forms, eight spellings; ) is the Greek god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes.Walter Burkert, ''Greek Religion'' 1985: III.2. ...
at the
ancient Agora of Athens The ancient Agora of Athens (also called the Classical Agora) is an ancient Greek agora. It is located to the northwest of the Acropolis, and bounded on the south by the hill of the Areopagus and on the west by the hill known as the Agoraios ...
. The temple was accessible through stone paths connecting it with the great city of Athens and other great settlement in Attica (Athens city-state). In 546 BC, the temple is meant to be marked by historical events, as
Peisistratos Pisistratus (also spelled Peisistratus or Peisistratos; ;  – 527 BC) was a politician in ancient Athens, ruling as tyrant in the late 560s, the early 550s and from 546 BC until his death. His unification of Attica, the triangular ...
and his followers strike against those opposed to the tyranny in Athens. According to the great historian
Herodotus Herodotus (; BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian control in the 5th century BC, and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria, Italy. He wrote the '' Histori ...
, for the third time the scheming tyrant tries to take over the governance that his opponents had taken away from him, the
Alcmaeonidae The Alcmaeonidae (; , ; Attic: , ) or Alcmaeonids () were a wealthy and powerful noble family of ancient Athens, a branch of the Neleides who claimed descent from the mythological Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narrati ...
. And, while the armies were encamped at the junction of Vrilittos and Hymettus mountains, Amphilitus, augur of the temple shows up in front of Peisistratos and gives him an oracle, assuring him that he has gained the favor of the goddess Athena. Peisistratos, confident on his victory decides to spring on his opponents, attacking at the right time, putting them to fight. After his dominance, he honors his dead soldiers by setting up monuments at the place of the battle. At the environs of Gargittos and Pallini where the battle took place, tombs with monuments are set at each grave of the soldiers, who are buried along with their favourite heirlooms, such as vessels, jewelry and coins. Afterwards, Peisistratos moves on to Athens where he establishes tyranny. When Peisistratos dies, in 527 BC,
Cleisthenes Cleisthenes ( ; ), or Clisthenes (), was an ancient Athenian lawgiver credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508 BC. For these accomplishments, historians refer to him as "the fath ...
, a prominent political figure of this era, tries to give an end to tyranny, while conflicts between Athenians and
Sparta Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the Evrotas Valley, valley of Evrotas (river), Evrotas rive ...
ns, Chalkidans and
Thebans Thebes ( ; , ''Thíva'' ; , ''Thêbai'' .) is a city in Boeotia, Central Greece, and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is the largest city in Boeotia and a major center for the area along with Livadeia and ...
take place. In his effort to set equality and isonomy to the Athenian state, Cleisthenes abolishes the institutions of the genus and the tribes, while he sets up a new state structure based on the topographic orientation. The four old Ionian tribes are negated and replaced by ten artificial which are named after their local heroes. The Attica dominion is distinguished to three zones, each of which encloses ten ''
trittyes The ''trittyes'' (; ''trittúes''), singular ''trittys'' (; τριττύς ''trittús'') were part of the organizational structure that divided the population in ancient Attica, and is commonly thought to have been established by the reforms of ...
''. Ten ''trittyes'' are created from the main city of Athens (''
asty Asty (; ) was the physical space of a city or town in Ancient Greece, especially as opposed to the political concept of a ''polis'', which encompassed the entire territory and citizen body of a city-state. In Classical Athens, the ''asty'' was ...
''), ten from the coast ('' paralia'') and ten from the interior of Attica (''
mesogeia The Mesogeia or Mesogaia (, "Midlands") is a geographical region of Attica in Greece. History The term designates since antiquity the inland portion of the Attic peninsula. The term acquired a technical meaning with the reforms of Cleisthenes in ...
''). The region of Gargittos is located at the heart of the ''mesogeia'', which is demarcated by Flya, Dekeleia, Aphidnes and Agnous. This area is named Mesogea because, according to the ancient borders of Attica, it is the most landlocked part, at the center of the land. According to the Gargittius historian Epicurus, at this region the dead body of
Eurystheus In Greek mythology, Eurystheus (; , ) was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean Greece, Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid, although other authors including Homer and Euripides cast him as ruler of Argos, Peloponnese, Argos. Family Eurysthe ...
was buried, an opponent of
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
who gained the kingship at
Mycenae Mycenae ( ; ; or , ''Mykē̂nai'' or ''Mykḗnē'') is an archaeological site near Mykines, Greece, Mykines in Argolis, north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located about south-west of Athens; north of Argos, Peloponnese, Argos; and sou ...
after a battle at
Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
, where he buried his opponent's head. Meanwhile, the Pallantides, the 50 sons of
Pallas Pallas may refer to: Astronomy * 2 Pallas asteroid ** Pallas family, a group of asteroids that includes 2 Pallas * Pallas (crater), a crater on Earth's moon Mythology * Pallas (Giant), a son of Uranus and Gaia, killed and flayed by Athena * Pa ...
, leader of Pallini and brother of
Aegeus Aegeus (, ; ) was one of the List of kings of Athens, kings of Athens in Greek mythology, who gave his name to the Aegean Sea, was the father of Theseus, and founded Athenian institutions. Family Aegeus was the son of Pandion II, king of Athe ...
, claimed the throne from Aegeus' son,
Theseus Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes desc ...
, whom they never recognized as a legal successor of the Athenian kingdom. Theseus moved for a while to
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
and the Pallantides assumed he would not return. When Theseus came back to Attica from his journey to
Hades Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
, he was informed at Gargittos of the rule of the Pallantides and the establishment of the throne at Pallini. Cursing the Athenians, he self-exiles to Crete. However, he returned one day unexpectedly and the Pallantides decided to take over the throne permanently. Therefore, they form two teams and declared war. The first team threads alongside Pallas, waiting for Theseus at the southeastern gate of Hymettus at Sphettos, while the second one sets an ambush at the northeastern gate at Gargittos, in case Thiseas decided to fight against their father. However, their plans fail when he is informed the forerunner Leo and by one surprising attack he manages to extinguish his enemies at Gargittos and at the same time scatter the other team. Theseus now may permanently state his predominance over the city of Athens and gain his citizens' respect once again.


Christian and Byzantine Times

During the
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
and
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
times, Attica is decayed, although there are some findings that indicate the existence of settlements at that time. In particular, one may come across the Saint Dimitrios' church at Aitolias Street, Saint George's church at Attica Street, Agion Panton at Saint Nektarios Street, Saint John Theologos at Miaoulis Street. In addition, ruins of the Saint Nikolaos church are found on top of the Pallene Athena sanctuary and a marble lion. Since the 5th century BC until the Roman conquest, findings around Stavros indicate the colonization of the area. Recent excavations at a
prehistoric Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins  million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...
graveyard at Fouresi Hill brought to light ruins of a palaiochristian temple that proves the existence of a Christian community.


Latin Empire

Arvanite mercenaries from
Northern Epirus Northern Epirus (, ; ) is a term used for specific parts of southern Albania which were first claimed by the Kingdom of Greece in the Balkan Wars and later were associated with the Greek minority in Albania and Greece-Albania diplomatic relation ...
were sent to Mesogea to protect the
Duchy of Athens The Duchy of Athens (Greek language, Greek: Δουκᾶτον Ἀθηνῶν, ''Doukaton Athinon''; Catalan language, Catalan: ''Ducat d'Atenes'') was one of the Crusader states set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during ...
which was established in 1205 by the
Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...
, after the conquest of
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
during the
Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
. Arvanites reinforce the working population, while later they bring their families along and root in the Mesogea area, to which they bring their language, customs and place names.


Ottoman domination

The Duchy of Athens is preserved until the conquest of the athenians by the Turks in 1456, after a historical course of 251 years. Attica natives and arvanites lose their land and are violently separated by their children. The settlement that is set at the location of ancient Paiania is named "Liopesi", an arvanitic name, whereas many neighbourhoods preserve their Byzantine names.


Historical monuments (post-Byzantine)

* The church of St. George the «Chostos», hermitage of St. Timothy in Gargettus-Γαργηττός. A wall painting monument (1727) of George Markou the Argus, the great and prolific post-Byzantine ecclesiastic iconographer of the 18th century. (''"....Nel 1727, Marcou si trova di nuovo ad Atene, dove assume l’agiografia dei Templi di San Giorgio di Chostu (eremitaggio)...."'' Evangelos Andreou https://ketlib.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/ket/849


Middle Ages

Gerakas is closely connected with the history of the Penteliko, as the wider landscape was a nest of religious activity but pastoral as well. When the Great Penteli Monastery is established by Saint Timotheos in 1578, the Saint Nikolaos church at Gargittos is used for asceticism, while other churches are also set at the region. This specific area is called Karyttos, a place for the monks to rest, but a place for the
Sarakatsani The Sarakatsani (), also called Karakachani (), are an ethnic Greeks, Greek population subgroup who were traditionally Transhumance, transhumant shepherds, native to Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania, an ...
shepherds to graze too. The shepherds used to bring their animals from Penteli where they lived and worked during the summertime, down to Gerakas during the cold winter nights. In his attempt to give financial independence to the monastery, Saint Timotheos bought pieces of the land around, displacing the shepherds away to a place called Labrika, near modern
Koropi Koropi (, ) is a suburban town in East Attica, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality Kropia. It has been home to the new training facilities of Panathinaikos football club since the summer of 2013. Geography Koropi is situated east of the ...
. This fact led Timotheos and other land owners to conflicts, such as Saint Philothei from Athens. Some Pieces of the land were claimed were owned by the Great Logothetis Ierakas, which he gave to the monastery, whereas Philothei regained the pieces that she owned. Afterwards, some Sarakatsani and Arvanites Koropiotes returned to work at the fields, after the disputes were over.


Hellenic State

During the years of the Hellenic independence, in 1835 the Municipality of Myrinous of the province of Attica is established by the Decree BD of 1 October (FEK 17) and the seat is located at the settlement of Liopesi, center of the ancient trittys of Paiania. The name Myrinous comes from the coastal deme that is located at modern Markopoulo. The new municipality covers almost the whole Mesogean plain and hardly presents 431 residents. During the next years, there are gradual merges of new settlements, whereas in 1840 by the Decree B.D. of 30 August the Municipality of Kekropia is established, merging the Municipalities of Myrinous and Arafin. Seat of the new municipality is the village Koursallas, modern Koropi. The name of the municipality comes from the ancient deme of Kekropia that was named after its hero and first king of Athens,
Cecrops I Cecrops (; ; , ) was a legendary king of Attica which derived from him its name Cecropia, according to the Parian Chronicle having previously borne the name of Acte or Actice (from Actaeus). He was the founder and the first king of Athens itsel ...
. By the Decree B.D. of 14 July 1842, the municipality is renamed as Kropia, due to objections from the Greek archaeological services that state "mistakenly the municipality behind Ymittos was named Kekropia. Such name never existed according to older and recent geographers, but the ancient Greeks called Kechropian the Acropolis and a part lying between Eleusina and Aharnes." By the Decree B.D. of 6 October 1847 (FEK 34), the seat of the municipality is transferred from Koropi to Markopoulon, another village near the coast. The land of modern Gerakas is covered by cultivated fields used by the Arvanites and native residents of Liopesi, Charvati and Kantza who live and work at the Mesogean plain. By the Decree B.D. of 27 January 1905 (FEK 18), the settlement of Charvati is named after its ancient ancestor, Pallini. The borders between Paiania and Pallini are not easily distinguished and expand vertically upon the land of ancient Pallini, up to the first hills of Pentelikon, at the land of ancient Gargittos. This administrative line of Paiania (descendant of the village Liopesi) run up to the B Zone of Ymittos, a beautiful slope of the mountain covered by pine trees and fresh water wells and significant as well as located at the entrance of the Athens basin.


Modern Gerakas

On a more recent administrative model, Paiania and the neighbouring municipalities are subsumed within the prefecture of East Attica. At the same time, Pallini alongside Kantza border on "Upper Paiania" that is basically built around the Stavros church at the most northeastern part of the Ymittos mountain, near Agia Paraskevi. The houses are scattered around and lie between the farmlands of the Paianians. In 1966, a small settlement near the Lavriou Avenue, connecting Athens with Lavrium, among the pits, tries unsuccessfully for a secession from Paiania, in order to be recognized as Commune of Glyka Nera. Meanwhile, another settlement of Makedones and Ipirotes in 1967 near the old railway station at the land of Gerakas give an effort for the establishment of a Commune of Gerakas, with no success as well. A local committee is constituted and visits the prefecture office with a demand of the commune establishment. Their demand is turned down again. Meanwhile, their western neighbours at Agia Paraskevi meet an unexpected urban development and a great population growth coming from Athens, up to the northern part of the mountain. Pallini on the other corner of the mountain seems to have established its historical seat of its ancestor, near Kantza and Paiania seems to be cut off from the Athens entrance. In 1969, the Commune of Glyka Nera is a reality, an area that cuts off the lands of Gerakas to the north from the village of Paiania to the south. In 1974 another gathering of Gerakiotes takes place and after the police gives their permission, they visit a lawyer and constitute the memorandum of the new administrative entity they desire to create. In 1980 approval is granted by the East Attica Prefecture and the new commune is born. The administrative borders of Gerakas enclose parts of the Stavros settlement around the Army's Hill, as well as the droughty fields of the southern hills of Penteli up to the marble workshops and the scattered industries. An informal local poll takes place for the name of the new commune, among the names of the three settlements of Gerakas, Stavros and Gargittos and they decide to name it Gerakas.


Demographics

Since 2001 and especially after the great transportation works that have been completed, Gerakas had a rapid growth in population, mostly Athenians leaving the center of the metropolitan area. source
ESYEMunicipality of Gerakas
/small>


Transportation

2004 was a significant date for the area, as the Athens Olympic Games left an enormous heritage to the city. Some of the great works completed are the
Attiki Odos Attiki Odos () (''Attica Road'') is a toll motorway system in Greece. The Attiki Odos motorways form the outer beltways of the Athens, Greater Athens metropolitan area. The total length of the motorways is . The Attiki Odos system currently cons ...
, the Ymittos Circuital Road, as well as the
Doukissis Plakentias Doukissis Plakentias (), sometimes known simply as Plakentias, is an Athens Metro and Suburban Railway station situated at the end of Doukissis Plakentias Avenue in Chalandri, a municipality in the regional unit of North Athens, Attica, Greece. ...
and
Pallini Pallini () is a suburban town in Greater Athens Area and a municipality in East Attica, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Gerakas. It is the seat of administration of the East Attica regional unit. Geography Pallini is situated ...
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
and
Suburban Railway Commuter rail or suburban rail is a passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Commuter rail systems can use locomotive-hauled tr ...
stations. In addition, the Marathonos Avenue was widened and the Spaton Avenue was recreated. The great transportational works give the spark for mass construction of the farmlands which are cut into small fields, while the building activity gave an architectural uniformity to the city.


Land prices

The land of Gerakas is separated into five zones for valuation purposes. The tax values are common to those of Pallini and Glika Nera, fluctuating in 2006 between €1,050 to 1,300 / m2, whereas in 2007 they present an increase of 19% to 19,23% reaching €1,250 to 1,550 / m2. However, due to great demand, the market values break the dam of €2,000 / m2, reaching the €2,200 to 2,800 / m2, similar to the values of the neighbouring northeastern suburbs of Athens.


Government and politics

Spiros Giannakou was the first president of Gerakas, whereas Giannis Papadogeorgakis and Athanasios Zoutsos ensue up to the modern administrative era of the city. During the recent years, Gerakas is trying to balance between the variant forms of development and its urbanization, while it seems to "flirt" with the borders of the Athens metropolitan city. Some of the city's conveniencies are the easy connection between the Athens basin and the East Attica plain, the significant location between the two Attica mountains and the modern architecture. Among the problems the municipality faces are the delay of the excretory system and some bungling of the street layout. The city recently participated at the SPAP organization as the 23rd member, which aims to protect and recreate the wounded mountain of Penteli, as well as the Marathonios Anaptyksiaki, which aims to the development of the northern mesogea municipalities. A significant role is also attributed to the local cultural union of "Pigi" that tries to help the city to be known and developed.Historical Documents of Pigi
, retrieved on 28/7/2008


See also

*
List of municipalities of Attica A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...


References


External links


Official website
{{Pallini div Populated places in East Attica