Katerini (, ''Kateríni'', ) is a city and municipality in northern

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 ...

, the capital city of Regional Unit of Piera in Central Macedonia, Greece. It lies on the Pierian plain, between

Mount Olympus Mount Olympus (, , ) is an extensive massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, between the regional units of Larissa (regional unit), Larissa and Pieria (regional ...

and the

Thermaikos Gulf The Thermaic Gulf (, ), also called the Gulf of Thessaloniki and the Macedonian Gulf, is a gulf constituting the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The city of Thessaloniki is at its northeastern tip, and it is bounded by Pieria Imathia and ...

, at an altitude of 14 m. The municipality of Katerini has a population of 82,892 (according to the 2021

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

). It is the second most populous urban area in the region of

Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...

after

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

. The close distance between the two cities (68 km), has been beneficial for Katerini's development over recent years. Katerini is accessible from the A1/ E75 Athens–Thessaloniki motorway (with the Katerini's South, East and North interchanges) and the

A2 motorway A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''English alphabet#Letter names, a'' (pronounced ), plural ...

to the north. It is served by Intercity,

Proastiakos The Proastiakos (; "suburban") is Greece's commuter rail service, run by Hellenic Train, on rail infrastructure owned by the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) (lines) and GAIAOSE (buildings and Trains). These services connect a participating ...

(suburban train) and local trains on the main Athens-Thessaloniki railway line and there is a comprehensive regional and national bus service with its hub in the city. A popular tourist destination in northern Greece, Katerini is close to the sea (7 km) and to several archaeological sites of great interest such as the ancient city of Dion (5th century BC, 17 km away), ancient

Leivithra Leibethra or Libethra, in the modern pronunciation Leivithra (), was an ancient Macedonian city at the foot of Mount Olympus, near the present settlement of Skotina. Archaeologists have discovered tombs there from the late Bronze Age (13th–12t ...

(27 km away), ancient Pydna (16 km away) and the

Castle of Platamon The Platamon Castle (), an important part of the History of Pieria (regional unit), history of Pieria, is a Frankokratia, Crusader List of castles in Greece, castle (built between 1204 and 1222) in Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, Greece and is loc ...

. The beaches of

Kallithea Kallithea (Greek language, Greek: Καλλιθέα, meaning "beautiful view") is a suburb in Athens#Athens Urban Area, Athens agglomeration and a municipality in South Athens (regional unit), south Athens regional unit. It is the eighth larges ...

Korinos Korinos () is a town and a former municipality in Pieria regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Katerini, of which it is a municipal unit (Kallikratis Programme). The municipal unit has an area ...

Olympiaki Akti Olympiaki Akti (, also known as Olympic Beach and Olympic Coast) is a village in the Katerini municipality, Greece. It is also still domestically known by its initial name Katerinoskala (Κατερινόσκαλα) which can be literally expressed ...

(or ''Katerinoskala''), Paralia (where the 3rd Port Authority Department of Skala Katerini is located), Peristasi are visited by both Greek and foreign tourists during the summer season. The base of

and the town of

Litochoro Litochoro (, ''Litóchoro''; Katharevousa: Λιτόχωρον) is a town and a former municipality in the southern part of the Pieria (regional unit), Pieria regional unit, Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government re ...

, are at a distance of around 20 km from the center of Katerini. The

ski center A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area–a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North ...

Elatochori Elatochori () is a village and a community of the Katerini municipality. Before the 2011 local government reform it was part of the municipality of Pierioi, of which it was a municipal district. The 2021 census recorded 447 inhabitants in the vi ...

in Mount Pieria is at a distance of 33.4 km from the city's center.

Name and history

The origin of the name is obscure. Since the 13th century, travellers as well as maps record the existence of a settlement called Hatera (), which may have been the origin of the modern name. Thus Felix Beaujour recorded its name as "Katheri", while

François Pouqueville François Charles Hugues Laurent Pouqueville (; 4 November 1770 – 20 December 1838) was a French diplomat, writer, explorer, physician and historian, and member of the Institut de France. He traveled extensively throughout Ottoman-occupied G ...

gives the name of the settlement as "Kateri Hatera". According to another theory, the city derives its name from the small chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine (Greek: , Agia Aikaterini) to the east of the city, dating to at least the early 19th century. The latter hypothesis influenced official usage in Greek, where the city is found as "Aikaterini" (Greek: ) or "Agia Aikaterini" (Greek: ) until the early 20th century, when the vernacular name Katerini (Greek: ) prevailed. According to the reports of travellers, at the turn of the 19th century, the city had four to five thousand inhabitants, mostly Greeks. In 1806,

William Martin Leake William Martin Leake FRS (14 January 17776 January 1860) was an English soldier, spy, topographer, diplomat, antiquarian, writer, and Fellow of the Royal Society. He served in the British Army, spending much of his career in the Mediterrane ...

recorded 100 hearths, while four years later Daniel recorded 140. For the remainder of the 19th century, the number of homes remained steady at about 300, with a population in 1900 of 2,070 Orthodox Christians and 600

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

. The city was liberated by the Greek 7th Infantry Division from the Ottoman rule and annexed to the Greece on 16 October 1912, during the

First Balkan War The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...

. It has been part of Greece since then. Refugees from the

Greek genocide The Greek genocide (), which included the Pontic genocide, was the systematic killing of the Christian Ottoman Greek population of Anatolia, which was carried out mainly during World War I and its aftermath (1914–1922) – including the T ...

settled in Katerini. With the

population exchange between Greece and Turkey The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey stemmed from the "Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations" signed at Lausanne, Switzerland, on 30 January 1923, by the governments of Greece and Turkey. It involv ...

in 1923 the city's Muslims were expelled, while

Greek refugees Greek refugees is a collective term used to refer to the more than one million Greek Orthodox natives of Asia Minor, Thrace and the Black Sea areas who fled during the Greek genocide (1914-1923) and Greece's later defeat in the Greco-Turkish W ...

from

Eastern Thrace East Thrace or Eastern Thrace, also known as Turkish Thrace or European Turkey, is the part of Turkey that is geographically in Southeast Europe. Turkish Thrace accounts for 3.03% of Turkey's land area and 15% of its population. The largest c ...

and Greek

Evangelicals Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of the Christian g ...

from

Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

took their place, almost doubling the city's population from 5,540 in 1920 to 10,138 in 1928. During

Axis Occupation of Greece The occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers () began in April 1941 after Nazi Germany Battle of Greece, invaded the Kingdom of Greece in order to assist its ally, Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Italy, in their Greco-Italian War, ongoing war that w ...

by the Axis Powers in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Katerini went under

Nazi German Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

occupation on 14 April 1941, and was liberated on 26 October 1944.

Geography

Administrative division

The Municipality of Katerini was formed in 2011 with the

Kallikratis Programme The Kallikratis Programme () is the common name of Greek law 3852/2010 of 2010, a major administrative reform in Greece. It brought about the second major reform of the country's administrative divisions following the 1997 Kapodistrias reform. ...

administrative reform by the merger of the following 6 former municipalities, that became municipal units of the newly formed Municipality of Katerini. The municipality Katerini is subdivided into 6 municipal units, each of which is divided into municipal communities.

Climate

Katerini has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

that is characterised by warm to hot, dry summers and cool and more humid winters (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''Cfa'').

Local food

Katerini is located near several villages which are renowned for their high quality products, specifically kiwis, wines, cherries, strawberries, apples, olives, olive oil,

truffle oil Truffle oil is a modern culinary ingredient used to impart the flavor and aroma of truffles to a dish. The ingredient is commonly used as a finishing oil in a variety of dishes, including truffle fries, pasta dishes, pizzas, and puréed foods such ...

, truffles, mushrooms, grapes,

mineral water Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. It is usually still, but may be sparkling ( carbonated/ effervescent). Traditionally, mineral waters were used or consumed at t ...

, herbs with the most well-known being the Greek mountain tea locally in Pieria known as "Tea of Olympus", honey and honey products (

propolis Propolis or bee glue is a resinous mixture that honey bees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the beehive. Pro ...

royal jelly Royal jelly is a honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae and adult queens. It is secreted from the glands in the hypopharynx of nurse bees, and fed to all larvae in the colony, regardless of sex or caste.Graham, J. (ed.) (199 ...

beeswax Bee hive wax complex Beeswax (also known as cera alba) is a natural wax produced by honey bees of the genus ''Apis''. The wax is formed into scales by eight wax-producing glands in the abdominal segments of worker bees, which discard it in o ...

ointment,

bee pollen Bee pollen, also known as bee bread and ambrosia, is a ball or pellet of field-gathered Pollen, flower pollen packed by worker honeybees, and used as the primary food source for the hive. It consists of simple sugars, protein, Mineral (nutrie ...

), dairy products (

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...

kefir Kefir ( ; alternative spellings: kephir or kefier; ; ; ) is a Fermented milk products, fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt or ayran that is made from kefir grains, a specific type of mesophilic SCOBY, symbiotic culture. It is prep ...

yogurt Yogurt (; , from , ; also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial Fermentation (food), fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to ...

), cheese (

feta Feta ( ; ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is formed into large blocks and aged in brin ...

kasseri Kasseri (Greek: κασέρι, Turkish: ''kaşar''Merriam-Webster Unabridged ''kasseri''/ref>) is a medium-hard or hard pale yellow cheese made from pasteurised or unpasteurised sheep milk and at most 20% goat's milk. "Kasseri" is a protected d ...

manouri Manouri () is a Greek semi-soft, fresh white mixed milk-whey cheese made from goat or sheep milk as a by-product following the production of feta. It is produced primarily in Thessalia and Macedonia in central and northern Greece. Manouri is cr ...

anthotyros Anthotyros () (Anthotyro in modern Greek, "flowery cheese") is a traditional fresh cheese. There are dry Anthotyros and fresh Anthotyros. Dry Anthotyros is a matured cheese similar to Mizithra. Anthotyros is made with milk and whey from sheep ...

kefalotyri Kefalotyri or kefalotiri ( is a hard, salty white cheese made from sheep milk or goat's milk (or both) in Greece and Cyprus. A similar cheese, Kefalograviera, also made from sheep or goat milk (or both), is sometimes sold outside Greece and Cypr ...

mizithra Mizithra or myzithra ( ) is a Greek cuisine, Greek whey cheese or mixed cheese, milk-whey cheese from sheep milk, sheep or goats, or both.Rosemary Barron, Barron, Rosemary (1991). ''Flavors of Greece.'' William Morrow, It is sold both as a fresh ...

), chickens (meat, eggs), black pigs (meat, cured meat, sausages). Katerini Steppe

Cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

originate from Katerini. This breed belonging to the Podolian cattle is at high risk of extinction, and is well known for its meat and milk. It is found now in the region of

Thessaly Thessaly ( ; ; ancient Aeolic Greek#Thessalian, Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient Thessaly, a ...

. The

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...

of Katerini is Greece's

Macedonian cuisine Macedonian cuisine ( is the traditional cuisine of North Macedonia. It is influenced by Ottoman and Balkan cuisines. The relatively warm climate of the country provides excellent growth conditions for a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits. ...

Seafood Seafood is any form of Marine life, sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including Fish as food, fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of Mollusca, molluscs (e.g., bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters, and mussel ...

comes mainly from the seaport of Paralia.

Economy

Katerini is the administrative and economic center of Pieria. In 2022 it joined the EU Smart Tourism Destinations Project for

smart tourism Smart tourism is an important component of a smart city.A. K. Tripathy, P. K. Tripathy, N. K. Ray, and S. P. Mohanty, �iTour: The Future of Smart Tourism��, ''IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine'', Volume 7, Issue 3, May 2018, pp. 32-37. Tourism ...

. The project aims to promote sustainable development practices and access to tourism and hospitality through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with the collaboration of other EU selected destinations. Katerini has received a gold award of Circular Economy and a silver award of Environmental Excellence to Local Authorities at the Environmental Awards 2022 at

Hellenic Foundation for Culture The Hellenic Foundation for Culture (HFC; ), founded in 1992, is a cultural and educational organization, based in Athens, which aims to promote Greek language and Greek culture. Professor Ioannis Georgakis, was the prime mover, founder and first ...

on 28 September 2022. It is the first municipality in Greece in which the pilot implementation of the SMARTREC Platform for the recycling of

cooking oil Cooking oil (also known as edible oil) is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing h ...

is taking place. This implementation is with collaboration with the

International Hellenic University The International Hellenic University (IHU; ) is a public university in Greece. It was initially established in October 2005 and was based in Thessaloniki, Greece. History The International Hellenic University () was initially established in Oc ...

. The municipality participates in the European program "LIFE-IP AdaptInGR – Boosting the implementation of adaptation policy across Greece" (2019–2026) for the adaptation to the effects of climate change, led by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. The following organizations are based in Katerini: the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Pieria, Dimitra Agricultural-Livestock-farming Association of Katerini, Sheep-Goat Farmers of Pieria Agricultural Cooperative of Prefecture of Pieria, Agios Modestos Sheep-Goat Farmers Association of Pieria, Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Pieria, Consortium of Agricultural Tobacco Cooperatives of Pieria, Pieria Hoteliers Association, Federation of Letting Rooms and Accommodations of Pieria,

Imathia Imathia ( ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Central Macedonia, within the geographic regions of Greece, geographic region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. The capital of Imathia is the ...

Pella Pella () is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It served as the capital of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. Currently, it is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella ...

(OEDDPIP), Travel Agents Association of Pieria. Every year it operates the Trade-Craft Exhibition Activity of Pieria & Central Makedonia (EBEP-KM), and the open-air market and traditional Greek festival Emporopanigyri known as Panigyri in August-September, taking place at the exhibition area of the Municipality of Katerini in the Andromachi settlement. The Park Festival is held at the Municipal Park of Katerini in April with street food and fun activities. In October, the Fest of Honey for honey and bee products is held at the Municipal Park of Katerini, organized by the Agios Filaretos o Eleimon Bee⁠-⁠keeping Association of Pieria, under the auspices of the Municipality of Katerini. The Municipality of Katerini, in collaboration with the Zeus Athletic Cultural Club of Pieria's Runners, organizes every year the "Run for Katerini" 8 km road race, part of the events celebrating the liberation of Katerini on 16 October 1912.

Agriculture

Katerini lies in the middle of a plain and is thus an agricultural city. 26,775 people were employed in agriculture in Pieria as of 2000. There is cultivation of

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

in the region and a lot of people spend considerable resources for its development and for exports of the product. The Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Pieria has 9,000 members, of which 2,000 grow tobacco. Katerini - and Pieria - is the area in Greece where

kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), an informal name for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible hairy fruit with many seeds * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of curren ...

s were first cultivated in 1973 at the initiative of Tasos Michos who was application agronomist at the Pieria Directorate of Agriculture. The ''Aktinidio Pierias'' is cultivated in Pieria and is a part of the Hayward kiwi variety. It is registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product with the awarding of certification on 22 November 2002.

Tourism

Katerini is a popular tourist destination that attracts visitors from Greece and abroad. Within the boundaries of the municipality, there are seasonal and all year round over 230 hotels, that can accommodate more than 8,600 people, short-term rental accommodatios, and tourist accommodations. The vast majority of the tourist infrastructure, including tens of

taverna A taverna (; ) is a small Greek restaurant that serves Greek cuisine. The taverna is an integral part of Greek culture and has become familiar to people from other countries who visit Greece, as well as through the establishment of tavernes ...

s and

cafes A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargile ...

, lie in Paralia and

. These two localities are linked with roads, sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Winter tourism has started developing in the area with the

ski resort. Katerini is surrounded by ancient archaeological sites as Dion,

Pydna Pydna (; Greek: Πύδνα, ''Pýdna'') is a small town and a former municipality in the northeastern part of Pieria regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pydna-Kolindros, of which it is a ...

, Louloudies and Platamon Castle.

is a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Biosphere Reserve designated in 1981. Olympus National Woodland Park (one of the

National parks of Greece National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

) is popular for visits and sports.

Public health

The National Health System (ESY) in Katerini has the: * General Hospital of Katerini, in the area of Neo Keramidi. * Health Center of Katerini. * 4th Local Health Group (T.OM.Y.) of Katerini housed in the premises of the Health Center of Katerini and National Organization for Health Care Services (EOPYY). * 12th Local Health Group (T.OM.Y.) of Katerini housed in the premises of the former General Hospital of Katerini. * Regional Care Center in Paralia operates each summer season. * Atraktos Center for the Prevention of Addictions and Promotion of Psychosocial Health of the Regional Unit of Pieria. The Municipal Social Care Center of Katerini of the Municipality of Katerini is housed in the premises of the former General Hospital of Katerini and provides primary health care services to the vulnerable social groups that has been equipped and funding from a Migrant and Refugee Fund (MRF) grant received through the

Council of Europe Development Bank The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB, ) is a multilateral development bank, granting loans to member states to help disaster victims, help with job creation, and improve social infrastructure. , its assets stood at 28 billion euros, whic ...

. The social welfare program "Help at Home" operates by Municipality of Katerini supports vulnerable, elderly and people with disabilities who are unable to support themselves and are in need of help at home. In 2020, Municipality of Katerini acquired a mobile (vehicle mounted frequency selective) measurement station that monitor the electromagnetic field levels from antenna stations in the frequency range 100KHz–7 GHz, which is operated and controlled by the

Greek Atomic Energy Commission The Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) is an independent government agency of Greece which is responsible for atomic safety, development and regulations and for monitoring artificially produced ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. The seven-m ...

(EEAE), with the aim of public information about high-frequency

electromagnetic fields In physics, electromagnetism is an interaction that occurs between particles with electric charge via electromagnetic fields. The electromagnetic force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature. It is the dominant force in the interacti ...

levels. The results are presented through an interactive web portal and mobile application. Municipality of Katerini operates its office for local stray animals.

Transport

Local transport

The national bus lines service is provided by the KTEL Pieria station (Pieria intercity (coach) bus station, terminal) for intercity buses located in Katerini. The local bus lines between Katerini and its nearby settlements are served by the urban buses of the KTEL Katerini, which has lines towards Ano Agios Ioannis, Aronas, Dion, Moschochori,

, Paralia, Palaio Keramidi, Neo Nosokomeio (New General Hospital of Katerini), Nea Trapezounta, Vrontou. These routes serve all the settlements that lie between Katerini and the aforementioned final destinations.

Road transport

Katerini is served by the A1 motorway and National Road 1 that run north-south from

Evzonoi Evzonoi (, , before 1927: Ματσίκοβο - ''Matsikovo'', , , , ''Machukovo'') is a town in Kilkis regional unit in Central Macedonia, Greece. The main border crossing between Greece and North Macedonia is located here. The village across the ...

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 ...

. The connection between Katerini and

Elassona Elassona (; Katharevousa: ) is a town and a municipality in the Larissa regional unit in Greece. During antiquity Elassona was called Oloosson (Ὀλοοσσών) and was a town of the Perrhaebi tribe. It is situated at the foot of Mount Olympus ...

is served by National Road 13.

Single carriageway A single carriageway (British English) is a road with one, two or more lanes arranged within a one carriageway with no central reservation, central reservation/median strip to separate opposing flows of traffic. A single-track road is a type of ...

s run from Katerini to every settlement of the Pieria. Intercity bus routes delivered by the KTEL Pieria, connect Katerini directly with Athens,

, Alexandreia and all the settlements of Pieria that are not served by the urban buses of KTEL Katerini. There are also privately held international bus routes that connect Katerini with several cities in

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

and

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

Rail links

Katerini Railway Station Katerini railway station () is a railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails ...

is located just outside the city center. The main line of the Greek railway system that connects Athens with Thessaloniki passes through Katerini. As a result, the city is connected directly with

Larissa Larissa (; , , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 148,562 in the city proper, according to the 2021 census. It is also the capital of the Larissa ...

and Thessaloniki via the

Thessaloniki Suburban Railway The Thessaloniki Regional Railway (), formerly the Thessaloniki Suburban Railway until 2023 (, ), is a three-line ''Proastiakos'' commuter rail service connecting the city of Thessaloniki with its metropolitan area and other regions beyond, incl ...

(Thessaloniki Proastiakos) suburban electric train. It is also connected with Athens and all the intermediate stations by Intercity train routes.

Demographics

Historical population

Local communities

Saint Photini Church in Paralia Katerinis by Tilemahos Eftimiadis 2

Katerini is home to a significant Aromanian population that exceeds 3,000 people. Aromanians of Katerini mainly descend from nearby Aromanian settlements of

Livadi Livadi or Leivadi () is a village and a former municipality in the Larissa regional unit, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Elassona, of which it is a municipal unit. In the Ottoman '' tahri ...

and

Kokkinopilos Kokkinopilos (, ) is a village and a community in Elassona Municipality, Greece. Before the 2011 local government reform it was a part of the municipality of Olympos. The community of Kokkinopilos covers an area of 129.368 km2. Administrat ...

, and in lesser numbers from

Samarina Samarina (, ) is a village and a former municipality in Grevena regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Grevena, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population primarily consis ...

Moscopole Moscopole or Voskopoja (; , with several other variants; ) is a village in Korçë County in southeastern Albania. During the 18th century, it was the cultural and commercial center of the Aromanians. At its peak, in the mid 18th century, it h ...

Avdella Avdella (; ) is a village and a former Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality in Grevena (regional unit), Grevena regional unit, Western Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been a municipal unit of G ...

, Perivoli and

Smixi Smixi (, ) is a village and former Communities and Municipalities of Greece, community in Grevena (regional unit), Grevena regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Grevena, of whic ...

. According to some sources the Aromanians formed a majority amongst the city's Christian population in the beginning of the 20th century. At the beginning of Giorgakis Olympios pedestrian street in the central Katerini district is located the bust statue of Giorgakis Olympios (1772–1821) who was an armatole and military commander during the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...

against the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

Immigrants

As of 2001, the Municipal Unit of Katerini (then Municipality of Katerini) was home to 2,794 foreign nationals (4.9% of the total population). Among them the most populous ethnic group was

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

(2.5%) followed by

Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and Peoples of the Caucasus, Caucasian ethnic group native to present-day Georgia (country), Georgia and surrounding areas historically associated with the Ge ...

(0.5%),

Russians Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...

(0.4%) and

Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...

(0.3%). A large Greek community of the Katerini

diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...

is particularly located in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, Massachusetts.

Religion

The Metropolis of Kitros, Katerini and Platamon, a part of the

Church of Greece The Church of Greece (, ), part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Its canonical territory is confined to the borders of Greece prior to th ...

which is a part of the wider

Greek Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Christianity in Greece, Greek Christianity, Antiochian Greek Christians, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christian ...

, has 16 congregations within the city of Katerini. There is also an Old Calendarist church in the city. Katerini has a relatively numerous Protestant community, as a result of the organised settlement of Evangelical Greek refugees from Asia Minor and Pontus (region). Today the Greek Evangelical Church of Katerini has almost 1,100 followers, many of them are concentrated in the Evaggelika district of the city of Katerini. Other Protestant denominations, that have a church within the city, are the Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost, the Greek Apostolic Church of Pentecost and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Protestant community is fully integrated in the life of the city, but in the past there were tensions between the Evangelical community and the Greek Orthodox majority. These tensions led to the arson of the Evangelical Church of Katerini from a Greek Orthodox mob in March 1930.

Education

The city of Katerini public schools is a part of the public education system consisting of member schools: Preschool, Primary, Gymnasium (

middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...

) schools, Evening Gymnasium, Second Chance Adult School (SDE), Unified Special Vocational Gymnasium-High School Laboratory of Special Vocational Education (EEEEK), Vocational School (EPAS) of Public Employment Service (DYPA), General High Schools, Evening General High School, Music High School, Vocational High School, Model Vocational High School, Evening Vocational High School, Unified Special Vocational Gymnasium-High School, Public School of Advanced Vocational Training (DSAEK) of Katerini, Public School of Advanced Vocational Training (DSAEK) of the General Hospital of Katerini,

- Katerini Campus, Center of Lifelong Learning (KDVM) of the Municipality of Katerini, Re-Training Programs of non-formal education with 380 hours each program of the Ministry of Tourism supervised by the Experimental School of Advanced Vocational Training of Tourism of Makedonia for employed and unemployed persons of tourism professions operate at times after an official public announcement. Various others are: Private schools (preschool, primary, secondary), Municipal Odeion of Katerini that is a

conservatoire A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

of music education, Private School of Meat Professions of Lydia, Private School of Advanced Vocational Training (ISAEK) of Lydia,

European Resuscitation Council The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) is the European Interdisciplinary Council for Resuscitation Resuscitation is the process of correcting physiological disorders (such as lack of breathing or heartbeat) in an Acute (medicine), acutely ill ...

training courses by the Rescue Team of Pieria,

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

training courses by the Hellenic Red Cross (HRC) - Branch of Katerini, School of Samaritans and Rescuers of the

Hellenic Red Cross The Hellenic Red Cross () is the Greek national Red Cross Society, founded on 10 June 1877. In 1912 the School of Nurses is founded, in 1932 the Volunteer Samaritans Corps starts its operations and in 1964 the Social Welfear Sector is also founded ...

Volunteer Corps of Samaritans, Rescuers and Lifeguards. From 2006 to 2016 was operating the Second Chance Seminary School of Katerini of the Ministry of Education, that was suspended its operation since the academic year 2016–2017, which was a two years public ecclesiastical lifelong learning education

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend acr ...

housed in the Ecclesiastical Guesthouse of the Metropolis of Kitros, Katerini and Platamon in the

Prosilio Prosilio (, literally "sunward place", before 1927: Δοβίσδανα - ''Dovisdana'') is a village in the municipal unit of Tzoumerka (Ioannina, Epirus), Greece. It is situated on a mountainside of the Athamanika mountains, at 900 m elevation. It ...

settlement.

Sports

Athletic centers

* 1st Municipal Athletic Center of Katerini (A DAK) where is the 4,995-seat open-air Stadium of Katerini. * 2nd Municipal Athletic Center of Katerini (B DAK) "Theodoros Diamantopoulos" comprises Indoor Sports Stadium, football field,

tennis court A tennis court is the venue where the sport of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the centre. The same surface can be used to play both Types of tennis match, doubles and singles matches. A variet ...

basketball court In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with -high rims on each basket. Outdoor ...

s, indoor

shooting range A shooting range, firing range, gun range or shooting ground is a specialized facility, venue, or field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice, or competitions. Some shooting ranges are operated by milita ...

, indoor

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming and associated activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built abo ...

. * Indoor Sports Stadium of Katerini Railway Station.

Football

Katerini is represented by two football teams in the national leagues;

Pierikos P.A.E. Pierikos () is a Greek football club based in Katerini, Greece, part of the major multi-sport club S.F.K. Pierikos (). Their name was inspired from the State's name of Pieria. The club competes in Gamma Ethniki. History of the club ...

, has its home stadium named 1st Municipal Athletic Center of Katerini, a club currently playing in the

Gamma Ethniki The Gamma Ethniki (, C National Division) is the Greek football league system, third highest football league in Greece. History The Gamma Ethniki began in 1965 as an amateur championship, while in 1983 it was changed to professional. Although no ...

(Third National) category, and the women's football club of Pierides Muses, playing in the Women's

category.

Other sports

* .

GAS Archelaos Katerinis Archelaos Katerinis (full name Gymnastikos Athlitikos Syllogos Archelaos Katerinis, GAS Archelaos Katerinis – ) is a Greek multisport club based in Katerini. The club has sport departments in various sports, but the most successful is the handba ...

. *

Chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

Club of Katerini * Chopper Riders Club Katerini *

Go-kart A go-kart, also written as go-cart (often referred to as simply a kart), is a type of small sports car, close wheeled car, open-wheel car or quadracycle. Go-karts come in all shapes and forms, from non-motorised models to high-performanc ...

Track of Katerini in Paralia * Free Cyclists of Pieria (ELPPI) * Olympios Cycling Club of Katerini * Cycling Escape of Pieria - Cycling Club * DIAS Environmental and Cycling Club of Katerini * Athlos Sports Club (

weightlifting Weightlifting or weight lifting generally refers to physical exercises and sports in which people lift weights, often in the form of dumbbells, barbells or machines. People engage in weightlifting for a variety of different reasons. These can ...

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

) * Aiolos Sports and Cultural Club of Katerini (

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

) * Olympioi of Katerini Gymnastics Sports Club (wrestling) *

Pyrros Dimas Pyrros Dimas (; ; born 13 October 1971) is a Greek politician and former weightlifter. He is currently the technical director for USA Weightlifting, having taken that position in June 2017. Dimas has also been involved in politics as a member o ...

Sports Club (weightlifting, track and field) * Aero Club of Pieria (

air sports The term "air sports" covers a range of aerial activities, including air racing, aerobatics, aeromodelling, hang gliding, human-powered aircraft, parachuting, paragliding, soaring, and skydiving. Recognized and regulated air sports Many a ...

, R/C

model aircraft A model aircraft is a physical model of an existing or imagined aircraft, and is built typically for display, research, or amusement. Model aircraft are divided into two basic groups: flying and non-flying. Non-flying models are also termed s ...

UAV An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Drone ...

) * Zeus Athletic Cultural Club of Pieria's Runners * Panthers Gymnastics Sports Club of Pieria, basketball * Sports Gymnastics Club of Pieria (AGEP 2011), basketball * Katerini Tennis Club * Tennis Club of Katerini (OAK) *

Equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or riding in British English) Examples of this are: *Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...

Club of Pieria * DIAS Sports Swimming Club * Nautical Club of Katerini (NOKAT) * Asterias Sports Academy (water sports) * Nereus Sports Academy of Katerini (water sports) * Vouliaxtaria Underwater Explorers and Diving Club * Sports Academy of Pieria '92 - Swimming Academy * Club of Greek Mountaineers (SEO) of Katerini * Hellenic Mountaineering Club (EOS) of Katerini * Ski Club of Katerini -

Skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

Snowboarding Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralym ...

Academy * Tritones of Katerini Friends of Free Diving - Underwater Fishing * Poseidon Sports & Cultural Club of Katerini - Swimming Academy

Notable people

Basil Athanasiadis Basil Athanasiadis (Greek: , born in 1970 in Katerini, Greece) is a Greek composer based in the United Kingdom. Early life and education Athanasiadis, after completing his piano and advanced theory studies (harmony, counterpoint, fugue) at th ...

(1970), musician, composer * Eleni Chatziliadou (1993), karateka, karate world champion 2018 * Giannis Christoforidis (1941–2020), footballer, member of the

Greece national football team The Greece national football team (, ) represents Greece in men's international Association football, football matches, and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece is one of only ten ...

Georgios Diamantidis Georgios Diamantidis (; born 3 January 1984) is a Greek former swimmer, who specialized in long-distance freestyle events. Diamantidis qualified for the Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metre freestyle, men's 1500 m freestyle a ...

(1984), swimmer who specialized in long-distance freestyle events * Elias Gaganelis, founder of the Replicar Hellas car firm in Katerini *

Dimitris Giannoulis Dimitrios Christos "Dimitris" Giannoulis (; born 17 October 1995) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a left-back for German club FC Augsburg and the Greece national team. Giannoulis began his senior career with Vataniakos and join ...

(1995), footballer * (1942), painter, director, university professor *

Stelios Malezas Stelios Malezas (; born 11 March 1985) is a Greek professional football manager and former player. Club career PAOK He started his career at AEP Katerini and moved to PAOK in 2003, thus signing his first professional contract. He played as a ce ...

(1985), footballer * Dimos Magklaras (1940–2024), long jumper *

Christina Moschi Christina may refer to: People * Christina (given name), shared by several people * Christina (surname), shared by several people Places * Christina, Montana, unincorporated community, United States * Christina, British Columbia, Canada * Chris ...

(2002), 10m air pistol shooter, Member of the Hellenic National Shooting Team * Katerina Nikolaidou (1992),

rower Rowing, often called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars (called blades in the United Kingdom) are attached to the boat using rowlocks, while paddles are ...

, 4th place 2016 Olympic Games, 2nd place in the lightweight single sculls at the 2014 and 2013 World Rowing Championships *

Kyriakos Papadopoulos Kyriakos Papadopoulos (; born 23 February 1992) is a Greek professional footballer who last played as a centre-back for Greek Super League club Levadiakos. Having made his first league appearances for Olympiacos at the age of 15, Papadopoulos ...

(1992), footballer *

Elisavet Pesiridou Elisavet Pesiridou (; born 12 February 1992) is a Greek hurdler Hurdling is the act of jumping over an obstacle at a high speed or in a sprint. In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'bur ...

(1992),

hurdler Hurdling is the act of jumping over an obstacle at a high speed or in a sprint. In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'burgles'), landing on both feet and checking their forward motion. Today ...

Marios Sakellariou Marios Sakellariou (Greek: Μάριος Σακελλαρίου; born June 21, 1992) is a Greek professional basketball player for Kymis of the Greek Basket League. He is tall. He plays at the small forward and power forward positions. Profes ...

(born 1992), Greek professional basketball player * Yannis K. Semertzidis (1961), physicist *

Maria Tsionoglou Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...

(1991), 10m air pistol shooter, Member of the Hellenic National Shooting Team *

Alexandros Tziolis Alexandros Tziolis (; born 13 February 1985) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He was a Greek international from 2005 until his international retirement in 2018. He won 75 caps, scoring twice. He ap ...

(1985), footballer * (1903–1943), politician, mayor of Katerini

International relations

Katerini is twinned with: *

Brăila Brăila (, also , ) is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County. The Sud-Est (development region), ''Sud-Est'' Regional Development Agency is located in Brăila. According to the 2021 Romanian ...

, Romania *

Karlovo Karlovo ( ) is a historically important town in central Bulgaria located in a fertile valley along the river Stryama at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains. It is administratively part of Plovdiv Province and has a population of about 1 ...

, Bulgaria *

Čačak Čačak ( sr-Cyrl, Чачак, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Moravica District in central Serbia. It is located in the West Morava Valley. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population ...

, Serbia *

Maintal Maintal (, ) is the second largest town of the Main-Kinzig district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated on the river Main, between Frankfurt am Main and Hanau. Geography Neighbouring places The neighbouring countries of Maintal are Niederdorfel ...

, Germany *

Moosburg Moosburg an der Isar ( Central Bavarian: ''Mooschbuag on da Isa'') is a town in the ''Landkreis'' Freising of Bavaria, Germany. The oldest town between Regensburg and Italy lies on the river Isar at an altitude of 421 m (1381 ft). It ...

, Austria *

Surgut Surgut ( rus, Сургу́т, p=sʊrˈgut; Khanty: Сәрханӆ, ''Sərhanł, Сө̆ркут, sörkut'') is a city in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on the Ob River near its junction with the Irtysh River. It is one of the fe ...

, Russia

Gallery

File:Statue of Liberty (Katerini).jpg , The Statue of Liberty at Eleftherias (Liberty) Square that is the Katerini’s central square File:Αστική Σχολή Κατερίνης.jpg , Civil School of Katerini (former 1st Primary School of Katerini) File:Dimarxio katerini.jpg , City Hall of Katerini at City Hall Square File:Katerini sintrivani.jpg, A fountain in Municipal Park File:Heroes Square (Katerini).jpg , Heroes’ Square File:Пешеходная улица в Katerini (31077899088).jpg ,

Giorgakis Olympios Giorgakis Olympios (; ; ; 1772–1821) was an armatole and military commander during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Noted for his activities with the Filiki Eteria in the Danubian Principalities, he is considered to b ...

bust statue at the Giorgakis Olympios Street File:Katerini - Eirinis Street.jpg , Cathedral Church of the Holy Ascension File:Gebäude des Vereins Mikrasiaton Pierias.jpg, Association of Asia Minor of Pieria File:Enosi Pontion Pierias, Gebäude.jpg , Union of Pontians of Pieria File:Katerini park3.jpg , Municipal Park

References

External links

* {{Authority control Greek prefectural capitals Populated places in Pieria (regional unit)