Amfissa

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Amphissa redirects here, for the ancient town near today's Roccella Ionica, see Amphissa, Italy.

Amfissa (Άμφισσα)

Coordinates	38°32′ N 22°22′ E
Country	Greece
Periphery	Central Greece
Prefecture	Phocis
Population	9,248 source (2001)
Area	315.2 km²
Population density	29 /km²
Elevation	180 m
Postal code	331 00
Area code	22650
Licence plate code	ΑΜ
Website	amfissa.gr

The town of Amfissa (Greek: Άμφισσα, Latin: Amphissa) is the capital of the prefecture of Phocis and the province of Parnassida in the so-called Roumelia. The area was known as Salona (Σάλωνα) from the medieval period until the 1800s. Amfissa has access to GR-27 and the old GR-48 links it to Lidoriki. Amfissa sits on the northern edge of the farmlands of the Crisaean plain. It lies between two mountains; close to the northwest is Mt. Giona and farther east the Parnassos mountains. The town itself is surrounded by forest. Amfissa is located S of Lamia, NW of Livadeia and Delphi, 13 km N of the port of Itea, ENE of Nafpaktos and E of Lidoriki.

Amfissa has been settled from ancient times and was mentioned by Pausanias. It once served as a city-state and was home to the Esperian or western Locris. Amfissa has been under the rule of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Crusaders and the Ottomans before joining Greece in 1821. During the Greek War of Independence, Amfissa was liberated under the leadership of various soldiers, including Panourgias and the local bishop. The anniversary of the seizure of the Salona fortress by these men on April 10, 1821 is celebrated every year by the residents of the city. Amfissa formerly served as a capital of the Eastern Terrestrial Greece.

Much of the population engages in agriculture and traditional crafts, such as tanning, bell and rope making. The primary agricultural products are olives and goat milk. Amfissa leads Greece in goat milk production and the olive groves are nicknamed " The Olive Groves of Greece" and are protected as 'places of Delphian Landscape'. A type of olive is named after the city.

1 Culture and Sites of Interest
2 Historical population
3 External links
4 See also

[edit] Culture and Sites of Interest

Much of the city's culture is the result of private legacies left to the city. It is also known for its annual carnival. Benefactors include Markidis, Giagtzis, and Stallos. The city contains an odeon, a chorus, a presentative library with a collection of rare books, a children's library and public philharmonic. A city square, or plateia lies at the intersection of GR-27 and old GR-48.

Landmarks includes the Salona fortress, also known as the Frankish castle 'Orias' or 'Orgia', the Archaeological Museum of Amfissa, the Annunciation Cathedral with its murals by Spiros Papaloukas and several smaller museums. Other older sites nearby include the Byzantine Sotrios Church from the 12th century. Amfissa also has a unified lyceum, T.E.I, I.E.K (an affiliate of TEI in Lamia). There are ample opportunities for hiking and camping in the mountains.