Petroupoli

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Petroupoli Πετρούπολη

Location

Coordinates	38°2′N 23°41′E / 38.033, 23.683Coordinates: 38°2′N 23°41′E / 38.033, 23.683
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (center):	140 m (459 ft)
Government
Country:	Greece
Periphery:	Attica
Prefecture:	Athens
Districts:	1
Mayor:	Stefanos - Gavriil Vlachos
Population statistics (as of 2001^[1])
City Proper
- Population:	48,327
- Area:^[2]	6.597 km² (3 sq mi)
- Density:	7,326 /km² (18,973 /sq mi)
Codes
Postal:	13231
Area:	210 50
Auto:	ΙΖΧ
Website
www.petroupoli.gr

Petroupoli (older form: Petroupolis) (Greek modern: Πετρούπολη, Katharevousa: Πετρούπολις) is a suburb in the northwestern part of Athens Metropolitan Area, in Greece. The two peaks of Mount Aigaleo lie to the north and west of the suburb, and is located ESE of Eleusis, S of the Attiki Odos (Exit number 6), W of Kifissou Avenue (GR-1/E75, and Athens, NW of Poseidonos Avenue and N of Piraeus. Its main streets, (25 March Ave., Anatolikis Romylias St. and Perikleous St.), connect the town with Ilio, Greece and Peristeri.

1 Geography
2 Information
3 Mayors and elections
4 Historical population
5 External links

[edit] Geography

The areas of Petroupoli were once, as elsewhere in the region, mainly made up of farmlands and pasture farming and groves were common. Urban development replaced much of the farmlands between the 1950s and 1990s, and continued until the late 1990s, though rarely further. Today, the eastern and central parts of the municipality are urbanized or residential. The rocky landscape of Aigaleo with a few bushes lies to the west and to the north, and mining was common in the western section between the 1960s and the late 20th century; one of the abandoned quarries located nearly 1 km northwest was turned into a park, and some also became sporting areas. The area's mountain range lies along its municipal boundary to the northwest, and the northern part of the mountaintop lies north of city hall. The Petra Festival takes place every summer.

The streets in the central part of Petroupoli run southwest to northeast, and southeast to northwest, and the southern and the eastern residential streets are mixed. The area's junior football (soccer) team is named Aris Petroupoli.

[edit] Information

The history of this city is believed to date to the mid-1930s, when a newspaper began to distribute building grounds via coupons to its readers. Petroupoli today incorporates a number of private and 15 public kindergartens, 12 primary schools (11 public and 1 private), 6 public lower secondary schools (gymnasia), 5 public upper secondary schools (lyceums) and one public Technical Secondary School (EPAL). It also takes in a number of bank branches, including services as Cirrus, Maestro and Visa, a police station, a post office, supermarkets, parks and sporting fields, including several near the mountainside, and the area's squares (plateies). ASDA (Association for the Development of Western Athens) regards Petroupoli as the most developed western suburb of the capital.

[edit] Mayors and elections

In this area there was once a great tradition of mayors supported by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). For many years, the suburb's mayor was Nicolaos Paximadas, supported by the KKE. Following his retirement, another candidate endorsed by KKE, Giorgos Giogos, became mayor of the area for the 8 years between 1994 and 2002. In 2002, candidate Stefanos Vlachos was elected, endorsed by both another left party, Synaspismos, and PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement).