Ritsona (Greek, Modern: Ριτσώνα) is a settlement in the municipality of Avlida in mainland Euboea, Greece. It is situated 15 to 20 km west of Chalkida and the Strait of Euripus on the GR-44 (Thiva - Chalkida - Karystos) It is part of the municipal district of Vathy. In 2001 its population was 227. Its elevation is 170 m. The boundary with Avlida is to the north and Boeotia to the west and south. Also it is located only 4 km (2 mi) south of the GR-1/E55 (Athens - Lamia - Thessaloniki) with its interchange at its 70th kilometer.
The name is believed to be from the pine resin which was abundant those days. In recent years due to forest fires, a large part of the area's pine trees had disappeared. Ritsona today is largely made up vineyards which produces wines and makes large wine producing units, as much as enough other factories, they are founded by the superhighway.
Contents |
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 316 |
| 2001 | 227 |
Much of the area are mountainous and are also forested with pine, cypresses and cedars, farmlands are around the village and barren land are at the smaller portions. It is also located 15 to 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Thiva and 85 to 90 km (56 mi) northwest of Athens.
The village has about 5 km (3 mi) of paved road, 10 to 15 km (9 mi) of gravel road and has about 4 to 5 km (3 mi) of hydro and phone lines.
There is an elementary school, a church and a square. Its economy is based mainly on agricultural products.
Its history began during the Homeric period with the ancient city of Mykalissos. Ritsonas became connected with asphalt in the interwar period. During World War II, the notorious report occurred in May 1944. During the German Occupation of Greece, the Germans executed 110 disabled Greek soldiers from the Greco-Italian War with hunger, the actions that made the Greek resistnace from the area into the German military ambulance, later, they executed all 100 disabled Greeks from the conquest. The area was once a part of the former community of Chalia, now Drosia of the municipality of Anthidonas, the main plan by the German occupying force was to execute all men 16 and over from the area. Later, it executed the male population of the community into the thresh in the surrounding area. The execution of the Greek population occurred later on with intervention by the authorities and brought to the area and in Chalkida. They did not prevent their execution by the German occupying forces of 100 disabled Greek soldiers of the Greco-Italian War in which took them to the village and executed at the military hospital in Athens at Hadjikosta Prison.
After World War II and the Greek Civil War, its buildings were rebuilt and emigration was not as high as other parts of Greece. In 1997, the ex-community (now a village and a municipal district) joined to become the newly formed municipality of Anthidonas.
The Ritsona Rally is home to one of the most famous auto racing in Greece. The first Ritsona Rally began in 1956 from the Automobile Racing Ckub and from then every year during the first weekend of December features the rally event, it is the curtain of the Rally Championship, during 2008, the number of racers went as high as 176.