Irlandos at 12:16, March 7, 2006

2006-03-07T12:16:19Z

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{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="float:right; empty-cells:show; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:0,5em; background:#FFDEAD;"

! align="center" colspan="2" | Statistics
|---- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| [[Prefecture]]: || [[Attica]]
|---- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| [[Metropolis|Metropolitan Area]]: || [[Athens]]
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| Location: || {{coor dms|38|46|48|N|23|48|47|E|region:GR}}
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| Area: -Total -Water -Rank|| 6 km² 

|---- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| Population: ([[1991]])  - Total  - Density¹  - Rank||  3,450  575/km² 
|---- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| Elevation:  -lowest:  -centre:  -highest:|| [[Saronic Gulf]] 20 m(centre) around 200 m
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| [[List of postal codes in Greece|Postal code]]: || 166
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| [[Area codes in Greece|Area/distance code]]: || 11-30-[[Greece dialing code 210|210]] (030-210) -890 through 899
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| [[YPES|Statistical code]]: || 0313
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| [[License plates in Greece|Car designation]]: || <code>Y</code> (prev.) <code>Z</code> pres.
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| 3-letter abbreviation: || VOU

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| Address of administration: || 2 Afroditis St. Vouliagmeni 166 71

|}

'''Vouliagmeni''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Βουλιαγμένη, meaning "sunken") is a municipality 20 km south of [[Athens]]. Its population is about 4,000. It sits on the southwestern part of the [[Hymettus]] mountain range. Its exact location is around 38.8° or 38°48′ N and around 23.83° or 23°50′ E.

Vouliagmeni is bisected by Athinas Avenue, which runs parallel to the seashore and continues southwards. The part east of the main road is rocky and the bulk of the town is built there. The western half is covered with pine trees, and consists of two peninsulas, Megalo and Mikro Kavouri ("Big Crab" and "Little Crab"). The two Kavouria feature beautiful and very popular sandy and pebble beaches in between rocky shores, several luxury hotels including the Astir Hotel which occupies most of Mikro Kavouri, two marinas, a nautical club (swimming, finswimming, waterpolo, skiing, sailing), a sports club (football, basketball, volleyball, tennis) and several luxurious seaside restaurants, taverns and cafeterias. The Kavouria are the most expensive pieces of housing real estate in Greece. Zoning is enforced strictly.

The Vouliagmeni beaches are consistently awarded the coveted EU [http://www.blueflag.org blue flags] for environmental excellence.

The triathlon of the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] took place in this area.
==History==
Ruins of the temple of [[Apollo]] Zoster have been excavated and can be seen inside the public Astir Hotel beach. According to the legend, when [[Leto]] was about to give birth to [[Apollo]] and [[Artemis]], she fled writhing in pain to [[Delos]]. During her flight she discarded her girdle, which fell on the Mikro Kavouri peninsula. When her son, the god [[Apollo]], was born, he picked up the discarded girdle and girdled himself in honor of his mother, hence he was named "Zoster" (Girt). Other remnants of early human habitation found in Vouliagmeni include Neolithic and Bronze Age building foundations and a [[5th century BC]] outpost. During classical times the area was the [[deme]] of Aixonides Halai (Greek: Αιξωνίδες Αλαί), i.e. the Saltfields of Aixone (modern day [[Glyfada]]).

==Lake Vouliagmeni==
Immediately to the south of the town and very close to the sea, there is a rare geophysical formation that gave the suburb its modern name: '''Lake Vouliagmeni''' (Sunken Lake), a fresh-water lake fed by underground currents seeping through the mass of Mount [[Hymettus]]. It used to be a large cavern that collapsed after an earthquake, probably during the early Middle Ages. The outline of the collapsed cavern can be clearly discerned from a distance. The lake stands at 40 cm elevation and its water maintains a constant 24 degrees Celsius temperature year-round. It continues deep inside the mountain in an underwater cave which has never been explored completely as it seems to proceed endlessly. Many underwater expeditions have been carried out in order to chart it, and a few amateur divers have drowned trying. Because of its constant and comfortable water temperature, the lake functions as a year-round swimming spa.

==Historical population==

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"11
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Year !! Municipal population !! Change !! Density 10,412
|-
| [[1981]] || 2,897 || - || 483/km²
|-
| [[1991]] || 3,450 || 553/19.1% || 575/km²
|}

 
<table width = 75% border = 2 align="center">
<tr><td width = 35% align="center">
<td width = 30% align="center">'''North:''' [[Voula]]</td>
<td width = 35% align="center">
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width = 10% align="center">'''West:''' [[Saronic Gulf]] </td>
<td width = 35% align="center">[[Vouliagmeni]]</td>
<td width = 30% align="center">'''East:''' [[Vari]]</td>
<tr><td width = 35% align="center">
<td width = 30% align="center">'''South:''' [[Saronic Gulf]]</td>
<td width = 35% align="center">
</table>

==See also==

* [[List of municipalities in the prefecture of Attica]]

==External links==
*[http://www.vouliagmeni.gr Municipality of Vouliagmeni]
*[http://www.nov.gr Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni (NOV)]
*[http://www.digitalglobe.com/images/athens/vouliagmeni_look_north.jpg Vouliagmeni, aerial photo]

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:Athens]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Greece]]
[[Category:Attica prefecture]]

Vouliagmeni - Revision history

Irlandos at 12:16, March 7, 2006