Ekali
Ekali (Greek: Εκάλη) is an exclusive suburban community of Athens -- just about 20 km to the north of the city. Being one of the most expensive areas in Europe, Ekali's residents include major Greek shipping and industry families, media moguls and real estate tycoons. Ekali has strict building regulations to ensure the conservation of its character as a pleasant, verdant suburb.
Ekali sits between the Athenian plain and the Penteli mountains. The plain is to the west; the forests at the foot of the Pentelic mountain range lie to the east.
Ekali is accessed via an interchange with GR-1/E75 (Athens - Lamia - Thessaloniki) at the 18th km near Varybombi, to the southwest. The Penteli mountains, mostly forested but now increasingly urbanized, lie to the east. The Cephissus River lies to the west.
Ekali is located SE of Thebes, S of Euboea and Oropos, NE of Kifissia and N of the Attiki Odos (number 6).
The main street is Thisseos (Theseus) Avenue, which connects GR-83 with Dionyssou Avenue towards the communities of Dionysos and Rhea, as well as Leoforos Marathonos towards Drosia north of Ekali, and with Kifissia to the south. An automobile rest area is situated to the west in the service road of the superhighway.
Until the 1960s and the 1970s, farmlands covered the western part of Ekali up until the 1990s. Urban development accelerated in the 1960s and the 1970s, with the establishment of luxury houses in the till-then mainly forested sections of Ekali. The construction of houses continued unabated in the 1980s and the 1990s, reaching all the way to the foot of the Penteli mountain. Housing construction continues to this day.
The street plan is mainly of mixed triangles and lines that run parallel, not as a grid. The streets lead to squares and circles and one main street connecting with GR-1/E75. In terms of urban planning, there are a couple of children's playgrounds, and a few squares (plateies), including Kennedy Square.
Ekali is purely residential, which means retail shops or commercial and professional businesses are not permitted within the community. Despite that, there are three kiosks (newsstands), one taverna restaurant, one hotel and a members-only country club (Ecali Club) operating within the community's perimeter. Ekali has a primary school, a secondary school, several churches, a monastery, and a privately owned acquifer providing independent water supply to the residents of the suburban community.
Noteworthy residents:
Latsis, Vardinoyannis, Moundreas, and Goulandris.
Landmarks includes the Giannis Spyropoulos Museum.
On September 7, 1999, an earthquake shook Thrakomakedones but caused no damage to properties.
In 2005, Ekali was home to the Ekali Adventure Trophy, an off-road rally.
External links
- Ekali Community official website
- Mapquest - Ekali, street map not available
- Spyropoulos Foundation and Museum
- Ekali 4x4 Club
- Ecali Club
| North: Anixi and Stamata | Northeast: Drosia | |
| West: Acharnes and Kryoneri? | Ekali | East: Dionysos |
| South: Nea Erythraia |
See also
A portion of content for this article is credited to Wikipedia. Content under GNU Free Documentation License(GFDL)
