Changes

'''Mesolonghi''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Μεσολόγγι, ''Mesolóngi'', older forms ''Messolongi'', ''Missolonghi'', ''Mesolongion''; officially "Holy City of Mesolonghi") is a town city of about 12,000 228 people (as of 1991 2001 census) in central [[Greece]]. The town is the capital of [[Aitoloakarnania prefecture|Aitoloakarnania]] and is also the second largest town. It is the seat of the municipality of '''Iera Poli Mesolonghiou'''. Mesolonghi is linked and is bypasses since the [[1960s]] with [[central Greece Interstate 5|GR-5]]/[[E55]]. The road to Astakos is to the northwest and is also accessed to [[Greece Interstate 48|GE-48]] to the east. It is located S of [[Agrinio]], SSW of [[Karpenisi]], WSW od [[Amfissa]], W of the [[Rio Antirio bridge|Rio-Antirio Bridge]], W of [[Nafpaktos]], E of [[Aitoliko]] and SE of Astakos. The town was founded in the [[16th century]] and is located between the [[Acheloos]] and the [[Evinos]] rivers. The town contains a port on the [[Gulf of Patra]]. It trades in fish, wine, and tobacco. The [[Arakynthos]] mountains lie to the northeast. The town is almost canalized but houses are within the gulf and the swamplands. The [[Mesolonghi Lagoon]] lies to the west and is also a swampy area. In the ancient times, the land was part of the gulf. The town had a train station which used to link the railway line linking to [[Ioannina city|Ioannina]] and became abandoned in the [[1980s]].

The city is the capital of [[Aitoloakarnania prefecture|Aitoloakarnania]] and is also the second largest city. It is the seat of the municipality of '''Iera Poli Mesolonghiou'''. Mesolonghi is linked and is bypasses since the [[1960s]] with [[Greece Interstate 5|GR-5]]/[[E55]]. The road to Astakos is to the northwest and is also accessed to [[Greece Interstate 48|GE-48]] to the east. It is located S of [[Agrinio]], SSW of [[Karpenisi]], WSW of [[Amfissa]], W of the [[Rio Antirio bridge|Rio-Antirio Bridge]], W of [[Nafpaktos]], E of [[Aitoliko]] and SE of Astakos.  The city was founded in the [[16th century]] and is located between the [[Acheloos]] and the [[Evinos]] rivers. It contains a port on the [[Gulf of Patra]]. It trades in fish, wine, and tobacco. The [[Arakynthos]] mountains lie to the northeast. Mesolonghi is almost canalized but houses are within the gulf and the swamplands. The [[Mesolonghi Lagoon]] lies to the west and is also a swampy area. In the ancient times, the land was part of the gulf. The city had a train station which used to link the railway line linking to [[Ioannina city|Ioannina]] and became abandoned in the [[1980s]]. ==History==The city is first mentioned with its present name by a Venetian describing the Battle of Lepanto which took place nearby. It was under Venetian rule until [[1700]]. Mesolonghi revolted against Turkish rule on [[May 20]], [[1821]]. It was a major stronghold of the Greek revolutionaries in the Greek [[War of Independence]]. Its inhabitants, led by [[Markos Botsaris]], successfully resisted a siege by Turkish forces of the Ottoman Empire in 1822–23 and [[1822]]. They also defeated the Ottomans in a second siege in [[1823]]. Mesolonghi held out heroically against a second third siege from [[1825 ]] to [[1826]], before the Ottoman forces captured the townafter a sortie by its entire population. On account of its inhabitants' heroism, it was named a "Holy City" - the only city in [[Greece]] to have such a distinction. The famous English poet [[Lord Byron]], who supported the Greek struggle for independence, died there in [[1824]]. He is commemorated by a cenotaph and a statue located in the town.