Katerini

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Katerini (Κατερίνη, Old name: Ekaterini, Old name in Greek: Αικατερίνη;) is a town in Central Macedonia, Greece, the capital of Pieria prefecture. It lies on the Pierian plain, between Mt. Olympus and the Thermaikos Gulf, at an altitude of 14 m. The town, which is one of the newest in Greece, has a population of 56,576 (according to the 2001 census). It is near the city of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, which has been beneficial for Katerini's development over recent years. Katerini is accessible from the main Thessaloniki–Athens highway GR-1/E75 (with two interchanges near the town) and the Egnatia Odos to the north. It is served by both Intercity and local trains on the main railway line from Athens to Thessaloniki and there is a comprehensive regional and national bus service with its hub in the town.

A popular tourist destination, Katerini is close to the sea (6 km) and to several archaeological sites of great interest such as the ancient city of Dion (5th century BC, 17 km away) and the Venetian Castle of Platamon. The beaches of Korinos, Paralia and Olympiaki Akti (or Katerinoskala) are visited by both Greek and international tourists during the summer. The roots of Mount Olympus and the town of Litochoro, are in a distance of around 20 kilometres away from the centre of Katerini.

Name

The town's name stems from Catherine of Alexandria (Agia Aikaterini), a Greek Orthodox Martyr who lived in 4th century AD. It was liberated from the Ottomans on 16 October, 1912. During the Nazi régime it was captured by the German army on 14 April, 1941 and was liberated three years later. Katerini is referenced in the Mikis Theodorakis' song To treno feugei stis okto (The Train Leaves At 8) with lyrics by the poet Manos Eleftheriou. This song still remains popular today.

Football

Katerini is home to Pierikos, a football team currently playing in the Second Division.

Historical population

Year	Population	Change	Municipal population	Change
1981	38,404	-	-	-
1991	43,613	5,209/13.56%	48,673	-
2001	-	-	56,576	7,903/16.24%

Sister cities

References

External links

Mapquest - Katerini, street map not yet available
Coordinates:
The English Times of Katerini

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Last updated on Wednesday March 05, 2008 at 12:40:28 PST (GMT -0800)
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