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Attica

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Attica is a famous peninsula in Greece. It sticks out into the blue Aegean Sea in a triangular shape.

Marathon-See - Staumauer 2011
Marathon-See - Staumauer 2011

To the north, the land meets Boeotia. To the west, it borders Megaris. The peninsula is home to the big city of Athens. Athens is the capital of Greece and sits at the center of the region.

Aerial view of Rafina Harbour 20.02.2009 12-20-04
Aerial view of Rafina Harbour 20.02.2009 12-20-04

The area also includes many surrounding towns and suburban cities. It is a place where the sea and the land meet in many ways.

The land of Attica has many different shapes and features. High mountains like Parnitha divide the plains. Parnitha is the highest mountain in the whole region.

Eleusis
Eleusis

Some mountains are covered in green pine and fir trees. Other areas have more low shrubs and bushes. The Kifisos is the longest river in Attica. It starts near the foothills of Mount Parnitha. The river flows across the plain and empties into the sea near the port of Piraeus.

Λαύριο 1946
Λαύριο 1946

There is even a large lake called Lake Marathon, which was made by building a dam in 1920.

This region has a very long and busy history. In ancient times, Attica was part of the famous Athens city-state. It was a very important place during the Golden Age of Athens.

Map athenian empire 431 BC-en
Map athenian empire 431 BC-en

Long ago, people thought the inhabitants were the original people of the land. They called themselves Autochthones. Later, groups called Ionians moved there and lived with the local people. These people spoke an Ionian dialect of Ancient Greek. Over many centuries, different groups like the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans ruled the land.

Many interesting places and numbers define Attica. In the year 508/7 BC, a leader named Cleisthenes made reforms. He divided the land into many small groups called demes. These were split into three zones: the city, the coast, and the inland area.

Spata airview
Spata airview

There were also many important religious sites. People worshipped gods like Athena and Dionysus in different towns. For example, the Temple of Poseidon stands at Cape Sounion.

Greece Cape Sounion BW 2017-10-09 10-12-43
Greece Cape Sounion BW 2017-10-09 10-12-43

The mining area of Laurion was also a very important spot for the region.

Today, Attica is a place where old history meets modern life. Most of the land is now part of the big Athens urban area.

View on Saronida
View on Saronida

In 1834, Athens became the capital of the new Greek state. This brought many people from all over Greece to live there. The region now includes the Saronic Islands and even parts of the Peloponnesian mainland. When you visit, you can see ancient ruins right next to busy cities. It is a place that connects the ancient world to the world we live in today.

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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:Aliki Anavyssou.JPG
Aliki Anavyssou.JPG
File:Marathon-See - Staumauer 2011.jpg
Marathon-See - Staumauer 2011.jpg
File:Greece Cape Sounion BW 2017-10-09 10-12-43.jpg
Greece Cape Sounion BW 2017-10-09 10-12-43.jpg
File:Map athenian empire 431 BC-en.svg
Map athenian empire 431 BC-en.svg
File:Brauron - Π-shaped stoa and Classical Bridge.jpg
Brauron - Π-shaped stoa and Classical Bridge.jpg
File:A Chalkidian Amphora, Museo Nazionale Etrusco.jpg
A Chalkidian Amphora, Museo Nazionale Etrusco.jpg
File:Rhamnous-1.jpg
Rhamnous-1.jpg
File:Spata airview.jpg
Spata airview.jpg
File:Eleusis.JPG
Eleusis.JPG
File:View on Saronida.jpg
View on Saronida.jpg
File:Aerial view of Rafina Harbour 20.02.2009 12-20-04.JPG
Aerial view of Rafina Harbour 20.02.2009...
File:Λαύριο 1946.JPG
Λαύριο 1946.JPG
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