From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Argostoli (Modern: Greek: Αργοστόλι, Ancient/Katharevousa: -ον,
-on) has been the capital and administrative centre of Kefalonia, Greece, since 1757, following a
population shift down from the old capital of Agios Georgios (also
known as Kastro) to take advantage of the trading opportunities
provided by the sheltered bay upon which Argostoli sits. Argostoli
developed in to one of the busiest ports in Greece, leading to prosperity and growth, but
between 1866 and 1999 the administrative borders changed little.
Following the “Kapodistrias Law” of 1997, communities around the
town united to form a larger Municipality of
Argostoli, which now includes the settlements of Spilia,
Helmata, Kompothekrata, Lassi, Minies and ten former communities:
Agona, Davgata, Dilinata, Zola, Thinia, Kourouklata, Nifi,
Troyiannata, Faraklata and Farsa. The 2001 census recorded a
population of 12,589 in the Argostoli municipality. Its largest
towns are Argostóli (pop. 9,037), Dilináta (739), Farakláta (411),
and Kardakáta (362).
Urban
landscape
South of Argostoli: The castle St.George (The venetian Borgo)
To the east of Argostoli, at the end of the bay, beneath the
aforementioned Castle of St. George, sits the Koutavos Lagoon, a
feeding ground for the Loggerhead
turtles (Caretta caretta). Now a nature reserve, the Koutavos
Lagoon was once an almost impassable swamp where mosquitoes and malaria were rife. Under the British governor
of the island, General Sir Charles James Napier,
a wooden bridge was constructed across the lagoon in 1813 by Colonel Charles Philip de
Bosset, a Swiss engineer in the employ of the British
army.
Four years later stone arches were added and, after some 26
years, the entire bridge was rebuilt in stone. In continuous use
until 2005, this narrow bridge is now closed to traffic, awaiting
renovation by the Greek Ministry of Culture. Almost halfway along
the Drepano Bridge stands a stone column built by the British to
celebrate their presence.
The coastal road out of Argostoli to the west was known during
the Venetian period as the ‘Piccolo Gyro’. Along the Piccolo Gyro,
in the Vlikha area facing Lixouri, lie the ‘Swallow Holes’ of
Katovothres, a geological phenomenon. Sea water disappears
underground and travels under the island, re-emerging some fourteen
days later in the Karavomylos area of Sami, having passed through
the nearby, underground Melissani lake. The power of this sea water
was harnessed, in 1835, to power a water mill. Further along the
Piccolo Gyro is the Agion Theodoron lighthouse, named after the
small adjacent church. More commonly known as the Fanari
lighthouse, this too was built during the British occupation, in
1829. The original building was destroyed in the earthquake of
1953, the recently restored present structure was rebuilt, complete
with Doric-style columns, from the original plans.
Buildings that weren’t shattered by German bombing in 1943 were
destroyed in 1953 by the earthquake that
razed virtually all of Kefalonia, apart from the Fiskardo area, to the
ground.
Opposite the Archaeological Museum of
Argostoli are the law courts, originally constructed by the
British with stone from the Cyclopean site at nearby Krani. Along
Lithostroto, next to the Catholic Church, is a tiny museum (open
some mornings and most evenings) dedicated to the soldiers of the
Acqui Division. A little further along is the Bell Tower.
Rebuilt in 1985 to house the original clock mechanism.
Municipal
districts
Nearest
Places
Transportation
Between the Koutavos Lagoon and the Drepano Bridge is the new
bus station which connects Argostoli with the other towns and some
of the villages on the island, as well as with Athens and Patras. The old bus station, just past these
market stalls, is likely to accommodate a proposed seaplane service
connecting Argostoli with Patras, due to commence Spring 2006. The main
ferry port, connecting Argostoli with the mainland (via Kyllini) and Zakynthos (also known as Zante) is next
to this building with the Lixouri ferry (once an hour in winter,
twice an hour in summer) docking a little further along.
- Car ferry service to Kyllini (mainland) and Zakynthos (Zante)
- Car ferry to Lixouri
- KTEL Bus service to Athens, via Kyllini, Patras and the Corinth Canal bridge
- Infrequent bus service to Poros,
Sami, Skala,
Fiskardo and various villages en route
- Frequent summer service to Lassi
- NO bus service to Kefalonia Airport
- Scheduled flights to Zakynthos and Athens, charter flight in
summer, via Kefalonia
Airport
- Seaplane service, Argostoli - Patras (due Spring 2006)
- Taxis from Plateia Valianos and seafront, car and
motorcycle/scooter hire
Historical
population
| Year |
Communal population |
Change |
Municipal population |
Change |
Density |
| 1981 |
7,164 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1991 |
6,815 |
-349/-4.87% |
9,918 |
- |
63.99/km² |
| 2001 |
9,522 |
2,707/28.43% |
12,589 |
2,671/26.9% |
81/km² |
People
- Babis Anninos, writer
- Gerasimos Arsenis, politician
- Dionysios Lavrangas, musician and composer
- Aris
Maliagros (1895-1984), actor
- Gerasimos Markoras, poet
- Andreas
Metaxas (1786-1860), politician
- Ioannis
Metaxas (1871-1941), dictator
- Constantine Phaulkon (1647-1688),
merchant and adventurer
- Antonis
Tritsis (1937-1992), mayor of Athens
- Dionysios Vourvachis, figher in the Greek War of
Independence
- Christian
Zervos (1889-1970), art collector, writer and publisher
See also
References
External
links
Argostoli
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