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National Park of Axios, Loudias, Aliakmonas, Gallikos rivers

The National Park of Axios, Loudias, Aliakmonas, Gallikos rivers covers an area of 388,000 acres, more than twice the size of greater Thessaloniki.

  1. Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )


    2003 The administrative organization was founded.

  2. Ottoman era (1453- 1912)


  3. Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)


  4. Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)


    The name of the Gallikos (French) River probably has nothing to do with France. In antiquity, there was the city of Kallikos in the area and during the Roman years it was renamed Callicum. So they called the leather sieve, with which gold was collected. The name of neighbouring Kilkis may also come from the same root.

  5. Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)


  6. Classical era (478-323 BC)


  7. Archaic era (800-479 BC)


  8. Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)


  9. Prehistory (-1100 BC)


What I can see

This national park is one of the most important wetlands in Greece. It covers an area of 388,000 acres, more than twice the size of greater Thessaloniki. Here one can find farms, meadows, swamps and rice-fields. These rice-fields, especially the ones around Axios River, produce almost 70% of the domestic rice production. The park’s official website proposes seven detailed routes to assist visitors (http://www.axiosdelta.gr/el-gr). Visitors be warned, however: starting in the afternoon, especially during the summer months, the area has a lot of mosquitoes. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, must also take heed of frost warnings during the winter months.

What I can't see

A very interesting feature of this wetland is its constantly and rapidly changing landscape over the centuries, because of sediments carried by four rivers that run into the Thermaic Gulf. These materials, the riverside forests and the shallow water, create the ideal conditions for a habitat. Approximately 300 species of birds (swans, ducks, tailed, pelicans, flamingos, cormorants), mammals (wild cats, foxes, badgers, jackals, otters, wolves, water buffalo, wild horses), 29 species of reptiles, 10 amphibian species, a rich fishing place and a significant mussel cultivation, which covers 90% of the domestic production, complement the backdrop of the national park. Unfortunately, in recent decades, animal populations have decreased due to anthropogenic factors and a special organization for the park’s protection has therefore been established.

Info

Bibliography

National Park of Axios Delta, (d.u.), Προστατευόμενη περιοχή, προτεινόμενες διαδρομές,

[Protected area, recommended routes], http://www.axiosdelta.gr/el-gr/

Last visit 11/9/2014

 

Zafeiris Ch., (1997), Θεσσαλονίκης Εγκόλπιον, ιστορία, πολιτισμός, η πόλη σήμερα, γεύσεις, μουσεία, μνημεία, διαδρομές, [Thessaloniki Handbook, history, culture, the city today, flavours, museums, routes], Athens: Exantas

 

Karamitsios G., (2017), Θεσσαλονίκη, 100 μικρές ιστορίες [Thessaloniki, 100 little stories], Ianos Publications