Igoumenitsa Ηγουμενίτσα
Panoramic view of Igoumenitsa.
Location
Igoumenitsa
Coordinates	39°29′N 20°16′E / 39.483°N 20.267°E / 39.483; 20.267Coordinates: 39°29′N 20°16′E / 39.483°N 20.267°E / 39.483; 20.267
Location within the region
Government
Country:	Greece
Region:	Epirus
Regional unit:	Thesprotia
Mayor:	Giorgos Katsinos
Population statistics (as of 2001)
Municipality
- Population:	24,692
- Area:	426.6 km2 (165 sq mi)
- Density:	58 /km2 (150 /sq mi)
Municipal unit
- Population:	14,710
- Area:	80.8 km2 (31 sq mi)
- Density:	182 /km2 (472 /sq mi)
Community
- Population:	9,104
Other
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max):	0–10 m ­(0–33 ft)
Postal code:	461 00
Telephone:	26650
Auto:	ΗΝ
Website
www.igoumenitsa.gr

Igoumenitsa (Greek: Ηγουμενίτσα, Greek pronunciation: [iɣume'nitsa]), is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani.

Igoumenitsa is a picturesque small town with lots of green (the dominating forest can be easily seen in the picture), beaches with crystal clear blue waters, and green mountains surrounding the town. The 670 km Egnatia Highway, which serves northern Greece, terminates at Igoumenitsa.

Municipality[link]

Igoumenitsa town hall.

Part of Igoumenitsa's waterfront.

The present municipality Igoumenitsa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units (constituent communities in brackets):^[1]

• Igoumenitsa (Agia Marina, Agios Vlasios, Graikochori, Igoumenitsa, Kastri, Kryovrysi, Ladochori, Mavroudi, Nea Selefkeia)
• Margariti (Eleftheri, Karteri, Katavothra, Margariti, Mazarakia, Mesovouni, Spatharaioi)
• Parapotamos (Drimitsa, Geroplatanos, Koritiani, Parapotamos)
• Perdika
• Syvota (Argyrotopos, Faskomilia, Plataria, Syvota)

History[link]

The port of the city.

In ancient times Igoumenitsa was known as Titani, (Gitani, Gitana, Goumani) and was one of the most important towns of the Kingdom of Thesprotis during the 4th century BC, covering 28 hectares. The circumference of its walls was 2,400 metres. The walls had four gates. Internal walls, in the shape of a sickle, divided the city in half. Its most noteworthy tower, located at the top of the hill, was round, and is thought to have been a religious sanctuary. Excavations have revealed a theatre which seats 2,500 and ruins of two temples.

The city was a meeting place of the Epirote League (Livy 42.38.1). A spur near Philiates between the Kalamas River, the acropolis had a fine semicircular tower. A small theater, towers, and gateways which are still visible. The Kalamas may have been navigable to this point. The city was destroyed by the Romans in 167 BC and later on it was annexed into the Roman Empire. It was ruled by Ottoman Empire and was renamed as "Reşadiye" in 1909 honour of Mehmet V, Ottoman Sultan between 1909 and 1918. During Italo-Turkish War, Hamidiye torpedo boat was sunk by an Italian destroyer on December 30, 1912^[2] in here.

After the liberation of the region from ottoman rule during the balkan wars in 1913, the city name was Grava (Greek: Γράβα) which means "cave" in ancient Greek and in 1938 became head of the prefecture of Thesprotia and renamed to Igoumenitsa.

During World War II Igoumenitsa (Albanian: Gumenica) was burned by Cham Albanian collaborationist bands.^[3]

Traffic[link]

The Patras, Greece to Brindisi, Italy car–ferry ships of the Hellenic Mediterranean Lines (HML) stop at Igoumenitsa, before crossing the Adriatic Sea and vice versa, as well as the ships of Superfast Ferries, ANEK Lines and several other shipping companies, before going to Ancona, Bari or Venice in Italy, and vice versa. Frequent passenger and car ferries to and from Corfu.

The Egnatia Odos motorway, which was opened in 2009 and is part of the , has significantly enhanced the connection with Thessaloniki and Turkey and shortened the required travelling time from and to the Turkish border by several hours. Between Thessaloniki and the Turkish border, the road runs more or less parallel to the ancient Roman Via Egnatia.

Historical population[link]

Climate[link]

The average rainfall in Igoumenitsa is around 1,100 mm. By comparison in Athens it is only 380 mm; in Crete it is 640 mm, and in Ioannina 1,300 mm.

The temperature table are dated as of 2005.

The water is safe for swimming between the months of May to November, that's only half a year. In 2005, the town had 65 rainy days, the summer had 4 rainy days with 10 hours of mix of sun and clouds each day. The last 25 years, the lowest temperature was -9°C and the highest was 43°C.

Photo gallery[link]

• 

  Igoumenitsa as seen from Egnatia Odos.

• 

  View of the port.

• 

  View of Igoumenitsa from the sea.

See also[link]

• List of settlements in Thesprotia

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website (Greek)
• Igoumenitsa

v t e Administrative division of the Epirus Region Area: 9,203km² • Population: 353,820 (2001) • Capital: Ioannina Regional unit of Arta Arta • Central Tzoumerka • Georgios Karaiskakis • Nikolaos Skoufas Regional unit of Ioannina Dodoni • Ioannina • Konitsa • Metsovo • North Tzoumerka • Pogoni • Zagori • Zitsa Regional unit of Preveza Parga • Preveza • Ziros Regional unit of Thesprotia Filiates • Igoumenitsa • Souli Regional governor: Alexandros Kachrimanis • Website: www.php.gov.gr

v t e   Prefectural Capitals of Greece Agios Nikolaos Alexandroupoli Amfissa Argostoli Arta Athens Chalcis Chania Chios Corfu Corinth Drama Edessa Eleusis Ermoupoli Florina Grevena Heraklion Igoumenitsa Ioannina Kalamata Karditsa Karpenisi Kastoria Katerini Kavala Kilkis Komotini Kozani Lamia Larissa Lefkada Livadeia Missolonghi Mytilene Nafplion Pallini Patras Piraeus Polygyros Preveza Pyrgos Rethymno Rhodes Serres Sparta Thessaloniki Trikala Tripoli Vathy Veria Volos Xanthi Zakynthos