The Hill of Goritsa

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:27:00 +0000

Athe southeast of the city of Volos is the hill of Goritsas, a small natural hill about 200 m. above sea level and is a “jewel”which overlooks the city of Volos. The hill belongs ownership by 77% in Iolkos and 23% the respective village. Atop the hill, which leads to a paved road, there is an old templeLife Giving Spring – belongs to the parish ofPresentation of Mary of Ano Volos.It is built on the site of an earlier Christian temple of the 18th century., and there is evidence for the existence of an ancient temple in the same place. The northern end of the hill is joined by a narrow saddle with the bulk of Pelion. To the east of the plain of Agria and beyond the Lehonia. This hill, that for many years fueled the building boom of Volos – and this is reflected in the abandoned quarry in the southwestern edge of – has ancient history but Slavic, probably, name, to be derived from thegor,που σημαίνει “mountain”, with the addition of the Greek suffix ypokoristikis – itsa.

Hill Goritsas. Ο Ιερός Ναός της Ζωοδόχου Πηγής.

Άποψη του Βόλου από το λόφο της Γορίτσας.

Ηstrategic position the hill overseeing the area was the reason for founding in’ αυτόν τον 4^οcentury. BC. a city probably whenΦίλιππος ο Β’ fortifies strategic places in Magnesia. Later (316-298 B.C.)the city fortifications strengthened byCassander with wall 2.850m. length. Thirty towers placed at uneven intervals, as the geographical relief offered in some places natural fortification. The city was occupied for a short time. When the 294 π.Χ. built byDemetrius Demetrius the ancient Dimitriada, the city of Goritsas synoikistike gradually until 250 π.Χ. in the city of Dimitriadis and hill never rebuilt. The name of the town is still unknown. BCmes, several researchers have proposed the identification with Iolcos, the Nilea, Dimitrada. But then the exact location of the last,speculated that perhaps there wasOrminio. The city is built on the south hill tops in area 400 acres. It is designed with a compact urban fabric and is organized into blocks.

Ypothetoun archaeologists that the city had 400-500 homes usually square and lived there from 3000 to 3,500 residents. Was divided into blocks according to Hippodameios system(vertical and horizontal domes, spaced 32m. and have a width of 4.5 meters).On the north side of the house were a series of rooms and the courtyard on the south. Among the blocks were open spaces-squares. The triangular plaza III,which identified the Agora, there is a circular and a rectangular construction,probably of public. He identified portion of the water supply and sanitation.

Η πεδιάδα της Αγριάς όπως φαίνεται από την κορυφή του λόφου.

Kataskefastikan gates on the north and east, to be able to control the passage of people and goods, west, no access to the sea, and south, to serve military purposes. At the highest point of the hill the wall enclosing the acropolis, where today the church is built of the Life Giving Fountain. The gate of the ancient Acropolis, located at the point where the modern road crosses the path of the wall. Outside the wall, natural cave, has found the inscription on the rock “DIOS MILICHIOU”, proving the worship of Zeus in. It is one of the few authentic examples of Hellenistic city that remained open monument in time, χωρίς μεταγενέστερες παρεμβάσεις.

CI. Iolkos » The Hill of Goritsa

The Hill of Goritsa